The International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe (also The Luxembourg Forum) — is an international non-governmental organisation uniting leading world-renowned experts on non-proliferation of nuclear weapon

Nuclear weapon

A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...

s, materials and delivery vehicles.

The Forum was established pursuant to a decision passed by the International Conference on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe held in Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...

 on May 24–25, 2007. The Conference discussed new challenges and threats to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

NPT

- Codes :* NPT, the reporting mark of Portland Terminal Railroad of Oregon, United States* NPT, the former postcode of Newport, Wales, United Kingdom* NPT, an IATA code of Newport State Airport, Middletown, Rhode Island, United States- Law enforcement :...

 and the underlying nuclear non-proliferation regime, the threat of nuclear terrorism

Nuclear terrorism

Nuclear terrorism denotes the use, or threat of the use, of nuclear weapons or radiological weapons in acts of terrorism, includingattacks against facilities where radioactive materials are present...

, developments in controlling nuclear technologies, enhancement of IAEA safeguards and the current situation in problematic states and regions (the Middle East, East

East Asia

East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...

 and South Asia

South Asia

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

).

To achieve a practical strengthening of the nuclear non-proliferation regime, the Conference participants prepared a final document and called it the Luxembourg Conference Declaration. The Declaration reflects the opinion of 57 independent experts on global security, arms control

Arms control

Arms control is an umbrella term for restrictions upon the development, production, stockpiling, proliferation, and usage of weapons, especially weapons of mass destruction...

 and disarmament

Disarmament

Disarmament is the act of reducing, limiting, or abolishing weapons. Disarmament generally refers to a country's military or specific type of weaponry. Disarmament is often taken to mean total elimination of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear arms...

 from 14 countries, and included a roadmap to resolution of the complex nuclear situation.

The most important result of the conference was the establishment of a permanent Luxembourg Forum, which originally included the 43 parties to the Declaration. The results of the Conference and the official Declaration were presented on December 18, 2007 in Moscow

Moscow

Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...

.

The Conference was one of the most relevant events dealing exclusively with nuclear non-proliferation issues. Attendees included:

• Sergey Kirienko, Director General of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation;

• Nikolay Laverov, Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Russian Academy of Sciences

The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....

;

• Mohammed ElBaradei, former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA);

• William Perry

William Perry

William James Perry is an American businessman and engineer who was the United States Secretary of Defense from February 3, 1994, to January 23, 1997, under President Bill Clinton...

, Stanford University Professor, former U.S. Secretary of Defense;

• Hans Blix

Hans Blix

is a Swedish diplomat and politician for the Liberal People's Party. He was Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs . Blix was also the head of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission from March 2000 to June 2003, when he was succeeded by Dimitris Perrikos...

, WMDC

Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission

The Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission is established on an initiative by the late Foreign Minister of Sweden, Anna Lindh, acting on a proposal by then United Nations Under-Secretary-General Jayantha Dhanapala. The Swedish Government invited Dr. Hans Blix to set up and chair the Commission...

 Chairman, former IAEA Director General;

• Yukiya Amano

Yukiya Amano

is the current Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency , having been elected to the position in July 2009. Amano previously served as a Japanese diplomat and international civil servant for the United Nations and its subdivisions....

, IAEA Director General.

The Forum’s President is Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor

Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor

Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor is a prominent public figure, businessman and philanthropist who actively participates in the promotion of tolerance and reconciliation in the modern world. He is also engaged in discussing and elaborating ways to stop nuclear proliferation and prevent a nuclear catastrophe...

, an international activist and philanthropist

Philanthropist

A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...

 who is also President of the European Jewish Congress

European Jewish Congress

The European Jewish Congress, , was founded in 1986. It is based in Paris, with offices in Brussels, Strasbourg, Berlin and Budapest...

 and Co-chairman of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation

European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation

The European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation was established in Paris, France on October 7, 2008 to monitor tolerance in Europe...

. Dr. Kantor contributed significantly to preparing and holding the Luxembourg Conference and chaired its Organizing Committee.

The Forum is governed by an International Advisory Council (IAC) and a Supervisory Council (SC).

