New York, 8 January 2022 (TDI): In response to the Joint Statement by the Nuclear-Weapon States on the avoidance of arms races, the Secretary-General congratulated them on their decision.
Today, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement in which he welcomed the joint statement that the nuclear-weapon states issued on preventing nuclear war and avoiding arms races.
There is a lot of encouragement to see that nuclear-weapon carrying states recognize the need to comply with their bilateral and multilateral nonproliferation, disarmament, and arms control agreements and commitments, including their binding obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons related to nuclear disarmament.
It is encouraging to hear that nuclear-weapon states are committed to taking steps to prevent nuclear war in keeping with their long-standing commitment to dialogue and cooperation to prevent nuclear war. He looks forward to further details about the intended initiatives.
In a joint statement, China, France, Russia, the UK and the USA “affirm that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought”.@UN chief @antonioguterres is encouraged by the nuclear-weapon States’ commitment to pursue measures to prevent nuclear war https://t.co/gJkI51rxrH
— UN Human Rights Council (@UN_HRC) January 4, 2022
Embracing this opportunity, the Secretary-General wishes to reiterate what he has stated repeatedly: that the only way to eliminate all nuclear risks is by eliminating all nuclear weapons. The Secretary of State reiterates his commitment to working with all nuclear-weapon states and all the member states in order to achieve this goal as soon as possible.
It is very important to note that in the early days of this year, a statement was issued by the Nuclear-Weapon States in this regard. Avoiding nuclear war and reducing strategic risks are among the top priorities of China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America.
“A nuclear war cannot be won and should never be fought. The use of nuclear weapons would have far-reaching consequences, so it is affirmed that nuclear weapons should serve defensive purposes, deter aggression, and prevent war. The proliferation of nuclear weapons must be prevented.”
Regarding nuclear threats, he emphasized the importance of maintaining and adhering to the non-proliferation, disarmament, and arms control agreements and commitments we have made bilaterally and multilaterally.
According to Article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the signatories are obligated to engage in good faith negotiations to address the cessation of the nuclear arms race as soon as possible, as well as on a treaty for general and complete disarmament under effective and strict international control.
The Nuclear-Weapon States intend to maintain and strengthen national measures in order to prevent the unintended or unauthorized use of nuclear weapons. On the contrary, no nuclear weapon is targeted at any state or at any other state, regardless of previous statements to the contrary.
Their goal of creating a world without nuclear weapons with a higher level of security for all underscores the UN’s desire to work with all states to create a more secure environment.
There will continue to be efforts made to prevent military confrontations, strengthen stability and predictability, build mutual understanding and confidence, and limit an arms race that would be harmful to all.
Antonio Guterres stated that the UN is committed to a constructive dialogue in order to achieve mutual respect and recognition of security interests. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu praised the joint statement by the five nuclear-weapon states — China, France, Russia, Great Britain, and the United States — on preventing nuclear war and avoiding arms races in a statement released on Monday.
Five countries said in the joint statement that none of their nuclear weapons is directed against one another or against any other nation and that nuclear war cannot be won.
Ma remarked in an interview that it was the first time the leaders of the five countries had issued a joint statement on nuclear weapons, showing their commitment to prevent nuclear war and impose a common voice for supporting global strategic stability and reducing the risk of nuclear conflict.
Moreover, it contributes to the strengthening of mutual trust between the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the replacement of great-power competition with coordinated cooperation.
Consequently, China played a crucial role in facilitating the countries’ reaching a positive and solid agreement. They are all nuclear-weapon states under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), in addition to being permanent members of the UN Security Council. All of them are responsible for preventing nuclear war and preserving world peace, says Ma.
In his view, the five countries should take advantage of the joint statement as an opportunity to enhance mutual trust, improve coordination, and contribute to the establishment of a world of lasting peace and common security.
Ma said China maintains a nuclear and defensive strategy, follows a policy of not using nuclear weapons first, and maintains its nuclear forces at the minimum level required to safeguard national security. His words: “This in itself contributes to an overall higher level of strategic stability around the world.”
Director-General of the Arms Control Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Fu Cong, praised the remarkable statement as “very pertinent” and “very timely.”
He believes the document will contribute to maintaining global strategic stability and reducing the threat of nuclear war. China carries out a significant role in the effort to reach an agreement, according to Fu. The Nuclear-weapon states have long advocated that nuclear war cannot be won and should never be waged, he said.
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