Although the NGOs did address the Prep Comm, the session was unofficial and did not take place until the Prep Comm was almost over. NGOs are currently preparing their strategies and input for the 1998 meeting in Geneva and have formally requested earlier and more extensive access at the 1998 Prep Comm. On the positive side, new governments in two nuclear weapons states, France and the UK, are more open to new ideas about nuclear issues. The UK government has embarked on a major review of its defence and foreign policy and has been in discussion with a number of Abolition 2000 groups. The Canadian parliament, responding to citizen pressure, will re-examine its participation in NATO as a result of the World Court Decision.
Public opinion is clearly on the side of abolition.
The concept of abolishing a whole category of weapon has received an enormous boost with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which won this year's Nobel Peace Prize. A key challenge for 1998 is to think and act creatively to maximise the chances of a global landmines ban being followed swiftly by a global nuclear weapons ban. Janet Bloomfield and Pamela Meidell, October 24, 1997. Copyright 2000 Abolition 2000. Permission to reprint is granted if source is cited.