UN chief calls for ‘an end to nuclear blackmail’

On the occasion of the International Day for the Total Eradication of Nuclear Weapons, the Secretary-General of l’ONAntónio Guterres on Monday called on member states to reject the idea that “nuclear disarmament would be an impossible utopian dream”.

While the threats of using “the most destructive power ever created”, Mr. Guterres called for a new vision of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, during a high-level meeting organized at the United Nations headquarters to commemorate the day.

“The era of nuclear blackmail must end,” hammered the UN chief, recalling that a month earlier he had visited the “brave survivors” of the 1945 attack in Hiroshima, Japan. , less and less numerous, but “bearers of an increasingly strong messaget”. He blasted weapons that don’t offer “no security, only carnage and chaos”.

The UN SG also acknowledged that despite their significant engagement last month, the parties to the non-proliferation treaty have come close to a substantial consensus without realizing it.

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“We’re disappointed, but we won’t give up“, he promised, urging states to use all avenues of dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations to ease tensions, reduce risks and eliminate the nuclear threat.

This goal, in his view, requires a new vision of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation consistent with the Agenda for Peace, which advocates meaningful disarmament and a better common understanding of multiple threats. It involves taking into account the evolution of the nuclear order, including all types of weapons in this category and their means of delivery, Mr. Guterres added.

This vision must understand the blurred boundaries between strategic and conventional weapons, and the links between the latter with the new fields of cybersecurity and outer space, he said.

The senior official pledged to work closely with all member states to forge a new consensus on the best way to collectively defuse these threats.

With MAP