Several nuclear-weapon states vowed not to support or sign a new nuclear weapon ban treaty after it was adopted by a United Nations conference last week.
The U.N. conference on July 7 adopted its final text of the legally binding global prohibition on nuclear weapons following months of negotiations, with 122 nations voting in favor, the Netherlands voting against, and Singapore abstaining.
Under the final text, parties would agree never to develop, produce, possess, or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; transfer, receive, or use those weapons; and conduct nuclear test explosions, among other related activities.
Nuclear-weapon states have boycotted the talks since they began in March; these include Russia, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom. None of the countries possessing nuclear weapons, in fact, participated in the negotiations or voted.
The permanent representatives to the U.N. of the United States, United Kingdom, and France released a joint press statement shortly after the vote saying their governments would not sign or ratify the treaty: “Therefore, there will be no change in the legal obligations on our countries with respect to nuclear weapons.”
Such a treaty, the three nations said, would be divisive “at a time when the world needs to remain united in the face of growing threats, including those from [North Korea’s] ongoing proliferation efforts.”
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert also said the United States would not support the treaty because it “ignores the current security challenges that make nuclear deterrence necessary.”
The accord, Nauert said, “will not result in the elimination of a single nuclear weapon, nor will it enhance the security of any state. No state that possesses nuclear weapons participated in these negotiations, and no U.S. ally that relies on extended nuclear deterrence supported the final text.”
Meanwhile, the Netherlands’ representative to United Nations said in a statement the nation could not sign “any instrument that is incompatible with our NATO obligations.” The country hosts U.S. nuclear weapons as part of NATO’s defense arrangement.
The Netherlands also said the treaty would not be reliably verifiable, as its safeguards standards fall short of those required to draw conclusions about undeclared nuclear activities.
All of these countries’ reactions included reaffirmation of their commitment to a step-by-step, eventual nuclear disarmament approach.
The treaty will be open for signature on Sept. 20 in New York during the U.N. General Assembly’s 72nd session.
