Eliminate nuclear weapons before they eliminate us: UN chief |
He said in a video message arrive First meeting of member states United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weaponstook place in Vienna, Austria.
“Let’s get rid of these weapons before they eliminate us.”
‘Formula of Destruction’
The head of the United Nations said the “horrifying lessons” of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were fading from memory, related to the atomic bombings of two major Japanese cities during World War II.
However, with more than 13,000 nuclear weapons still exist globally, “the prospect of nuclear conflict that was once unimaginable is now back within the realm of possibility,” he warned.
“In a world rife with geopolitical tensions and mistrust, this is a recipe to destroy. We cannot allow a handful of States to use nuclear weapons to jeopardize all life on our planet. We have to stop knocking on the door of the apocalypse,” he said.
Guterres told the participants of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons that it was an important step towards the shared aspirations of a world without nuclear weapons.
It prohibits all nuclear weapons-related activities, such as undertakings to develop, test, manufacture, manufacture, acquire or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. .
The treaty was adopted in July 2017 and entered into force in January 2021. The treaty has been signed by 86 countries and ratified by 65 countries.
World without nuclear
Governments, civil society groups and other observers are attending the meeting in Vienna, reflecting the central truth that “Disarmament is everyone’s business, because life itself is everyone’s business”Secretary General said.
The decisions taken, he added, would help strengthen the Treaty’s position as an essential element of global nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation efforts. hopefully more countries will be persuaded to join.
“Only by being united can we end this scourge and get back to the work of building a better, more peaceful, and more reliable world for all.”