Majority Urges Phasing Out Of Nuclear Weapons.

By Maarten Rabaey
De Morgen (Brussels)
April 13, 2001

(Unofficial translation of excerpts by Karel Koster, PENN 
Netherlands)

The purple-green majority parties in parliament will within ten days 
table a resolution to initiate  a debate on the phasing out of 
tactical nuclear weapons from Belgian soil. This was announced by 
the member of parliament and defence expert Stef Goris (VLD) to De 
Morgen yesterday. According to experts there are still a dozen 
nuclear weapons deployed on the Kleine Brogel air  force base. 

"I think and I hope that the Belgian government will take the 
initiative to start a debate within NATO on the future of nuclear 
weapons. We should not be naive: this must take place in a pragmatic 
and realistic manner. We will therefore table a resolution calling 
for a start to this debate with the majority parties within ten 
days.  Belgium has the moral duty to lead the way in reducing every 
threat. This must become one of the priorities of this purple 
coalition. During the Belgian chairmanship of the EU it can give a 
signal to other European partners."

According to Goris the development of  a European security policy 
marks the right moment to begin consulting about  what should happen 
with the nuclear remnants of the Cold War. "The need for these 
weapons should be considered in the changed geopolitical situation 
after the Cold war., in which Russia is less of  a threat than ever. 
We must ask ourselves of  what  use nuclear weapons carried by 
Belgian F16's with  a limited range are. I have serious doubts about 
this. "

The majority parties in parliament will within ten days table a 
resolution to initiate  a debate on the removal of tactical nuclear 
weapons from Belgian soil, according to parliamentarian and defence 
expert Stef Goris (VLD). Senator Patrik Vankrunkelsven (VU-ID) of 
the opposition will anyway be campaigning at Kleine Brogel airbase 
next Monday,  as was apparent from reactions to our report that the 
US plans to maintain its installations with nuclear weapons in 
Belgium until 2018. 

Nuclear weapons in Belgium until 2018? What do you think of  that?

Stef Goris: "I think, I hope, that the Belgian government will take 
the initiative within NATO to start the debate about the future of 
nuclear weapons…."

Patrick Vankrunkelsven: "…It is irresponsible that the United States 
should be the only ones to determine NATO security policy. Belgium 
should investigate through diplomatic channels which part of the 
plans are true There are already countries, like Sweden, which are 
arguing for further steps in the phasing out policy. I hope this 
government will do the same…"

END OF TRANSCRIP