The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
Dr. Rob Floyd will share his reflections on progress being made in the important pursuits of effective nuclear safeguards, nuclear security and nuclear disarmament verification. Regarding safeguards, he will draw on his experience as Chair of the Standing Advisory Group on Safeguards Implementation (SAGSI) which provides advice to the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and as a past Chair of the Asia Pacific Safeguards Network (APSN) and will discuss safeguards implementation under the state-level concept and capacity building in the Asia Pacific region. He will discuss further strengthening the international nuclear security architecture in the post Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) era building on his experience as NSS Sherpa for Australia. Finally, he will share his perspectives on the important work of the International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification (IPNDV) from his role as a co-chair of its working group on on-site inspection.
Dr. Rob Floyd was appointed to the position of Director General, Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office (ASNO) in 2010. He is responsible for Australia’s implementation and compliance with regard to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, Chemical Weapons Convention and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty as well as engaging in further development of safeguards and non-proliferation regimes. He has been appointed by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency as Chair of his Standing Advisory Group on Safeguards Implementation, is Co-Chair of one of the working groups of the International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification, was the lead official (“Sherpa”) for Australia in the Nuclear Security Summit process, and is the past Chair of the Asia-Pacific Safeguards Network. Prior to this appointment as Director General of ASNO, Dr Floyd served for more than seven years in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet where he held a number of senior executive positions providing advice to the Prime Minister on policy issues covering counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, emergency management, homeland and border security.