Asia-Pacific nations urge action by Obama administration on “no first use” nuclear policy

A coalition of 40 Asia-Pacific former leaders and experts from 14 different countries urged the United States on Tuesday in a letter to adopt a “no first use” nuclear policy and called for Pacific-based allies to support the initiative.

The coalition included U.S. allies Australia, Japan and South Korea, along with such nuclear weapon-possessing states as China, India and Pakistan.

The push from the Pacific nations comes after reports that the Obama administration is considering how to re-energize the United States’ nuclear arms control agenda through the use of executive orders. Some nations have said that the Obama administration was backing away from the its intended goal of a nuclear-free world when the president first entered office. A variety of experts from those nations said that a “no first use” policy would have both a symbolic value and practical implications.

“It would encourage a shift away from high-risk doctrines and weapons deployments,” the nations said. “A ‘no first use’ policy would avoid the need for forward deployment, launch-on postures and pre-delegation of authority to battlefield commanders, significantly dampening the prospects of accidental and unauthorized use. It would also speak to the world’s growing humanitarian concerns on nuclear weapons.”