United States Mission Geneva

The proliferation of nuclear weapons continues to pose one of the greatest threats to global security. Thus, the international nuclear nonproliferation regime must be strengthened to confront the evolving threats from terrorists and other nonstate actors with nuclear ambitions as well as the ongoing challenge of governments that flaunt their nuclear nonproliferation obligations. As President Obama noted in Prague, “In a strange turn of history, the threat of global nuclear war has gone down, but the risk of a nuclear attack has gone up.”

Forty years ago today, the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty entered into force, setting up a framework of norms and rules to curtail the spread of nuclear weapons. In the decades since, more states have relinquished nuclear weapons – or decided against pursuing them – than have acquired them, in large measure because of the international consensus embodied in the NPT.

Our forthcoming Nuclear Posture Review will move beyond outdated Cold War thinking and reduce the number and role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy, even as we maintain a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent. In addition, we will seek to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and negotiate a treaty to end the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons.

Laura E. Kennedy was confirmed by the Senate March 3, 2010 as the United States Representative to the Conference on Disarmament. Ms. Kennedy was most recently Deputy Commandant at the National War College since 2007. Prior to that, she was a member of the State Department’s Board of Examiners from 2005-2007. From 2004-2005 she was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (EUR).

President Obama has affirmed America’s commitment to the United Nations as an indispensable, if imperfect, institution for advancing our security and well-being in the 21st century. We know that when we fully employ our unique ability to work multilaterally through the UN and other international organizations, it results in considerable benefits to the United States and the American people.

At its founding, Elihu Root gave this campus a mission that is the very essence of our national defense: “Not to promote war, but to preserve peace by intelligent and adequate preparation to repel aggression.” For more than a century, you and your predecessors have heeded that call. There are few greater contributions citizens can claim.

Thank you. It’s an honor to be here in Paris at the Global Zero Summit and see so many old friends. Many of you have known and worked with me when I served as a member of Congress from California and it’s an honor to be here today representing the Obama administration.

As this is the first time I am taking the floor this year, allow me to begin by congratulating you on assuming the post as the first President of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) during the 2010 session, and to thank you for your extensive efforts already this year. I wish to assure you and all members of the P6 of my Delegation’s full support for your collective efforts throughout this year.

A useful reference list of leading nonproliferation institutions, web sites and publications.