UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband has called for better connections between the worlds of science and politics. He was speaking at a meeting of the InterAcademy Panel which is being hosted by the Royal Society as part of its 350th anniversary celebrations.
Miliband highlighted the UK's high standing in the worlds of science and diplomacy and commented on how science had already played a significant role in keeping lines of communication open during the cold war. He also praised SESAME—the synchrotron light source project in Jordan, which brings together scientists from across the Middle East including Israel, Iran, Pakistan, and the Palestinian Authority.
"The scientific world is becoming inter-disciplinary," said Miliband. "But the biggest inter-disciplinary leap we need is across the boundaries of politics and science. On resource conflicts, global inequality, nuclear security and counter terrorism, science is our ally. I hope this [Royal Society] anniversary opens eyes not just to how far science has come, but what we can do together in the future."
At the same meeting the Royal Society also published a joint report with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): New frontiers in science diplomacy investigates the valuable role that science can play in international policy making and diplomacy.
Paul Guinnessy
