For immediate release: Thursday 18th September 2003

CND out rightly condemn any attempts by Saudi Arabia or any other nation to acquire nuclear weapons and also calls for nuclear weapons states (NWS) to uphold their commitments to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and make ‘unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals’. [1]

Kate Hudson, CND Chair, “The war on Iraq has created greater instability in the Middle East, and the acquisition of nuclear weapons by Saudi Arabia will further destabilise the area and could lead to a new nuclear arms race. We call on the Saudi government not to go down the path of acquiring nuclear weapons - the world's most deadly weapon of mass destruction.”

It is becoming all too apparent that the claims made by CND before the out break of the war against Iraq are becoming true.

i. It is an illegal war

ii. It is a war based on lies

iii. It is a war in which the prima facie no longer exists – neither Saddam Hussein nor Weapons of Mass Destruction have been found

iv. The war was against terrorism yet British Intelligence Services like CND said the war would increase the possibility of terrorism

v. The war was against the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, yet it is clear with today’s news that Saudi Arabia is considering acquiring nuclear weapons shows the war has been a failure.

CND is jointly organising the demonstration on 27th September to send a clear signal to the government there should be - ‘No More War Lies’ and is against pre-emptive wars that make the use and acquisition of nuclear weapons much more likely. CND is calling for an immediate end to the occupation of Iraq and for the United Nations to oversee a swift and orderly transfer of power to the Iraqis. CND is also calling for an independent judicial inquiry into why Britain went to war against Iraq, and for all nations to uphold their commitments to the NPT.

Ends…//

1. The UK is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) which states an ‘unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals’

2. CND – the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament was formed in 1958 and has expert knowledge on all nuclear issues