UN Treaty Member States Condemn Nuclear Threats, Agree Action Plan For Ending Nuclear Weapons

In response to Russia's nuclear threats and the increasing dangers of nuclear war, states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons condemned unequivocally "any and all nuclear threats, whether they be explicit or implicit and irrespective of the circumstances".

ICAN Executive Director Beatrice Fihn welcomed the outcome of the meeting and the many concrete actions agreed. "This is the strongest condemnation of nuclear threats by a multilateral UN conference, and shows an unprecedented commitment by a global alliance of states, survivors of nuclear detonations, international organisations and civil society to prevent nuclear war and eliminate nuclear weapons".

Nagasaki survivor Masao Tomonaga said "This political declaration is a very strong document, despite many difficulties we face. With this powerful document we can go forward, and all Hibakusha support this,it is a great document to make my city, Nagasaki, the last city ever to suffer from an atomic bombing".

The Declaration issued by the first Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which concluded today in Vienna, affirmed that the treaty is needed more than ever in light of recent events, and resolved to "move forward with its implementation, with the aim of further stigmatizing and delegitimizing nuclear weapons and steadily building a robust global peremptory norm against them."

The Declaration creates a new global alliance using the TPNW to push back against unacceptable and illegal nuclear threats and risks of nuclear war. The accompanying Vienna Action Plan outlines concrete steps this alliance will take to stop nuclear armed states from using nuclear weapons and to move forward with eliminating them.

This new global alliance includes survivors, states, scientists, parliamentarians, financial institutions and youth. There are 65 states parties and 86 signatories to the treaty, other supportive states, survivors of nuclear detonations, international organisations, parliamentarians, financial institutions, youth and civil society are also part of this new alliance.

States parties also took key decisions on condemning the recent nuclear threats, starting work on a trust fund to support people harmed by the impact of nuclear explosions, establishing a scientific advisory board, setting a 10 year deadline for destruction of nuclear weapons, and getting more countries to join the TPNW to stop nuclear threats, stop nuclear arms races, and stop nuclear war.

Beatrice Fihn of ICAN said "This meeting has really been a reflection of the ideals of the TPNW itself: decisive action to eliminate nuclear weapons based on their catastrophic humanitarian consequences and the unacceptable risks of their use. The states parties, in partnership with survivors, impacted communities and civil society, have worked extremely hard over the past three days to agree on a wide range of specific, practical actions to take forward every aspect of the implementation of this crucial treaty. This is how we are building a powerful norm against nuclear weapons: not through lofty statements or empty promises, but through hands-on, focused action involving a truly global community of governments and civil society".