Belgian parliament resolution to reduce its nuclear stockpile left in Europe after the Cold War

Posted On
Defence & Security News - Belgium
 
Belgian parliament resolution to reduce its nuclear stockpile left in Europe after the Cold War.
The Belgian House of Representatives passed a resolution calling on the government to reduce its nuclear stockpile, according to a report in La Libre Belgique on Thursday, April 23, 2015. The resolution was adopted at the opening of next week the Conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
     
The Belgian House of Representatives passed a resolution calling on the government to reduce its nuclear stockpile, according to a report in La Libre Belgique on Thursday, April 23, 2015. The resolution was adopted at the opening of next week the Conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Belgian Air Force F16 fighter at Kleine Brogel Air Base, Belgium.
     
The resolution is not represent a legal obligation but acts as a request to the government to commit to the liberation of nuclear weapons from the territory, according to the report.
 

The previous day, the regional Flemish Parliament passed a vote favouring a complete withdrawal of nuclear weapons on Flemish territory, with all parties voting in favor of the resolution except the nationalist N-VA who abstained.

Since the 1960s, nuclear weapons have reportedly been stored on the military air base of Kleine Brogel in the province of Limburg of Belgium, but this information has never been officially recognised by any Belgian government.

Belgium and Italy announced agreements with the US on the removal of surplus fissile material, as part of a continuing Washington-led effort to reduce global stockpiles and the number of sites around the world where they are stored.

U.S. Air Force currently deploys 10-20 nuclear bombs in the military Air Base of Kleine Brogel in Belgium.

The nuclear bombs at Kleine Brogel are part of a stockpile of about 200 nuclear weapons left in Europe after the Cold War ended. Whereas nuclear weapons have otherwise been withdrawn to the United States and consolidated, the bombs in Europe are scattered across 62 aircraft shelters at six bases in five European countries. The 130-person US 701st Munitions Support Squadron (MUNSS) is based at Kleine Brogel to protect and service the nuclear bombs and facilities.