Promoting an agenda for nuclear weapons elimination: The Canberra Commission and dilemmas of disarmament

This paper examines the role of the Canberra Commission in terms of consoli dating and influencing the agenda on international negotiations towards the elimination of nuclear weapons. The Commission's Report is significant for two main reasons. First, it represents a unique form of disarmament diplom acy by the Australian Government which combined the post-Cold War internati onal climate of security cooperation with the foreign policy aspirations of an activist middle power. Second, the Report refutes the strategic, techno logical and political arguments against nuclear elimination in a comprehens ive and convincing manner, arguing that without elimination, the world face s increased threats of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism. This pa per thus concludes that the Canberra Commission has been instrumental in st rengthening the taboo against the possession, testing or use of nuclear wea pons.