The IAC brings together over 40 leading experts on the global security, sets Forum agendas and participates in preparing the Forum’s final documents for circulation to political leaders, diplomats and the heads of international and non-governmental organisations.

The Supervisory Council holds regular meetings to elaborate guidelines for action. The Supervisory Council includes Chairman of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission Hans Blix

Hans Blix

is a Swedish diplomat and politician for the Liberal People's Party. He was Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs . Blix was also the head of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission from March 2000 to June 2003, when he was succeeded by Dimitris Perrikos...

; former Foreign Minister and Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, MGIMO University professor Igor Ivanov

Igor Ivanov

Igor Sergeyevich Ivanov is a Russian politician and was Russian Foreign Minister from 1998 to 2004.- Early life :...

; Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Nikolay Laverov; Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative Samuel Nunn; Stanford University Professor William Perry

William Perry

William James Perry is an American businessman and engineer who was the United States Secretary of Defense from February 3, 1994, to January 23, 1997, under President Bill Clinton...

; Director of the East-West Center at the University of Maryland, Academician Roald Sagdeev

Roald Sagdeev

Roald Zinnurovich Sagdeev is a Soviet and Russian expert in plasma physics and former director of the Space Research Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He was also a science advisor to Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. Sagdeev graduated from Moscow State University. He is a member of the...

 and Chairman of the Governing Board, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Rolf Ekeus

Rolf Ekéus

Carl Rolf Ekéus is a Swedish diplomat. From 1978 to 1983, he was a representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, and he has worked on various other disarmament committees and commissions....

; co-chairman of the Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia Gareth Evans

Gareth Evans (politician)

Gareth John Evans, AO, QC , is a former Australian politician from 1978 to 1999 representing the Australian Labor Party, serving in a number of ministries including Attorney-General and Foreign Minister from 1983 to 1996 in the Hawke and Keating governments. He was president and chief executive...

.
.

Forum Priorities

The Luxembourg Forum focuses on two priorities:

— Counteracting growing threats to the nuclear non-proliferation regime and erosion of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

NPT

- Codes :* NPT, the reporting mark of Portland Terminal Railroad of Oregon, United States* NPT, the former postcode of Newport, Wales, United Kingdom* NPT, an IATA code of Newport State Airport, Middletown, Rhode Island, United States- Law enforcement :...

, including the escalating danger of nuclear terrorism

Nuclear terrorism

Nuclear terrorism denotes the use, or threat of the use, of nuclear weapons or radiological weapons in acts of terrorism, includingattacks against facilities where radioactive materials are present...

 and attempts by rogue states to gain access to nuclear materials and technologies. At present, close attention is paid to nuclear weapons non-proliferation in the Middle East

Middle East

The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...

 region and on the Korean Peninsula

Korean Peninsula

The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...

;

— Promoting international peace and security through new approaches and by presenting recommendations to decision-makers, diplomats and experts on nuclear security

Security

Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...

 and non-proliferation critical issues.

Forum Events

1. International Luxembourg Forum Conference (Stockholm, June 13-14, 2011)

2. International Luxembourg Forum Supervisory Council Annual Meeting (Moscow, December 8-9, 2010)

3. International Luxembourg Forum Conference (Washington, September 20-21, 2010)

4. Workshop, International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe (Vienna, April 8-9, 2010)

5. International Luxembourg Forum Supervisory Council Annual Meeting (Moscow, December 8-9, 2009)

6. Workshop, International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe (Geneva, July 3, 2009)

5. Workshop, International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe (Moscow, April 22, 2009)

7. International Luxembourg Forum Supervisory Council Annual Meeting (Moscow, December 9, 2008)

8. Joint Seminar of the International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe and Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs (Rome, June 12, 2008)

9. Workshop of the International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe (Moscow, April 14, 2008)

10. Presentation of the Luxembourg Forum Declaration (Moscow, December 18, 2007)

11. International Conference on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe (Luxembourg, May 24–25, 2007)

External links

1. International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe

2. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

3. Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation

4. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)

5. Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor’s personal website