АШПИ 
Данные об авторе. Торопчин Глеб Вячеславович, аспирант 1-ого года обучения кафедры новой и новейшей истории и международных отношений факультета истории и международных отношений ФГБОУ ВПО «Кемеровский государственный университет», научные интересы: Австралийский Союз и ФРГ в глобальном и региональных режимах ядерного нераспространения, мирное использование атомной энергии в Германии и Австралии, взаимодействие ФРГ и Австралийского Союза в ядерной сфере.
Summary. The given scholarly article in the first place deals with the issue of international co-operation in the nuclear field between such important regions of the world as Europe and the APR on the global scale. The author scrutinizes the peculiarities of this synergy, referring to certain practical examples of international and interregional coworking for that matter. Special attention is paid to collaboration in various aspects of the nuclear sphere and its role in contributing to a safer tomorrow.
Interaction of Europe and Asia-Pacific Region in the Global Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime
To begin with, it is necessary to dwell upon the relevance of the issue for the global regime of nuclear non-proliferation. Involvement of these two regions, namely Europe and Asia-Pacific region (understood in a broad sense), in the system of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons is crucial for retaining security and stability in the world. According to Russian scholars Alexei Arbatov and Vladimir Dvorkin, regional dimension of nuclear non-proliferation regime displays particular, most acute problems that are intrinsic to the modern state of affairs [1, p. 82].
Then, it is vital to understand the mechanisms of functioning of the nuclear non-proliferation regime in these two regions. In Europe, there are three countries with nuclear weapons, in accordance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: the United Kingdom, France and Russian Federation. In the APR, there are also three actors that are defined as nuclear-weapons states: again, Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China and the United States. Besides, the situation in the APR is aggravated with the existence of the three states with nuclear weapons that are not signatories to the NPT (India, Pakistan and the DPRK). One can observe more peculiarities typical for the Asia-Pacific region in this regard. For instance, rapidly growing demand for energy in the countries of Southeast Asia makes certain states opt for nuclear power for generating electricity and other purposes, whereas in Europe, there is another, completely opposite trend, to refuse from nuclear power, gradually decreasing its share in the energy mix. As far as Asia-Pacific region is concerned, the Treaties of Rarotonga, Bangkok and, to some extent, Tlatelolco, under which nuclear-weapon-free zones were established in certain sub-regions (South Pacific, Southeast Asia and South America), can be regarded as a solid achievement in terms of nuclear non-proliferation. At the same time, NATO’s policy of nuclear sharing led to the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of some European (both EU and non-EU) states, to be more precise, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. There is one more interesting distinction: generally, a higher level of integration within the European Communities allowed to build a whole system of bodies (i.e. Euratom) and organizations (such as European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN), while Asia Pacific remains somewhat disengaged in this relation.
Some authors argue that both Europe and Asia-Pacific interact in the sphere of non-proliferation and disarmament for several reasons [2]. Firstly, it is the problem of so-called «Soviet legacy» (namely, proliferation-sensitive situation after the collapse of the USSR). Then, one cannot underestimate common threats and challenges in Eurasia, spread of nuclear technologies and the will of many states (i.e. in Southeast Asia) to join the nuclear energy club. At the same time, with the process of globalization, these issues inevitably become more and more pressing, both for European states and countries of the APR. It goes without saying that various activities such as uranium trade or exchange of the corresponding technologies that happens between the actors belonging to these two regions is subject to the international legislation. Even regardless of the Fukushuma Dai-ichi accident, both regions need to interact with each other in terms of the market of ideas, technologies and nuclear raw materials. Such interdependence is stipulated by the objective trends in the global economy, meaning that different events or tendencies in one part of the world can seriously influence situation in another (which has happened with the nuclear feedwater heater market [3]).
