Amb. Richard Butler talk: 'Iraq Was Disarmed: the invaders didn't find any WMD because there weren't any to find'

 

Interpol and the DDMI were proud to host a special guest lecture by Amb. Richard Butler entitled 'Iraq Was Disarmed: the invaders didn't find any WMD because there weren't any to find'. Butler is a distinguished Australian diplomat and recognized expert in nuclear arms control and disarmament.

Butler's lecture took place on Monday, 10 March, in the Main Hall, International Politics Building. There was also be a special seminar on Tuesday, in the Main Hall. Below is more information about the lecture and the speaker. Here is a link to the vidcast of the lecture: Ambassador Richard Butler.

 

The lecture:

On this trip to the UK, Ambassador Butler came exclusively to Aberystwyth. He visited the University because of the research on nuclear non-proliferation that is being done in the Department of International Politics.  The lecture is part of the DDMI's on-going scholar / practioner speaker series.

 

The speaker's bio:

Ambassador Butler has held numerous senior Australian posts, including Deputy Representative at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the OECD; Ambassador for Disarmament (Geneva); Ambassador to Thailand and Cambodia; Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations (New York); and Governor of Tasmania. In 2003, he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), Australia's highest ‌civilian honour. In 1995, he was appointed by the Prime Minister of Australia as Chairman of the Canberra Commission on the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. At the United Nations, Ambassador Butler was Vice Chair of the World Summit on Social Development; President of the Economic and Social Council; and Chair of the Working Group that created UNAIDS; in 1995 he managed the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. In 1997, Secretary General Kofi Annan appointed him Executive Chairman of the United Nations Special Commission to disarm Iraq (UNSCOM).