DIIS seminar: Mellemøstens skift væk fra masse-ødelæggelsesvåben

TID: Mandag den 17. november kl. 09.00-16.30

STED: DIIS, Danish Institute for International Studies, Main auditorium, Gl. Kalkbrænderi Vej 51A, 2100 København Ø.

TID: Mandag den 17. november kl. 09.00-16.30

STED: DIIS, Danish Institute for International Studies, Main auditorium, Gl. Kalkbrænderi Vej 51A, 2100 København Ø.

TILMELDING: Participation is free of charge, but registration is required. Please use the online registration form no later than Thursday, 13 November 2014 at 12.00 noon.

Shifting WMD Landscape in the Middle East

Syria’s accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in October 2013 and the removal and destruction of its stockpiles over the past year have been done against a backdrop of extraordinary circumstances. With Syria becoming the 190th member of the CWC, Egypt and Israel are the only two countries in the region that remain outside of the treaty.

At the same time, a diplomatic breakthrough on Iran’s nuclear programme occurred last November when six major powers and Tehran struck an interim deal. Multilateral efforts have been working since to reach a permanent compromise by the extended deadline set for 24 November 2014.

Are these developments a sign of a shifting relationship towards weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the Middle East? Could events in Syria and Iran lead to a shift in the CWC status of Egypt or Israel? What about Israel’s non membership status in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT)?

These developments also raise questions related to the ability of international institutions and multilateral cooperation to disarm states of chemical and nuclear weapons, the impact of their ability to do so and the impact of WMD and related technology on state conflict.

From a policy perspective, the challenges raised to reintegrating Iran – and eventually Syria – into a new Middle Eastern order exhibit opportunities and threats which the European Union, United States and the Nordic countries must respond to along with the Middle East as a whole. In other words, are the prospects better today for a WMD-free zone in the Middle East than ever before?

Speakers

• Michael D. Cohen, Assistant Professor, University of Southern Denmark
• Susanne Rumohr Hækkerup, Ambassador for Disarmament, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
• Sverre Lodgaard, Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI)
• Olli Heinonen, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School
• Helle Malmvig, Senior Researcher, DIIS
• Fabrizio Tassinari, Senior Researcher, DIIS
• Cindy Vestergaard, Senior Researcher, DIIS
• Hannu Kyröläinen, Ambassador, Deputy to the Facilitator for a Conference on the MEWMDFZ, Finland
• John Hart, Senior Researcher, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
• Ralf Trapp, International Disarmament Consultant (chemical and biological weapons)
• Tariq Rauf, Programme Director, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
• Tarja Cronberg, Former member of European Parliament, Chair of Iran Delegation and Member of the Committees for Foreign Affairs and Security and Defence
• Lars Erslev Andersen, Senior Researcher, DIIS

Further reading