Working Worldwide for the Security of the Netherlands Working Worldwide for the Security of the Netherlands Goal 3: D  isarmament, arms control and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction Goal 4: Clear international norms for cyber activities Although the threat of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) never disappeared after the end of the Cold War, awareness of this threat has clearly been on the rise in recent years. Developments around Iran’s nuclear programme and the actual production of a nuclear weapon by North Korea have made this patently obvious. Russia, too, is modernising its nuclear arsenal. In war-torn Syria, chemical weapons have claimed many victims. It is in all our interests to continue working for disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation. A nuclear war, no matter how far away, or the use of a ‘dirty’ bomb by terrorists, could gravely damage our prosperity, security, public health, food security and trade. Nuclear weapons can also cause instability if they exacerbate tensions or fuel arms races. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty is in jeopardy, nuclear doctrines are becoming more aggressive, and arsenals are being modernised, renewed and expanded. On the other hand, the Netherlands is dependent on nuclear deterrence for its own security. It therefore advocates a balanced approach to nuclear disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation. Our ultimate goal remains a world without nuclear weapons. | 28 | Although current geopolitical realities give little cause for optimism, the Netherlands considers it a duty to continue its efforts to help make, improve and enforce international agreements and political-legal frameworks governing the possession, use and proliferation of conventional arms and weapons of mass destruction. The Netherlands defends key agreements in this field, like the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which are in serious jeopardy in an increasingly polarised international arena. At the same time, the Netherlands still regards conventional arms control as a major concern, and plays an active part in the OSCE’s Structured Dialogue on this issue. Illegal trade in small arms and light weapons in particular is a growing global problem. These weapons are used in terrorist attacks within and outside Europe and exacerbate armed conflicts in Africa and the Middle East. Developments around large-scale conventional weapon systems are also a cause for concern. Where existing international agreements, like the Vienna Document and the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, are not serving their intended purpose or are obsolete, the Netherlands is working for improved application and renewal of international legal and political frameworks. Developments in synthetic biology and artificial intelligence and the growing autonomy of weapon systems call for a critical attitude and a continuing international debate. Possible future risks need to be addressed, without hindering positive social-civil uses of such technologies. We need to focus on sound threat analysis, security by design, the timely development of countermeasures and, where necessary, enhanced resilience. The expanding use of armed unmanned aerial vehicles also requires additional international agreements. Cyber threats have been growing rapidly. That calls for a clear international response based on international agreements. As that is not yet happening to a sufficient degree, the Netherlands is investing in cyber diplomacy. The government is focusing specifically on achieving greater agreement on and better application of existing international legal frameworks in the digital domain. This should make it easier to call perpetrators to account and respond to their cyber activities, thereby discouraging them from deploying their cyber capabilities. The Netherlands will therefore actively contribute to negotiating new international agreements that can reduce cyber threats. These agreements should respect and build on existing agreements and include all stakeholders. For the Netherlands, existing international law is the starting point, in the digital domain as in others. Application of human rights online in the same way as is done offline is a key basic principle for assuring online security. "I think it is a matter of when, not if [a major cyberattack will hit the UK,] and we will be fortunate to come to the end of the decade without having to trigger a category one attack." Ciaran Martin, UK National Cyber Security Centre Export regulation is useful and necessary to prevent the proliferation of military and other cyber capabilities that will result in a cyber arms race. Dutch export control policy also focuses on preventing the export of goods, services and technology leading to human rights violations, unintended or intended, directly or indirectly. To achieve this, the Netherlands is pressing internationally for compulsory export licences for specific hardware, software and technologies for cyber surveillance, which are frequently used by monitoring or data retention centres. Authoritarian regimes can use such centres to restrict human rights. Cooperation between states and with the private sector, civil society organisations and the technical and academic communities is crucial in the digital domain. The Netherlands is investing in partner countries’ digital resilience to help them raise their knowledge and expertise to the highest possible level. This helps strengthen the weak links in the worldwide internet infrastructure. | 29 |