Disarmament Diplomacy

Issue No. 40, September - October 1999

Editor's Introduction

Growing NGO Campaign for Y2K Nuclear "Holiday"

There is a growing clamour for a stand-down of all nuclear reactors and weapons over the New Year period, to avoid any calamitous consequences of the Year 2000, or Y2K, computer bug. The case for a 48-hour "World Atomic Holiday" was put by Michael Mariotte, Executive Director of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service, in Washington on 17 September: "Rather than risk potentially catastrophic malfunctions with nuclear weapons and at nuclear facilities because of the Y2K problem, just give them the weekend off. The US and Russia are planning to activate special information-sharing and other risk-minimalising procedures over the new year period, and have agreed to set up a Y2K Centre for Strategic Stability at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs". See Disarmament Diplomacy 39 for details.

Reports: Activists push Y2K nuclear pause, Reuters, 17 September; Y2K will add to Russia's woes, Associated Press, September 29.

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