Global Leaders: Urgent Need to Revive NPT Commitments

Steps for NPT states - Over 100 senior political, military and diplomatic leaders from across five continents called upon members of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty “to approach the 2015 Review Conference with a renewed sense of urgency and responsibility focused on achieving a successful outcome.”

--In a letter to the NPT states, the leaders “urge states to move away from a Cold War deterrence mentality… pursue voluntary caps at or reductions below their current levels… engage constructively [on Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons initiative]... support the convening of the WMD Free Zone Conference as a priority for the next review cycle… [and] support the concept of a global nuclear security system that covers all weapons-usable nuclear materials.” Read all the recommendations in the full letter (pdf). http://bit.ly/1R6Q9Db

Corker update - Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was expected to cut off debate on the Corker-Cardin legislation to prevent “poison pill” amendments that could kill bipartisan support for the bill. Instead, the Senate Majority Leader is reportedly searching for a deal to vote on more amendments, which range from requiring Tehran to recognize Israel to releasing Americans held overseas in Iran.

--Senators in both parties say agreement on the controversial amendments is unlikely. Sen. McConnel’s next move is unclear, Burgess Everett reports for POLITICO. http://politi.co/1buDHMr

Tweet - @OswaldRachel: Most GOP senators I've talked to this AM want McConnell to allow more votes on Iran amndmnts and will say so at lunch @CQnow

Tweet - @SenatorReid: Some Republican senators want to see any potential agreement with Iran crash and burn, before we even know what's in the final agreement.

U.S. supports the deal - Support for an Iran nuclear deal is consistently strong among the American public. According to a recently released NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 54% of Americans support a diplomatic agreement to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapon, compared to 37% who support sanctions. Full story here: http://on.wsj.com/1zwBUlb

Trident renewal - Whoever wins the British General Election on May 7 will likely be left a decision on whether or how to rebuild the UK nuclear arsenal. Buying new submarines and missiles to maintain the arsenal is estimated to cost $35 billion and several billion more over the service life of the boats.

--Both the Conservative and Labor parties support Britain maintaining a nuclear arsenal, though nearly 75% of Labour MPs oppose renewing Trident. Growing pressures on the UK’s defense budget could make the next Prime Minister reconsider the necessity of nuclear weapons. Full story at Vice News. http://bit.ly/1F3VEzl

--See also: “Renewing Trident: Facts concerning the future of the UK’s submarine-based nuclear capability” by Tom Waldwyn for IISS’ Military Balance. http://bit.ly/1buXLOz

Israel, Russia and Iran - “Last month, when President Vladimir Putin of Russia announced plans to sell a powerful anti-missile system to Iran before the lifting of international sanctions, Israel was quick to join the U.S. in expressing shock and anger. But behind the public announcements is a little-known web of arms negotiations and secret diplomacy.”

--“In recent years, Israel and Russia have engaged in a complex dance, with Israel selling drones to Russia while remaining conspicuously neutral toward Ukraine and hoping to stave off Iranian military development. The dance may not be over,” Bloomberg’s Calev Ben-David and Ilya Arkhipov report. http://bloom.bg/1ABXMH9

Tweet - @NTI_WMD: Thurs, 5/7 NYC event, Evolving Catholic Views on Nuclear Weapons. Webcast live #NPTRevCon @Americamag Signup: http://t.co/9k36DP3zja

Oil interests - “A U.S. delegation will visit Iran to review energy investment opportunities while Tehran negotiates a final deal with world powers on its nuclear program, a senior oil ministry official told Mehr news agency on Monday,” reports Reuters. http://reut.rs/1GY8n6V

Engagement - “Iranians want to engage with and connect to the world,” write Morad Ghorban and Hannah Volmar in The Hill. As the Senate considers Iran legislation, “lawmakers would be wise to also implement policies that would support and engage one of the United States' greatest assets in the Middle East – the Iranian people.”

--“Policymakers have a number of options that would directly engage the Iranian people and serve U.S. national interests,” including “establishing new banking ties between the U.S. and Iran… [engaging] the Iranian people in academic, cultural, and sports exchanges… [and] opening a limited diplomatic post in Iran.” http://bit.ly/1EUFJBq

Quick Hits:

--“France, Saudi Arabia: Iran nuclear deal must be verifiable, no threat to region” by John Irish for Reuters. http://reut.rs/1ABL9vM

--“Iran's allies, not atoms, preoccupy Israeli generals” by Dan Williams for Reuters. http://reut.rs/1ABL9vM

--“S. Korean, U.S. nuclear envoys discuss 'exploratory talks' with N. Korea” from The Korea Herald. http://bit.ly/1IJQ4S6

Events:

--“An Iran Nuclear Deal: Too Big to Fail?” Featuring Peter Beinart, Suzanne DiMaggio, Ali Vaez and Fred Kaplan. May 11th from 6:30-8:15pm at Civic Hall in New York. http://bit.ly/1JehLk5

--Arms Control Association annual meeting, featuring keynotes Alexander Kmett, Austrian Director of Arms Control, Nonproliferation and Disarmament, and Colin Kahl, National Security Advisor to Vice President. May 14th from 9:00-2:30pm at Carnegie. http://bit.ly/1dsD8V0

--”Deterrent Options for the Future,” remarks by Linton Brooks, former NNSA Administrator, at the Huessy Congressional breakfast Series. May 19th from 8:00-9:00am at the Capitol Hill Club. http://conta.cc/1DKftpf

--“Bursting the Plutonium Bubble: How Utopian Communities Made Dystopian Nuclear Landscapes” featuring historian Kate Brown. May 18th from 4:00-5:00pm at the Wilson Center. http://bit.ly/1FKAPHT