U.N. Disarmament Chief Urges World Not to Use Nuclear Weapons

New York, June 7 (Jiji Press)--Izumi Nakamitsu, U.N. undersecretary-general and high representative for disarmament affairs, on Tuesday urged the world not to use nuclear weapons at all cost. Delivering a speech at a seminar hosted by Jiji Press in New York, Nakamitsu noted that the world was struck with the realization that the threat of nuclear weapons is real through Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The possibility of an unforeseen event to occur is now at the highest level only previously seen at the height of the Cold War, she added. Nakamitsu stressed that the invasion was the most unacceptable form of nuclear deterrence, in that Russia invaded the neighbor while using its nuclear capabilities to thwart any interference by other countries. Noting that more and more countries are deciding to boost military spending following Russia's military aggression, Nakamitsu said that she cannot deny that such moves will hinder progress made by the world toward nuclear abolition. The world must remind itself once again of a common understanding that nuclear weapons can ruin humanity, she said. The first meeting of parties to the U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will be held in Vienna from June 21. In August, a review conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or NPT, is set to be held at the U.N. headquarters in New York. Nakamitsu said that it will be important for participants at both meetings to send out a message that it is unacceptable to use nuclear weapons. She pointed to the need for participants at the Vienna meeting to announce that the treaty complements the NPT, which has gained support from the nuclear powers. In the previous NPT review conference, held in 2015, those in attendance were unable to adopt a final statement. For this year's meeting, Nakamitsu said that she expects tough discussions will be held over the AUKUS security pact among the United States, Britain and Australia, as well as on other topics such as the situations in Ukraine, North Korea and Iran. She added that August will be a challenging month. END