Osgood Center Model NPT Review Conference

Last weekend was really overwhelming. This semester, apart from doing an internship at different places, Boeing Scholarship program students in TWC also need to take a course on one evening of the week. Our professor, always humorous and energetic Shelly, is from SAIS of Johns Hopkins University. He's also the director (I guess?) of Osgood Center, which, from my own limited understanding, is an organization that mainly organizes model UN and other simulation programs all around the year for student training. From March 18 to 21, a new program called model NPT Review Conference (NPT refers to Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty) took place at Homewood Suites hotel and invited approximately 60 students from the Washington Center, George Washington University, Bloomsburg University, Gettysburg University, Austin College, etc. to represent delegates from P5 countries (US,UK,France, Russia Federation, and China), Middle East and African countries (Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Cameroon, South Africa), and other countries like DPRK, Indonesia, Burma, Canada, Mexico, etc. I was under grave pressure because I was just the one who came from China that was gonna represent China. My dear...

It was indeed a trial. For four days, delegates were separated into three main committees: Committee I for Safeguard and nonproliferation, Committee II for Disarmament, and Committee III for Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy and Terrorim. I was in the toughest and yet most interesting and dynamic committee, the first one, mainly dealing with FMCT(Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty), Export Control on Nuclear Technology, and Adherence to IAEA(International Atomic Energy Association) Additional Protocol.

Well, I've got a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications and a pending MA in Communication Study plus a pending MS in Global Media and Communications, which means that I basically, honestly, knew little about NPT, IAEA, FMCT, PAROS, p5, NAM, NSG, CTBT, ABS, Global Zero, EU3+3, Six-Party Talks, and all other nerdy terms. But in a brief four days' fast-paced and challenging learning and negociating atmosphere, I became familiar with all of them.

For China's position in FMCT, a pre-condition of US and other state parties' participation and cooperation in PAROS(Prevention of a Arms Race in Outer Space) is vital for China's final decision to join. But American's strong argument of the 2007 satellite issue makes China's position pretty vulnerable. On this issue, China and Russia have a common ground in anti-weaponization in outer space. For Export Control issue, China has joined the NSG(Nuclear Suppliers Group) in 2004 and ractifies it, which makes things much easier. On the Additional Protocol issue, Iran delegate jumped out to question China's double standard (which, to me, is quite unexpected). All kinds of complications involved here.

During the four day's meetings, one of the most fashionable discourse was "I have a motion to suspend the meeting for the purpose of lunch/diner/snap/(caucus)" until X'o clock". So funny~

Finally when we closed the debate and proceeded into the final vote, I really missed the four days' experience. Although we were struck several times on the Red Line from Rockville to Dupont Cirle and were late several times, we truly enjoyed the NPT meeting.

On the last day, in the closing ceremony, Prof. Shelly nearly broke into tears when the final draft got approved by each country. I was deeply moved too. He has devoted so much into this program, into our evening classes, into Osgood Center and his beloved family. He is such a great man!