The International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament of the Japan-Australia Joint Initiative

September 26, 2008

On September 25 in New York, Mr. Taro Aso, Prime Minister of Japan, and Mr. Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia, jointly announced that the Commissioners of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament had been determined. The selection of the Commissioners was made by Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, and Hon. Gareth Evans AO, former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, who are co-chairs of the International Commission, through their consultation and contacts with them. The Government of Japan welcome that these eminent and authoritative individuals in the area of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament have accepted to be Commissioners. (Media release by Co-Chairs of the Commission is attached herewith.)
The objective of the Commission is to issue a major report prior to the 2010 NPT Review Conference in order to contribute to the Conference. The first meeting will be held from October 19 (Sun) to 21 (Tue) in Sydney, Australia, and a meeting in Japan is scheduled to be held around the middle of next year.
The Government of Japan looks forward to the wisdom and contribution of the International Commission so that it will be able to present invaluable solutions to various challenges that the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, which is based on the NPT, has to address.

(The International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament has been established based on the agreement at Japan-Australia Summit Meeting in July 9 2008.)

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