Talking about the interregional co-operation, one can admit that numerous international organizations, conferences and fora form the core of the interaction between the Asia-Pacific region and Europe in the nuclear field. The interaction range includes both non-proliferation and disarmament, peaceful use of nuclear energy and scientific developments in the nuclear field. It is quite symptomatic that regional efforts can be expanded globally: in 2008, during his official visit to Tokyo, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd proposed to establish a special body, International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, whereas his Japanese counterpart Yasuo Fukuda supported this initiative. However, this undertaking went further than Asia Pacific: it was also backed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the G8 summit [4]. This example shows that separate states, such as Australia and Japan in the APR and Germany in Europe respectively, can boost the collaboration between the regions at such high-profile meetings. Similar multilateral efforts that have been undertaken in 2013 by premiers of Japan and several Eastern European countries in the form of a joint statement represent yet another instance of such co-operation that might help ensure security in the problematic regions and designate points of the nuclear agenda on the whole [5].
The exchange of experiences and ideas between the aforementioned regions in the nuclear sphere can also be held at a high level. Business negotiations and diplomatic consultations of all kinds are conducted at multiple multilateral summits, fora and meetings of the international and intergovernmental organizations: beginning with the United Nations with its numerous bodies and committees (IAEA itself was formed within the framework of this organization) and ending with ad hoc bilateral commissions. This proposition can also be proven by the fact that the principles of the organization of the European Atomic Energy Community, or Euratom, were taken into consideration when elaborating the concept and structure of the Asia-Pacific Nuclear Energy Community. It was analyzed in the expert community (for example, by Tatsujiro Suzuki [6, pp. 11-29]) in the 1990s and is scrutinized today at the official level.
One more important part of such interaction is the co-operation of scholars and scientists, researching both technical and political aspects of nuclear non-proliferation and atomic energy. It can be implemented through scientific exchange, collaboration of the researchers, educational programs. E.g. emerging nuclear specialists from the states of Southeast Asia can go to Russia or Germany in order to get their degrees and then can keep their careers going in their home countries, working for the nuclear industry enterprises. When it comes to the networking of the professionals, it is often organized through the interaction of agencies and NGOs, such as European Nuclear Society and similar organizations based in the countries of the APR, namely Chinese Nuclear Society or Australian Nuclear Association. Institutes and universities of the European and Asian countries have an opportunity to enhance their international co-operation with the help of partnership agreements. However, international collaboration of this nature also takes place within global non-profit organizations (like World Nuclear Association).
Under all circumstances, in spite of the regional differences, one can make a conclusion that long-standing co-operation between Asia Pacific and Europe is substantial for the global regime of nuclear non-proliferation, development of the nuclear energy sector and manifold R&D projects as well as other activities in the nuclear field. The cases of co-operation between the leading states of these regions (such as Australia, Japan and the Federal Republic of Germany), as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations described above, show how these regions can interact in order to facilitate the implementation of the laws and regulations that form the basis of the contemporary regime of nuclear non-proliferation. Besides, the role of the Russian Federation cannot be neglected on that occasion: due to its geographical and geopolitical position, it belongs to both Europe and Asia-Pacific region, therefore playing a special role in nuclear non-proliferation regime in general.
References
1. Ядерное сдерживание и нераспространение / Под ред. А. Арбатова и В. Дворкина. М., 2005.
2. Europe and the Asia-Pacific / Ed. by H. Maull, G. Segal, J. Wanandi. N.Y., 1998.
3. Research and Markets: Asia’s Energy Need Driving Global Nuclear Feedwater Heater Market – Global Market Size, Competitive Landscape and Key Country Analysis to 2020 / Reuters.com. URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/15/research-and-markets-idUSnBw156409a+100+BSW20130515 (access date: 06/30/2013).
4. Curtis L. Japan on board for Rudd’s nuclear battle / ABC.net.au. URL: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-07-09/japan-on-board-for-rudds-nuclear-battle/2499682 (access date: 06/30/2013).
5. Abe E. Europe leaders agree to deepen nuclear cooperation / GlobalPost. URL: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/kyodo-news-international/130616/abe-e-europe-leaders-agree-deepen-nuclear-cooperation (access date: 06/30/2013).
6. Asia Pacific Multilateral Nuclear Safety and Non-Proliferation: Exploring the Possibilities / Ed. by Ralph A. Cossa. Honolulu, 1996. URL: http://nuctrans.org/Nuc_Trans/CSCAP/cscap-links/Title_pg.htm (access date: 06/30/2013).