AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation threatens global stability

美英澳核潜艇合作威胁全球稳定

Source
China Military Online
Editor
Li Jiayao
Time
2022-07-21 16:50:49

美国俄亥俄级战略核潜艇。资料图片
US Ohio-class strategic nuclear submarine. (File photo)

赵学林 宋 岳 赵 畅

By Zhao Xuelin, Song Yue and Zhao Chang

据媒体7月初报道,美国国会众议院海上力量和投射力量小组委员会,拟于近期通过澳美潜艇军官输送法案。该法案允许澳大利亚海军每年派遣军官参加美海军核潜艇军官培训课程,并进入美核潜艇实习,以熟悉相关操作流程。

The US House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces will pass the Australia-US Submarine Officer Pipeline Act in a few coming days, according to reports in early July, which will allow the Australian Navy to send officers to participate in the US Navy nuclear submarine officer training course every year and have internships in US nuclear submarines to familiarize themselves with the relevant operating procedures.

2021年以来,美英澳三国执意推进核潜艇合作,持续冲击国际核不扩散体系,严重威胁世界和平与安全。这一危险而卑劣的行径同和平发展、合作共赢的时代潮流格格不入,与地区国家的愿望背道而驰,遭到国际社会的普遍抵制。

Since 2021, the US, the UK, and Australia have single-mindedly advanced nuclear submarine cooperation despite the impact inflicted upon the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, seriously threatening world peace and security. This dangerous and despicable act, incompatible with the trend of the times for peaceful development and win-win cooperation, is contrary to the aspirations of regional countries and has been generally resisted by the international community.

今年3月,澳大利亚总理与国防部长发表声明称,将在澳东海岸建造一座新的潜艇基地,用来停靠澳未来的核潜艇,同时保障美英核潜艇定期访问。4月,美英澳领导人发表声明,宣称三国核潜艇合作已取得多项重要进展。最近,美国国会众议院海上力量和投射力量小组委员会积极推动澳美潜艇军官输送法案通过,意在促使三国核潜艇合作进一步取得实质性进展。为集团私利一意孤行、一错再错,美英澳在核扩散道路上越走越远。

In March this year, statements by Australia’s Prime Minister and Defense Minister suggested that a new submarine base would be built on the east coast of Australia to dock the country's future nuclear submarines while ensuring regular visits by US and British nuclear submarines. In April, the leaders of the US, the UK, and Australia issued a statement announcing that the three countries' nuclear submarine cooperation had made important progress in several aspects. Recently, the US House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces has actively promoted the Australia-US Submarine Officer Pipeline Act to promote further substantive progress in nuclear submarine cooperation among the three countries. The US, the UK, and Australia have gone too far in terms of nuclear proliferation by going their own way and making mistakes again and again for their group's self-interest.

美英澳核潜艇合作严重破坏和践踏国际核不扩散机制,将对本来就岌岌可危的国际核军控形势产生更加不利的影响。

The AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation seriously undermines and tramples on the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and will have a more adverse impact on the already precarious international nuclear arms control situation.

《不扩散核武器条约》明确规定了核武器国家和无核武器国家的核不扩散责任和义务。美英澳核潜艇合作的要害是美英这两个核武器国家向澳大利亚这个无核武器国家转让成吨的武器级核材料,这显而易见违反《不扩散核武器条约》的目的和宗旨。三国迄今始终回避这一基本事实,甚至还试图混淆视听,完全是掩耳盗铃之举。同时,三国核潜艇合作直接违反《国际原子能机构规约》中关于确保在其监督或管制下提供的援助不被用于任何军事目的的有关规定,美英拟向澳转让的武器级核材料与核潜艇设备以及相关技术,显然都涉及军事目的,这对国际原子能机构现行的保障监督体系造成极大挑战。

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) clearly stipulates the nuclear non-proliferation responsibilities and obligations of nuclear weapons and non-nuclear weapons states. The crux of AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation is the transfer of tons of weapons-grade nuclear materials by the US and the UK, the two nuclear weapons states, to Australia, a non-nuclearweapons state. This obviously violates the purpose and aim of the NPT. The three countries have avoided this basic fact and even tried to confuse the public. At the same time, the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation directly violates the relevant provisions of the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on ensuring that the assistance provided under its supervision or control is not used for any military purpose. The weapons-grade nuclear materials, nuclear submarine equipment, and related technologies that the US and the UK intend to transfer to Australia obviously involve military purposes, which poses a great challenge to the current support and supervision system of the IAEA.

澳大利亚还是《南太平洋无核区条约》缔约国,该条约规定在南太平洋地区设立一个无核武地带,各缔约方承诺不在该地区安放、试验任何核爆炸装置,不倾倒放射性废料和其他放射性物质。而美英澳核潜艇合作将使南太平洋地区再次笼罩在核扩散的阴霾之下。

Australia is also a party to the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone (SPNFZ) Treaty, known as the Treaty of Rarotonga,which stipulates the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the South Pacific region. The parties to the treaty promise not to place or test any nuclear explosive devices in the region, nor to dump radioactive waste and other radioactive materials. However, the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation will once again shroud the South Pacific region under the haze of nuclear proliferation.

多年来,美英澳自称为国际核不扩散努力的领导者。然而,大量事实证明,这三国才是真正的扩散者,他们极其不负责任的行为,势必给地区安全稳定带来诸多不利因素。

For many years, the US, the UK, and Australia have called themselves leaders in international nuclear non-proliferation efforts. However, facts have proved that these three countries are the real proliferators, and their extremely irresponsible behavior will inevitably bring many unfavorable factors to regional security and stability.

美英澳核潜艇合作不仅带来严重的核扩散危险,还可能刺激其他国家如法炮制拥有核武器,将给世界和平与稳定造成巨大威胁。美英澳三国应认真反思,早日改弦更张,不要在核扩散的道路上越走越远,不要成为全球防扩散体系的破坏者,不要走到时代潮流的对立面。同时,国际社会也应采取行动,共同维护国际核不扩散体系,共同维护国际和平与安全。

The AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation not only brings the danger of nuclear proliferation but may also stimulate other countries to acquire nuclear weapons, which will pose a huge threat to world peace and stability. The US, the UK, and Australia should seriously reflect and change course as soon as possible. They should not go further on the road of nuclear proliferation, not become the destroyers of the global non-proliferation system, and not go against the trend of the times. At the same time, the international community should also act to jointly safeguard the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and international peace and security.

(作者单位:中核战略规划研究总院)

(The authors are from the China Institute of Nuclear Industry Strategy.)

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