Together with fellow IPPNW affiliates, Medact (UK) and Physicians for Social Responsibility (USA), MAPW has highlighted the risks posed to health by Australia’s acquisition of nuclear submarines, and the broader consequences of the new trilateral agreement between the governments of the UK, US and Australia.
Dr Elisabeth McElderry, International Councillor of Medact (UK), said of the new agreement, “Resources are needed both at home and worldwide to improve health and care services, and to reduce the drivers of conflict, displacement and disease.
It is very disappointing that the United Kingdom continues to promote armament exports, in this case with added nuclear dangers, which goes in the opposite direction of the UK Government statement in May of this year that ‘investing in conflict prevention is the right thing to do.“
Dr David E. Drake, President of Physicians for Social Responsibility (USA), noted “Let’s not forget that ‘On the Beach’ depicted the end of the world, focused on Australia. Instead of ramping up a new cold war, we must cooperate to decrease tensions and work toward eliminating all weapons of mass destruction, while we still can.”
MAPW President, Dr Sue Wareham, added, “The nuclear weapons proliferation potential of this deal will be significant. A government assurance on the matter is totally inadequate.”
IPPNW – International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War – is a global federation of medical professionals working for the abolition of nuclear weapons. IPPNW was founded in 1980 by physicians from the United States and the former Soviet Union who shared a common commitment to the prevention of nuclear war between their two countries.