Global nuclear weapons ban: More than 100 countries set to launch first UN talks

Even after objections from the major nuclear powers, more than 100 countries are all set to kick off the first UN talks on a global nuclear weapons ban. In October, around 123 UN members announced that they would start the UN conference to negotiate a legally binding nuclear ban treaty even as most of the world’s declared and undeclared nuclear powers voted against the talks.

While China, India and Pakistan abstained, Britain, France, Israel, Russia and the United States voted against the talks.

Even Japan, the only country to have suffered atomic attacks in 1945, voted against the talks. It said  the lack of consensus over the negotiations could undermine progress on effective nuclear disarmament.

However, the countries that led the effort include Austria, Ireland, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and Sweden. Hundreds of NGOs back their efforts.

They say because of the increasing tensions fanned by North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and an unpredictable new administration in Washington, the threat of nuclear disaster is growing.

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Supporters point to successful grassroots movements that led to the prohibition of landmines in 1997 and cluster munitions in 2008.

“I expect that this will take a long time, let’s not be naive,” Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said at the UN last week.

“But it’s very important in these days when you see more of this rhetoric, and also sort of power demonstrations, including threatening to use nuclear weapons.”

“Quite a high number of countries are actually interested in saying we have to break the deadlock that has been on this issue for so many years,” she added. “So it’s also the expression of frustration.”

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No progress has been made on nuclear disarmament in recent years despite commitments made by the major nuclear powers to work toward disarmament under the 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), said Beatrice Fihn, director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, an international coalition of NGOs.

“There was disappointment with the Obama administration, which made some pledges, but then ignored most of them,” she said. “And now there are raised worries with the new US president.”

In 2009, the then president Barack Obama initiated a drive to reduce the role of nuclear weapons and eventually eliminate them.

But his administration strongly encouraged NATO allies to vote against this year’s UN negotiations, saying a ban would obstruct cooperation to respond to nuclear threats from adversaries. 

(With inputs from PTI)