The world is facing “a nuclear danger unseen since the height of the Cold War” and humanity is “just one step away from nuclear annihilation,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned.
Secretary of the United Nations issued a stern warning At the opening of the 10th Review Conference for States signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in New York on Monday.
During the meeting, Mr. Guterres noted some of the current challenges facing global peace and security, citing climate change issues, conflicts around the world, human rights violations, and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. , pointed out that the world is under greater stress. .
“Geopolitical tensions are reaching new heights. Competition trumps cooperation and cooperation. Distrust has replaced dialogue, discord has replaced disarmament. It seeks false security by stockpiling and spending hundreds of billions of dollars on doomsday weapons that have no home,” Guterres said.
“So far we have been very lucky. But luck is not a strategy, nor does it prevent geopolitical tensions from escalating into nuclear war,” he continued. .
The UN Secretary General has pointed out that there are now nearly 13,000 nuclear weapons in arsenals around the world.
“Today, humanity is just a misunderstanding,” Guterres said before urging nations to set humanity on a new path toward a world free of nuclear weapons.
The NPT is an international treaty that entered into force in 1968, several years after the Cuban missile crisis, and aims to reduce nuclear weapons and weapons technology globally.
‘A treaty needed more than ever’
A total of 191 countries, including the five major nuclear powers, are parties to the treaty.
However, India, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan have not signed the treaty and in some cases are suspected of possessing large amounts of nuclear weapons.
A review of the treaty, which takes place once every five years, has been postponed to 2020 due to COVID-19. This year he will be held until August 26th.
Mr. Guterres stressed the importance of the NPT on Monday, saying it was needed “as ever” and that a review would give “mankind the opportunity to set a new path towards a world free of nuclear weapons”. .
He also referred to Russia’s war in Ukraine and tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East.
States also need to “work tirelessly” towards the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons, the UN Secretary-General said, noting that this starts with a commitment to reduce the number of nuclear weapons.
Monday’s review of the treaty came after New York City launched a public service announcement last month informing residents of what to do in the event of a nuclear attack.
Officials say a nuclear weapons incident in or near New York City is highly unlikely, but they believe it’s important for residents to know how to stay safe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a letter to the NPT conference on Monday, saying nuclear war should never start.
“Nuclear war never wins and must not be unleashed. We support equal and indivisible security for all members of the international community,” he wrote.
When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February, Putin referred to Moscow’s vast nuclear arsenal and warned NATO and the US not to interfere.
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Katabella Roberts is a journalist currently based in Turkey. At The Epoch Times, she’s primarily responsible for US-focused news and business.