MOSCOW, OCTOBER 18, 2017. PIR PRESS – “In the Universe there is a certain order of its existence, we are part of the universe, and we swung to an atom and decided to create a weapon, that could be a way of destroying the present mankind. I do not know if I understood this in 1995, but now and for a long time I am convinced that this is one of the ways of the extinction of mankind, and it can happen. Every day, it is necessary to think about how to avoid the annihilation of mankind” – Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador Roland Timberbaev, member of the PIR Center Advisory Board.
On September 27, 2017 Roland Timerbaev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, member of PIR Center Advisory Board celebrated his 90th anniversary.
Devoted to this occasion on October 16th at MGIMO in the framework of the Dual Degree Program in Nonproliferation Studies that was organized by MGIMO, the PIR Center and the Middlebury Institute for International Studies in Monterey, Ambassador Timerbaev met with students, young scientists and professors on the topic “Essence and Spirit of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons and Current Challenges to the Nonproliferation Regime“.
One of the creators of the nuclear nonproliferation regime met with those who are now starting a career in this sphere.
Ambassador Timerbaev spoke about the essence of the Treaty on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, meanings that were put in its provisions by the founders, about what could have been foreseen and what, as the role of non-governmental actors in proliferation, remained beyond the attention of the authors of the Treaty. Roland Timerbaev shared his vision of the problem of withdrawal from the Treaty, in particular, in the context of the North Korean problem, essence and justifications of the problem of “NATO’s nuclear sharing”, the significance of the Treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons for the nonproliferation regime.
Speaking about the role of nuclear weapons in world history, Ambassador Timerbaev said: “In the Universe there is a certain order of its existence, we are part of the universe, and swung to an atom and decided to create a weapon that could become a way of destroying the present mankind. I do not know if I understood this in 1995 [year of indefinite extension of the NPT], but now and for a long time I am convinced that this is one of the ways of the extinction of mankind, and it can happen. Every day, it is necessary to think about how to avoid the annihilation of mankind”
The works of Roland Timerbaev can be found on PIR Center website. In September, he gave an interview for Yaderny Kontrol bulletin (in Russian).
Ambassador Timerbaev belongs to the initiators of the development of the centers for studying nonproliferation issues and nonproliferation education in the CIS states. With a video greeting friends, colleagues, and students of Roland Timerbaev – participants of his “nonproliferation draft”, as well as students who will come into profession tomorrow addressed the man of the hour.
For questions on the educational program, you can contact PIR Center Project Coordinator Maxim Miroshnikov by phone: +7(499) 940 09 83 or via e-mail: edu at pircenter.org
