new York In view of numerous crises worldwide, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned of the increasing risk of nuclear annihilation. The world is in a “time of nuclear danger not seen since the height of the Cold War,” Guterres said on Monday at the start of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference in New York.
“Humanity is in danger of forgetting the lessons forged in the terrible fires of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” the UN Secretary-General warned. The world is just one misunderstanding or miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation.
Guterres said on Monday that geopolitical tensions had reached a new high – citing Russia’s war against Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East, the Korean Peninsula and crises with “nuclear overtones”. “Competition trumps cooperation and collaboration. Distrust has replaced dialogue. Disunity has replaced disarmament.”
US President Joe Biden called on Russia and China to hold talks ahead of the conference. Biden told Russia on Monday that his government is ready to negotiate a new framework for arms control to replace the New Smart agreement, which expires in 2026. “But negotiations require a willing partner who acts in good faith.”
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However, Russia’s “brutal and unprovoked aggression in Ukraine” destroyed peace in Europe. The government in Moscow must be ready to resume work on nuclear arms control with the United States, Biden continued. China, in turn, should take part in talks to reduce “the risk of misjudgments”.
Moscow is amazed at Biden’s move
A Russian government official expressed surprise at the US proposal. “Is that a serious statement, or has the White House website been hacked?” said the State Department official, who asked not to be named. “If this is serious, who do you want to discuss it with?”
During his appearance in New York, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Russia of using nuclear weapons to make ruthless threats of war. Earlier statements by Kremlin chief Putin that military aid could have unprecedented consequences for Ukraine were “dangerous nuclear saber-rattling,” Blinken said at the conference.
The statements are contrary to international agreements. “There is no place in our world for nuclear deterrence based on force and intimidation or blackmail. We must stand together to reject this.”
US wants to be able to defend “vital interests”.
Blinken also said the United States would only consider using nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances to defend the vital interests of the United States, its allies and partners.
The US Secretary of State accuses Russia of “nuclear saber-rattling”.
(Photo: dpa)
In a greeting to the participants of the review conference published on the Kremlin’s website on Monday, President Putin confirmed that he did not want to start a nuclear war. “We believe that nuclear war has no victors and must never be started,” he wrote. In doing so, he countered growing fears since the beginning of the war that Moscow might use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Putin stressed that Russia is fulfilling and will continue to fulfill its obligations as a founding member of the NPT. At the same time, the Kremlin chief called for “equal and indivisible security for all members of the world community.”
In addition, all countries that comply with the provisions of the NPT should have access to civil nuclear power. Putin’s demand was possibly aimed at the civilian Iranian nuclear program, which is supported by Russia.
Germany is committed to disarmament
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock acknowledged Germany’s participation in nuclear deterrence, but at the same time advocated steps towards disarmament. “Russia’s brutal war of aggression makes it clear that nuclear weapons are unfortunately a bitter reality,” she said after arriving in New York. “The commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear deterrence are not contradictory in these times.”
>> Read here: Baerbock is fighting for nuclear disarmament in New York – and is still openly pessimistic
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which is more than 50 years old and to which 191 countries have joined, forms the basis for nuclear disarmament worldwide. It states that only the US, Russia, China, France and the UK can have nuclear weapons. The other four suspected nuclear powers India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea have either not joined the treaty or have withdrawn from it.
The aim of the treaty is to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, promote nuclear disarmament and promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy. A review is planned every five years to determine the extent to which the goals of the Non-Proliferation Treaty have been met.
The tenth review conference was supposed to take place in 2020, but was postponed due to the corona pandemic. The conference now runs until August 26th.
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