ID :
21220
Thu, 09/25/2008 - 20:59
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/21220
The shortlink copeid
Kawaguchi appeals for total elimination of nuke weapons
NEW YORK, Sept. 24 Kyodo - A Japanese envoy urged high level officials at a meeting Wednesday to ratify
the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty as soon as possible.
''Japan as the only nation to have suffered atomic devastation, is committed to
take initiatives toward the total elimination of nuclear weapons,'' said Yoriko
Kawaguchi, Japan's envoy to the fourth CTBT ministerial meeting in New York.
Almost 180 countries have signed the treaty and 144 have ratified it. However,
of the 44 states whose ratifications are required, nine have yet to do so.
The nine are China, North Korea, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel,
Pakistan and the United States.
''We would like to stress the importance of ratification by the remaining
nuclear-weapon states, namely the United States and China,'' she said. The
Japanese envoy also said she has urged the remaining countries that have yet to
ratify it to do so ''as soon as possible.''
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, who was also in attendance, described the
pact as one that would ''outlaw all nuclear tests and move us towards the
larger goals of ridding the world of nuclear weapons and preventing their
proliferation.''
In her prepared remarks she explained that her country had submitted a draft
resolution on nuclear disarmament annually, urging countries to ratify the
CTBT.
The treaty is one of the nuclear disarmament measures enshrined in the
decision, ''Principles and Objectives for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and
Disarmament,'' which was adopted by consensus in 1995.
She also called on countries to observe a moratorium on nuclear testing that
was reaffirmed in the Leaders' Declaration at the Group of Eight summit meeting
in Japan in July.
The G-8 summit was attended by leaders from Japan, Britain, France, Italy,
Canada, Germany, Russia and the United States.
Ban said he rejected the pessimistic view some express about the stalemate on
nonproliferation and disarmament that might preclude the treaty from becoming a
reality.
He also said that ''we cannot wait for the perfect security environment to come
along.''
Meanwhile, a joint ministerial statement on the treaty was issued. It appealed
to all states to ''make maximum efforts towards achieving the early entry into
force of the CTBT.''
The event at U.N. Headquarters was attended by numerous officials and featured
a special presentation by former United States Defense Secretary William Perry
and Academy Award-winning actor and U.N. Messenger of Peace Michael Douglas.
==Kyodo
the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty as soon as possible.
''Japan as the only nation to have suffered atomic devastation, is committed to
take initiatives toward the total elimination of nuclear weapons,'' said Yoriko
Kawaguchi, Japan's envoy to the fourth CTBT ministerial meeting in New York.
Almost 180 countries have signed the treaty and 144 have ratified it. However,
of the 44 states whose ratifications are required, nine have yet to do so.
The nine are China, North Korea, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel,
Pakistan and the United States.
''We would like to stress the importance of ratification by the remaining
nuclear-weapon states, namely the United States and China,'' she said. The
Japanese envoy also said she has urged the remaining countries that have yet to
ratify it to do so ''as soon as possible.''
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, who was also in attendance, described the
pact as one that would ''outlaw all nuclear tests and move us towards the
larger goals of ridding the world of nuclear weapons and preventing their
proliferation.''
In her prepared remarks she explained that her country had submitted a draft
resolution on nuclear disarmament annually, urging countries to ratify the
CTBT.
The treaty is one of the nuclear disarmament measures enshrined in the
decision, ''Principles and Objectives for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and
Disarmament,'' which was adopted by consensus in 1995.
She also called on countries to observe a moratorium on nuclear testing that
was reaffirmed in the Leaders' Declaration at the Group of Eight summit meeting
in Japan in July.
The G-8 summit was attended by leaders from Japan, Britain, France, Italy,
Canada, Germany, Russia and the United States.
Ban said he rejected the pessimistic view some express about the stalemate on
nonproliferation and disarmament that might preclude the treaty from becoming a
reality.
He also said that ''we cannot wait for the perfect security environment to come
along.''
Meanwhile, a joint ministerial statement on the treaty was issued. It appealed
to all states to ''make maximum efforts towards achieving the early entry into
force of the CTBT.''
The event at U.N. Headquarters was attended by numerous officials and featured
a special presentation by former United States Defense Secretary William Perry
and Academy Award-winning actor and U.N. Messenger of Peace Michael Douglas.
==Kyodo
