MOUNTING CHALLENGES TO NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, NON-PROLIFERATION THEME OF UN CONFERENCE IN SAPPORO, JAPAN, 26-29 JULY

MOUNTING CHALLENGES TO NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, NON-PROLIFERATION THEME OF

UN CONFERENCE IN SAPPORO, JAPAN, 26-29 JULY

NEW YORK, 20 July (Department for Disarmament Affairs) -- A United Nations  Conference on Disarmament Issues will be held from 26 to 29 July 2004 in Sapporo, Japan, to address new challenges to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.  In close cooperation with the Government of Japan, SapporoCity and HokkaidoPrefecture, the Conference is organized by the Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific of the Department for Disarmament Affairs.

The Conference will discuss the following topics:  mounting challenges to nuclear non-proliferation and international response to them, nuclear black market, strengthening the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), challenges and prospects of the 2005 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Review Conference, strengthening multilateralism, regional security in North-East Asia and the role of civil society.

Approximately 60 participants from governments, academic institutes, non-governmental organizations and the press will attend the Conference in their personal capacity.

The Conference is entirely financed through voluntary contributions made to the Regional Centre by the Government of Japan, SapporoCity and HokkaidoPrefecture.

For further information, please contact:  Tsutomu Ishiguri, Director of the Regional Centre, 2 UN Plaza (Room DC2-0560), New York, NY10017; tel.:  212 963 7272; fax:  212 963 4989.

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