William Perry’s Book “My Journey at the Nuclear Brink” Presented In Moscow

William J. Perry, a former U.S. Secretary of Defense, member of the Supervisory Board of the International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe and Stanford University Professor, presented his book My Journey at the Nuclear Brink translated into Russian in Moscow on February 5, 2018.

The book tells the history of the nuclear era, and the author sincerely shares the evolution of his views on the threat posed by weapons of unprecedented destructive power. Decades of experience and special access to top-secret knowledge of strategic nuclear options have given Dr Perry a unique vantage point from which to conclude that nuclear weapons as a deterrent endanger our security rather than securing it.

This book traces his thought process as he journeys from the Cuban Missile Crisis to crafting a defense strategy in the Carter administration, and to presiding over the dismantling of over 8,000 nuclear weapons under President Clinton.

“His entire life, Dr Perry has insistently drawn the attention of global leaders to the threat of nuclear catastrophe”, said President of the International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe Viatcheslav Kantor, commenting on the release of the book.“The William J. Perry Project he established helps thousands of people gain greater awareness of the dangers of nuclear weapons”.

The author pays special attention to creation of the Nuclear Threat Initiative in 2007 with George Shultz, Sam Nunn and Henry Kissinger to articulate their vision of a world free from nuclear weapons and to lay out the urgent steps needed to reduce nuclear dangers.

“As a former U.S. Secretary of Defense, a scientist, an engineer and an expert, Mr Perry provided his expertise to many American administrations over the years”, Dr Kantor added. “He is able to profoundly analyze the history and prospects of nuclear disarmament and propose vital steps to prevent the world from sliding into nuclear chaos”.

According to the joint expert opinion, William J. Perry has made a significant contribution to improving Russian-American relations. Presentation of the book was followed by a public discussion with the participation of Dr Perry and director of the Carnegie Moscow Center Dmitri Trenin. Attendants analyzed what lessons can be learned from the past and how can these lessons be applied to the realities of today and the likely situations of tomorrow.

* * *

The International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe was established pursuant to a decision of the International Conference on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe, held in Luxembourg on May 24-25, 2007. The Forum is one of the most representative non-governmental organizations bringing together leading international experts in non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and arms reduction and limitation.

The Forum’s key objectives are:

To facilitate the process of arms limitation and reduction, counteract growing threats to the nuclear non-proliferation regime and erosion of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), including the escalating danger of nuclear terrorism and attempts by several states to gain access to nuclear materials and technologies

To promote international peace and security through new approaches, and propose to decision-makers practical solutions to non-proliferation and arms control critical issues.

The year 2017 marked the Forum's tenth anniversary. Since its establishment ten years ago, the Luxembourg Forum has held 25 conferences, seminars and working meetings in Moscow, Washington, Luxembourg, Berlin, Rome, Vienna, Prague, Geneva, Warsaw, Stockholm and other cities.

The Luxembourg Forum experts have always incorporated their analyses and suggestions for ways to deal with critical situations into declarations and statements addressed to leaders of key nations, the UN, the IAEA, and other international institutions. These documents are usually met with great interest, as confirmed by substantive responses from the addressees. Every year, the Supervisory Board members evaluate the Forum’s performance and set new tasks for analysis.