From the Guardian: Julian Borger recently reported that a Nato group of experts will reject some western European countries’ suggestions that the 200 or so US tactical nuclear weapons (TNW) located in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey be withdrawn unilaterally.

Borger said that on 1 May the group – co-chaired by former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright – will recommend to Nato secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen that these weapons should only be removed as part of a deal with Russia that also tackles Russia’s several thousand such weapons. While discussions with Russia on this issue are welcome, an extended negotiation on this issue is a recipe for continuing a dangerous status quo and solidifying a roadblock to fulfilling President Barack Obama’s vision of a world free of nuclear weapons.

News that the Nato group of experts will favour the status quo comes after governments in Amsterdam, Berlin and Brussels declared that they would seek the removal of US weapons from their respective states. The ongoing political momentum for removal among the host European nations should not be ignored. …

One member of the Nato group of experts, which is currently revising the transatlantic alliance’s strategic concept due to be adopted later this year, suggested that: "You cannot get rid of [US tactical nuclear weapons] without [Russian] reciprocity." Yes, you can and should. Russia has made clear that any attempt to seek such reciprocity in extended negotiations would be a non-starter.  (photo: Getty)

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