“Now is the time to eliminate nuclear weapons from our world, and usher in a new era of dialogue, trust and peace”, declared UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday, marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
Guterres said that the threat of nuclear weapons has always been at the heart of the UN’s work since its inception, noting that the first General Assembly resolution in 1946 aimed to “eliminate from national armaments of atomic weapons and of all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction.”
The total number of nuclear weapons in the world has been decreasing for decades, however, the UN chief notes that some 14,000 remain stockpiled around the world.
“States are qualitatively improving their arsenals, and we are seeing worrying signs of a new arms race,” Guterres said, warning that humanity remains unacceptably close to nuclear annihilation.
On Thursday, the UN chief called for all countries holding nuclear technology to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which was adopted in 1996, and has been signed by 185 countries.
But for the CTBT to enter into force, it must be signed and ratified by 44 countries holding nuclear technology, eight of which have yet to ratify the Treaty: China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Pakistan and the United States.
“We have remained in this state of limbo for too long,” he said.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.