Our new video blog shows an interview with Andreas Persbo, Executive Director of VERTIC, about the ground-breaking UK – Norway Initiative on disarmament verification. The UK – Norway Initiative has brought researchers from the two nations together to investigate the science of verification of the dismantling of nuclear warheads, and VERTIC has acted as the independent non-government observer for the programme.
The study has investigated how a non-nuclear weapon state could verify the dismantlement of a warhead belonging to a nuclear power without divulging sensitive information or compromising national security. It is the first time a nuclear weapon state has worked with a non-nuclear weapon state to develop practical steps towards disarmament.
As part of the initiative two role-plays of mock weapons inspection visits took place in Norway at a real Norwegian nuclear site 'dressed up' for exercise purposes, and at the beginning of December 2010 a mock weapons inspection took place at the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston, with Norwegian personnel playing the role of weapons inspectors.