We’re in the last week of the #nuclearban negotiations. It is up to us to make sure that this ban treaty is heard, seen, talked about and known outside the conference room, so please get your social media game on! 
Share this social media update; We need lots of campaigners and organizations make a noise about the negotiations, so please use this week to make a last reach out to your partner organizations and members to do a final support over social media. Please use the many videos we’ve made that you can find on ICAN’s Facebook page, and the many great photos our photographers have uploaded to our Flickr account. Please use it, share it, tweet it and like it! 
Twitter is an important tool to make people feel our love and criticism, so here are some sample tweets you can use for the coming week. Ooops: remember to address it to YOUR country and add the attached photos if you want: 
For boycotting states: 
“Historic #nuclearban negotiations are supported by 130 states, but @NorwayMFA is not here. Where are you now? http://bit.ly/2tIuvlo ”                                                                                           “130 states are negotiating a #nuclearban treaty. This is historic! But @NorwayMFA is not here. Lets outlaw nuclear weapons! #wishyouwerehere add attached photo”                         In general and for supportive states: 
“The world wants a nuclear weapon free world! Thank you @MFA_Austria for making it a reality. The #nuclearban is coming!”                                                                                     “History in the making! Thank you @MFA_Austria for the #nuclearban! Your support is taking us towards a nuclear weapon free world!”
“Thank you @MFA_Austria for being a humanitarian champion! The #nuclearban is important for the victims of use and test of NW and the world!”
“We did it! The #nuclearban is here! Thank you to supportive states for your incredible efforts in banning nuclear weapons once and for all!”
Lastly, we have a new great film up on Facebook today, with Jody Williams. Once again, please share, like and tweet! It will be published at 3pm New York time. It is already on twitter, just look at the hashtag #nuclearban.

This draft is definitely a lot better than the previous two but

• It doesn’t prevent non-nuclear states being part of an Alliance like NATO that operates a collective policy of nuclear deterrence, as long as the non-nuclear states don’t allow stationing of nuclear weapons on their territory.
• It doesn’t prevent the equipping and training of non-nuclear States forces for the use of nuclear weapons, they just have to give 12 months notice of withdrawal OR, as NATO argues for the NPT, say that when a ‘general war’ breaks out the Treaty is no longer controlling as its purpose has failed
• It doesn’t prevent research work such as computer simulations of nuclear explosions or hydrodynamic testing, fusion research in an apparatus like the NIF, or sub-critical testing as these do not require the use of nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices. Much fundamental research might be valubale in other areas but should be subject to a ban for the purposes of researching nuclear weapons technology, and a verification regime to ensure that.
• It doesn’t require states like Sweden, Argentina or Brazil to reveal all the details of nuclear weapons research and development work they did in the past
• It still doesn’t explicitly reference the parts of international law that would underpin the treaty, leaving it to States to decide which law is applicable

 The problem with all of this is that it means that a State can maintain a significant break out capacity, and that in a world with fewer and fewer nuclear weapons there would be every incentive to do so. It also entrenches the current situation with nuclear alliances.

More on this interesting discussion available on request.