The Group of Eminent Persons (GEM) was established on 26 September 2013 on the margins of the UN General Assembly to promote the objectives of the CTBT and to help secure its entry into force. Its 18 members include current and current and former foreign ministers, prime ministers, defense ministers and senior diplomatic leaders from all over the world.
Members of the GEM met in Stockholm for discussions with Swedish Foreign Minister and independent experts from the Arms Control Association, SIPRI, and the Arab Institute for Security Studies on steps to advance prospects for signature and ratification in the remaining Annex 2 states.
Further information about the GEM can be found here. An official summary of their meeting is available online (PDF) and below.
Statement by
the Group of Eminent Persons
Stockholm Meeting
10–11 April 2014
1. At the invitation of Carl Bildt, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Group of Eminent Persons (GEM) met in Stockholm on 10-11 April 2014. The GEM wishes to thank its hosts for the generous support provided for the meeting.
2. The following members of the Group were in attendance: Nobuyasu Abe, Vice Chairman, Japan Atomic Energy Commission; Hans Blix, Former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency; Des Browne, Chair of the Executive Board, European Leadership Network, Vice-Chair, Nuclear Threat Initiative, and former UK Secretary of State for Defence; Sérgio de Queiroz Duarte, former UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs; Cristian Diaconescu, Chief of Staff and Adviser to the President of Romania; Wolfgang Hoffmann, Executive Secretary Emeritus of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO; John Hutton, Chairman of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies and former UK Secretary of State for Defence; Johannes Kyrle, former Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Austria; Ho-jin Lee, Principal Vice-President of the United Nations Association of the Republic of Korea; Federica Mogherini, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Italy; Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, former Secretary General of the OSCE; William Perry, Director of the Preventive Defense Project, Center for International Security and Cooperation, and former United States Secretary of Defense; Kevin Rudd, Senior Fellow, Harvard University, and former Prime Minister of Australia; Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO.
Hungary and Indonesia were also represented at the workshop as ex-officio members of GEM. Balazs Gabor Csuday, Permanent Representative of Hungary to the UN in Vienna, and Rachmat Budiman, Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the UN in Vienna, represented János Martonyi, Foreign Minister of Hungary, and Marty Natalegawa, Foreign Minister of Indonesia, who are
ex-officio members of GEM.
3. Through a series of discussions, while acknowledging the primary role of the Article XIV process, the Group reflected on how it could best advise and assist the Executive Secretary on securing the
entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Broader strategic approaches and modes of action were considered, in addition to focused discussions on the eight remaining Annex 2 States yet to ratify the Treaty.
4. The GEM discussed thoroughly the need for entry into force of the CTBT in order to complete a global, legally-binding prohibition on nuclear weapon test explosions or other nuclear explosions. The Group also noted that entry into force and universalization of the CTBT would strengthen international disarmament efforts and the nuclear non-proliferation regime. In this regard, the Group stressed that the CTBT should also be approached in terms of its close links with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and with the concept of nuclear security.
The other members of the Group who were not present at the meeting in Stockholm are: Perla Carvalho, Special Adviser for Security, Disarmament and Non Proliferation Issues, Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Jayantha Dhanapala, President of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Governing Board of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute; Igor S. Ivanov, President of the Russian International Affairs Council and Professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations; Sha Zukang former United Nations Under-Secretary-General, Department of Economic and Social Affairs; and, Héctor Timerman, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina
5. While confident that entry into force of the CTBT is within reach, the GEM acknowledged the significant challenges that exist in pursuit of this goal. These include galvanizing and
maintaining political momentum, and continuing to secure adequate technical and financial support for the CTBT verification regime.
6. The GEM therefore resolved to support entry into force and universalization of the CTBT through multilayered engagement at the national, regional and global levels, including:
- Direct engagement with policymakers;
- Active participation in significant public events at which the CTBT can be raised;
- Promotion of the Treaty through media outreach; and
- Utilization of networks and force multipliers, including political, civil society, and academic links, to broaden and diversify support for the Treaty.
7. The GEM accepted the kind invitation of Federica Mogherini, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Italy, and member of GEM, to meet in Italy.
8. The GEM acknowledged the kind invitation of János Martonyi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, ex-officio member of the Group and Co-President of the Process to Facilitate the Entry into force of the CTBT to hold its next meeting in Hungary in the autumn of 2014.