Addressing the General Assembly, António Guterres said the cornerstone of efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons has been eroding, with commitments unfulfilled and trust and credibility depleting. “We need to bring the Treaty to life once again”he declared.
The current nuclear threat is compounded by new dangers arising from rapidly evolving technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, he added.
Reflecting concerns about the growing use of AI in military conflicts, Guterres reiterated the UN’s view that until nuclear weapons are eliminated, humanity must never relinquish control over them.
‘The road is less safe’
The Secretary-General’s warnings were echoed by the Chairman of the latest NPT review, Do Hung Viet, Permanent Representative of Vietnam, who was elected on Monday by acclamation.
Mr. Viet acknowledged the important role the treaty plays in preventing the use of nuclear weapons over the past five decades, and that of the review conferences (which, apart from postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have been held every five years) as a “benchmark for where we are and where we need to go.”
That path is becoming less certain, he said, as military spending reaches new all-time highs each year and nuclear arsenals grow.
“A world without the NPT,” he continued, “is a world where the taboo against nuclear weapons is further eroded. This is not a perspective we want for ourselves or our children..”
Briefing reporters in New York, Mr. Viet warned that while the Treaty has helped prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons since 1970, its relevance and credibility are now threatened.
“This is not just another conference,” he declared. The stakes are high because the danger of nuclear war is seen and felt much more concretely these days. A nuclear arms race is looming.”
The Vietnamese diplomat recalled that the two previous Review Conferences (in 2022 and 2015) failed to reach a consensus and called on delegates to work constructively to find an agreement this time.
Atmospheric nuclear test carried out by the United States in March 1954 at Bikini Atoll, Marshal Islands.
The conflict with Iran casts a long shadow
Before the conference began, diplomats heard objections to Iran’s candidacy for the position of vice-chairman of the General Committee.
The US delegate said the move was an “affront to the NPT” and argued that Iran had violated the Treaty in the way it pursued its nuclear program.
The United States denied that Tehran could be seen as a leader on nonproliferation. Objections were also raised by Australia, the United Kingdom (also speaking on behalf of France and Germany) and the United Arab Emirates.
However, Russia’s representative called the US intervention an attempt to politicize the conference from the beginning and asked delegations with criticism to voice it during the general debate.
The Iranian delegate responded to the objections by describing them as “baseless and lacking credibility” and an attempt to manipulate the conference.
“The United States,” he said, is the only state that has used nuclear weapons and continues to expand its arsenal in violation of its obligations under the NPT.
Mr. Viet explained during his press conference that Iran was nominated for the position by the Non-Aligned Movement bloc several months ago, and that concerns were only raised in recent days.
To maintain consensus on the issue, Mr. Viet said countries opposed to Iran’s candidacy agreed to formally disassociate themselves from the decision, rather than calling a vote.
the 11thth The NPT review will take place at United Nations Headquarters from April 27 to May 22. The sessions will be broadcast live on UN WebTV.