Proliferation Security Initiative
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The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) is a controversial U.S.-led mulitnational initiative involving the interdiction of third-country ships on the high seas on the basis of carrying nuclear materials. Among countries opposed to the PSI are China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Iran, who dispute its legality. [1]
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[edit] History
The idea of the PSI was specifically developed by John R. Bolton, former US Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security and former US Ambassador to the United Nations, after 15 Scud missiles found on board a North Korean freighter had to be released when it turned out that international law did not allow them to be confiscated. The PSI was announced by US President George W. Bush on May 31, 2003, in Kraków, Poland.[2]
Eight nations have signed bilateral Mutual Shipboarding Pacts with the United States, allowing the mutual expedition of shipboarding requests for ships under those nations' flags. The eight are Belize, Croatia, Cyprus, Liberia, Malta, the Marshall Islands, Mongolia and Panama. Each of these nations maintains a large number of commercial vessels on their registries.[3][4]
[edit] Participation
The primary role of PSI participants is to abide by a Statement of Interdiction Principles, with the primary purpose of interdicting subject weapons and materials. Additionally, participants are to enact legal statutes to facilitate effective interdiction and seizure of such items. Finally, participants are to take measures to ensure that their national facilities are not utilized to transfer illicit weapon cargoes.
In the United States, the program is managed by the NSC Staff working out of the White House, with the Pentagon and intelligence agencies playing lead roles. The United States Department of State Bureau of Nonproliferation has less of a role in the PSI than one might expect.
Current members include:[5] Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea[6], Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, and Yemen.
[edit] Exercise
In August 2005, a multi-national maritime interdiction exercise, codenamed Exercise Deep Sabre, was conducted in Singapore as part of the Proliferation Security Initiative. The exercise, launched at the Changi Naval Base and conducted in the South China Sea, involved some 2,000 personnel from the military, coast guard, customs and other agencies of 13 countries, including Singapore, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Russia, the United Kingdom and the US. Ten ships and six maritime patrol aircraft were involved in the exercise that aimed to develop and practice effective procedures to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.[7]
[edit] Controversy
Critics of PSI argue that the declared intent of PSI members to stop and harass ships belonging to states within the high seas is a violation of international law guaranteeing freedom of the seas. In particular, Article 23 of the UN Law of the Sea Convention allows ships "carrying nuclear or other inherently dangerous or noxious substances" the right of innocent passage through territorial seas. [8] It has been concluded that the PSI gives states, particularly America, a license to carry out acts of piracy on the high seas. [9]
It has also been pointed that the PSI's intent to "interdict nuclear materials and contraband" is A broad enough charter to include any naval operation anywhere and for any actual purpose Washington wants to employ it. There are concerns that such actions could lead to war. [10]
In the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), it has been argued that the PSI is an instrument for an aggressive war planned by the United States against the DPRK under the pretext of blockading ships and planes. It has been concluded that the PSI has an aggressive nature and is illegal. [11]
Indonesia's Foreign Minister Wirajuda argued that the PSI was not "initiative was not initiated through a multilateral process, but only a group of nations that have a common goal to conduct a certain initiatives." He stressed that the PSI violates the UN Law of the Sea of 1982. (Xinhua News Agency, March 17, 2006)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2005070105231300.htm&date=2005/07/01/&prd=th&
- ^ "Washington touts success of non-proliferation initiative". AFP. May 27, 2008. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iRKd1kgGLUVPl-_nPi81GPo9R-Vg.
- ^ For the text of these bilateral agreements, see this U.S. Department of State web page
- ^ For an academic analysis of shipboarding in the PSI context, see Fabio Spadi (2006). "Bolstering the Proliferation Security Initiative at Sea: A Comparative Analysis of Ship-boarding as a Bilateral and Multilateral Implementing Mechanism". Nordic Journal of International Law. http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/mnp/nord/2006/00000075/00000002/art00005.
- ^ http://www.state.gov/t/isn/c27732.htm
- ^ http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/113_45671.html
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.asianresearch.org/articles/2505.html
- ^ http://www.anti-imperialist.org/korea-piracy_9-16-03.html
- ^ http://world.mediamonitors.net/Headlines/Proliferation-Security-Initiative-and-the-US-1-000-Ship-Navy-Control-of-the-World-s-Oceans-Prelude-to-War
- ^ http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2009/200905/news27/20090527-17ee.html
[edit] External links
- Official United States Department of State PSI Homepage
- Thomas L. Neff (April 1, 2004). "The Nuclear Fuel Cycle and the Bush Nonproliferation Initiative". World Nuclear Fuel Cycle 2004. http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Focus/FuelCycle/neff.pdf.
- "The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) At a Glance". Arms Control Association. October 2007. http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/PSI. Retrieved on 2009-04-19.
- "GAO Report Calls for Revamped PSI". Arms Control Today. December 2008. http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2008_12/PSI_revamped.
- "Interdiction Initiative Successes Assessed". Arms Control Today. July/August 2008. http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2008_07-08/Interdiction.
- "The Proliferation Security Initiative: A Glass Half-Full". Arms Control Today. June 2007. http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2007_06/Valencia.
[edit] Anti-PSI links
- New U.S. policy to block freedom of the seas, The Guardian, September 17, 2003.
- Dan Smith. The Proliferation Security Initiative: A Challenge Too Narrow, Foreign Policy In Focus, October 2003.
