Sweden to Fund Independent Nonproliferation Commission

Sweden announced last week that it would fund a new international nonproliferation commission to be led by former chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix, according to Reuters (see GSN, July 3).

Sweden has agreed to provide the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission with almost $2 million until it releases its findings in 2005, Reuters reported. Blix, who retired earlier this year from his position as head of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, is expected tomorrow to name the other commission members and outline its program of work at a press conference tomorrow.

“I am convinced that the commission, under the capable leadership of Hans Blix, can help inject new energy into the global efforts aimed against weapons of mass destruction,” Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds said. “The existence of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons represent a serious threat to international peace and security and new initiatives are needed in the efforts for disarmament and nonproliferation,” she added (Patrick McLoughlin, Reuters/Yahoo!News, Dec. 11).

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