“We have been exceptionally lucky so far. But luck is not a strategy or a shield that prevents geopolitical tensions from turning into nuclear conflict,” Antonio Guterres said at the inauguration of a conference of 191 nations. Signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
“Today, humanity is in a misunderstanding, a miscalculation of nuclear annihilation”, he said, calling for the creation of a world “free of nuclear weapons”.
After being postponed several times from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 10th review conference of the NPT, an international treaty that came into force in 1970 to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, is being held at the United Nations until 26 August. Headquarters in New York.
The meeting is an opportunity to “strengthen this treaty and bring it in line with today’s world”, announced Antonio Guterres, reaffirming the non-use of nuclear weapons, but with “new commitments” to reduce the arsenal. For also.
“The elimination of nuclear weapons is the only guarantee that they will never be used,” he said, adding that he would visit Hiroshima in a few days to mark the anniversary of the bombing.
“Around 13,000 nuclear weapons are stored in arsenals around the world. At a time when the risks of proliferation are increasing and the security measures to prevent this increase are weakening”, he stressed, especially in the Middle East ” crisis”, referring to Russia’s invasion of the Korean Peninsula and Ukraine.
In January, five members of the Security Council (the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and France), the nuclear powers, resolved to “stop the further spread” of nuclear energy, just before a new adjournment of the review conference. . ,
At the last review conference in 2015, the parties were unable to reach agreement on real issues.
Amateur web specialist. General food junkie. Typical zombie enthusiast. Avid music trailblazer. Lifelong explorer.
