July was a busy month at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP). In addition to public events and a seminar it organized, VCDNP experts participated in several high-profile conferences and programs in Vienna.
During the "International Conference on Nuclear Security: Enhancing Global Efforts" held by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna on July 1-5, 2013, VCDNP Executive Director Elena Sokova gave a talk on "Applying Best Practices of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program to Advancing a Global Nuclear Security Agenda" at the Threat Characterization and Assessment technical session.
The VCDNP also hosted and participated in a series of meetings organized by other non-governmental organizations during the IAEA conference. Among them are meetings by the Nuclear Security Governance Experts Group (NSGEG) and Fissile Material Working Group (FMWG).
On July 15-19, members of the Center staff participated in the CTBTO Diplomacy and Public Policy Course. Visiting Distinguished Scientist at the VCDNP and director emeritus of Los Alamos National Laboratory Dr. Siegfried Hecker participated in a panel on DPRK Announced Nuclear Tests with Dr. Mika Nikkinen, Head of the CTBTO Scientific Methods Unit, and Dr. Daniel Pinkston, Deputy Project Director at the International Crisis Group. Dr. Hecker provided a briefing on DPRK's nuclear weapons program and led a lively discussion with course participants. Dr. Nikolai Sokov, Senior Fellow at VCDNP, moderated The Future of Multilateral Arms Control Verificationpanel and participated in a roundtable discussion on Practical Arms Control Negotiations: Skills and Tactics with Jean du Preez, Chief of the CTBTO External Relations and International Cooperation Section, and Dr. Rebecca Johnson, Executive Director of the Acronym Institute. He also spoke on the panel Technical and Political Considerations of a Test Ban with Ambassador Sha Zukang, Head of the Chinese Delegation during the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty negotiations, and Dr. Bruce Goodwin, Director of the Center for Global Security Research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Dr. Sokov also facilitated a simulation of the deliberations of the CTBTO Executive Council in response to a request for an on-site inspection.
In addition, on July 21 and 22, the VCDNP hosted the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) Summer Workshop "Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation: Challenges, Opportunities and Perspectives." Dr. William Potter, CNS Director, Siegfried Hecker, Nikolai Sokov, and Elena Sokova from VCDNP served as lecturers. Dr. Potter spoke on the "Results of the 2012 NPT PrepCom," Dr. Hecker invited workshop participants to a question and answer session related to nuclear proliferation and nuclear weapons, especially on the intersection of technical capabilities and policy issues, Dr. Sokov discussed "Next Steps in US-Russian and Multilateral Nuclear Arms Control," and Elena Sokova spoke about "Nuclear Security Regime Developments." Jordan Foley, VCDNP's summer intern from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, also delivered a presentation to the ACUNS workshop group on the topic "Military Perspectives on Disarmament."
