Nuclear weapons ban treaty adopted
122 countries vote in favour of a treaty to ban nuclear weapons
Quaker observers hailed the adoption last week of a United Nations treaty aimed at ridding the world of nuclear weapons as a huge step.
Tim Wallis, peace and disarmament programme manager for Quaker Peace & Social Witness and among the observers at the United Nations in New York, said: ‘This is an imperfect treaty, but it is hugely significant as a step towards stigmatising and delegitimising these weapons. And it will certainly go down in history as one of the most important nuclear disarmament treaties of all time.’
Negotiators representing more than 140 countries of the 192-member United Nations took part in discussions.
On 7 July 122 countries voted for the treaty, with one against and one abstention. Nine countries that currently have nuclear weapons, including the UK, stayed away from the talks.
Tim Wallis said: ‘The Ban Treaty is a sign to future generations that there is a realisable vision of security for all which transcends the madness of the nuclear paradigm.’
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