[The Article 4.2, of the finally adopted version (available at < http://www.undocs.org/en/a/conf.229/2017/L.3/Rev.1>) provides: "***(E)ach State Party that owns, possesses or controls nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices shall immediately remove them from operational status, and destroy them as soon as possible but not later than a deadline to be determined by the first meeting of States Parties*** [emphasis added], in accordance with a legally binding, time-bound plan for the verified and irreversible elimination of that State Party’s nuclear-weapon programme, including theelimination or irreversible conversion of all nuclear-weapons-related facilities. The State Party, no later than 60 days after the entry into force of this Treaty for that State Party, shall submit this plan to the States Parties or to a competent international authority designated by the States Parties. The plan shall then be negotiated with the competent international authority, which shall submit it to the subsequent meeting of States Parties or review conference, whichever comes first, for approval in accordance with its rules of procedure."
Though this text itself does not lay down the "deadline", it is definitely a marked, and highly welcome, improvement over the earlier version which had left things quite fuzzy as regards the "nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices (acquired) after 5 December 2001". (Ref. Article 5 of the "first draft" at <http://www.icanw.org/wp- content/uploads/2017/05/DraftTreaty.pdf>.) - Sukla] I/II. For Immediate Release We Just Banned Nuclear Weapons! History was made at the United Nations today when the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted by an overwhelming 122-1 vote by UN Member States determined to provide a legal basis for the elimination of the world’s worst weapons of mass destruction. The ban treaty, negotiated by more than 140 states under the auspices of the UN General Assembly, prohibits development, testing, production, manufacture, acquisition, possession, stockpiling, use, and threat of use of nuclear weapons, and provides flexible pathways for nuclear-armed and nuclear-dependent states to comply with the prohibitions once they decide to join. Conference president Elayne Whyte, in submtting the final text for the vote, said we were here “to give life to a new treaty that…seeks to bring together the world around the dream of each and every person to see a world free of nuclear weapons.” The treaty will open for signature on September 20 at the UN, and will enter into force once 50 states have ratified it. “This is a landmark achievement that establishes the illegality of nuclear weapons once and for all,” said IPPNW Co-President Tilman Ruff. “The Treaty is rooted firmly in the humanitarian principle that the consequences of nuclear weapons use are unacceptable under any circumstances and that any use of nuclear weapons would be contrary to the rules of international humanitarian law.” “The nine nuclear-armed states, which refused to participate in these negotiations, are now faced with a stark choice,” said IPPNW program director John Loretz. “They can comply with the norms that have been clearly and unambiguously established by the Treaty and eliminate their nuclear weapons, as they should have done decades ago, or they will be stigmatized as outlaw states. “The states that base their security on the nuclear weapons possessed by other states can either withdraw from extended nuclear deterrence arrangements and cease all military planning and preparation for the use of nuclear weapons, or face similar global condemnation.” As the founder and lead medical partner in ICAN—the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons—IPPNW was an active civil society participant in the negotiations for the Treaty, working to ensure that the final document would fully reflect the scientific evidence about the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons. “The treaty recognizes the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that concern the security of all humanity, posing grave implications for human survival, the environment, food security, and the health of future generations, said Dr. Ruff. “It also recognizes that these consequences cannot be adequately addressed, and must be prevented.” “We are very pleased that the treaty recognizes the victims of nuclear weapons,” Dr. Ruff noted. The preamble refers explicitly to the Hibakusha—the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—and to indigenous peoples who have suffered from the effects of nuclear testing. It also acknowledges the disproportionate health impacts of nuclear weapons on women and girls. “By establishing a clear and comprehensive set of prohibitions, a number of important positive obligations, including obligations to assist victims and help remediate affected environments, and procedures for elimination that can lead to universal membership over time, the treaty provides a powerful legal, moral, and political tool going forward,” Dr. Ruff stated. “Today, with this historic treaty, the world has changed. The shared interests of humanity underpin this achievement. A nuclear weapons ban can be a game-changer towards fulfilling the urgent global health imperative to eliminate nuclear weapons.” Help us sieze the moment! IPPNW II. http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/un-treaty-ban-nuclear-weapons-1.4192761 122 countries adopt 'historic' UN treaty to ban nuclear weapons None of the 9 countries known or believed to possess nuclear weapons supported the treaty The Associated Press Posted: Jul 07, 2017 12:23 PM ET Last Updated: Jul 07, 2017 12:23 PM ET Delegates give a standing ovation after a vote by the conference to adopt a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons Friday at United Nations headquarters. Delegates give a standing ovation after a vote by the conference to adopt a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons Friday at United Nations headquarters. (Mary Altaffer/Associated Press) Related Stories Canada's absence from UN nuclear weapon ban negotiations unacceptable, says advocate Trump warns North Korea he's weighing a 'severe' response North Korea launches projectile into sea, South Korea's military says With North Korea pushing hard, U.S. faces high stakes, limited options 'Let it be an arms race,' Trump says of nuclear weapons expansion More than 120 countries approved the first-ever treaty to ban nuclear weapons Friday at a UN meeting boycotted by all nuclear-armed nations. To loud applause and cheers, Elayne Whyte Gomez, president of the UN conference that has been negotiating the legally binding treaty, announced the results of the "historic" vote — 122 nations in favour, the Netherlands opposed, and Singapore abstaining. Canada did not take part in negotiations. THE CURRENT | Canada's absence from UN nuclear weapon ban negotiations unacceptable, says advocate 'Let it be an arms race,' Trump says of nuclear weapons expansion "The world has been waiting for this legal norm for 70 years," since the use of the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 at the end of the Second World War, she said. The treaty is "the first multilateral nuclear disarmament treaty to be concluded in more than 20 years," Whyte Gomez said. It will be opened for signatures in September and come into force when 50 countries have ratified it, she said. UN Nuclear Treaty Friday's vote was 122 countries in favour with the Netherlands opposed and Singapore abstaining. Canada did not take part in negotiations. (Mary Altaffer/Associated Press) In December, UN member states overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for negotiations on a treaty that would outlaw nuclear weapons, despite strong opposition from nuclear-armed nations and their allies who refused to participate in the talks. Whyte Gomez said 129 countries signed up to take part in drafting the treaty, which represents two-thirds of the 193 member states. But all nuclear states and NATO members have boycotted the negotiations except for the Netherlands, which has U.S. nuclear weapons on its territory and was urged by its parliament to send a delegation to the negotiations. Aims to prohibit using nukes to threaten The treaty requires of all ratifying countries "never under any circumstances to develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices." It also bans any transfer or use of nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices — and the threat to use such weapons. Japan Nuclear Protest An anti-nuclear protester wears a mask with a slogan 'No nukes' as she participates in a march in Tokyo in December 2013. (Shizuo Kambayashi/Associated Press) Retired British Royal Navy Cmdr. Rob Green, who flew nuclear strike aircraft and is now co-director of the Peace Foundation's Disarmament and Security Centre, said earlier this week that "the heart of this treaty" is the prohibition on threatening to use nuclear weapons. Richard Moyes, managing director of Article 36, a British-based organization that works to prevent harm from nuclear and other weapons, said it isn't plausible to think the world can maintain security based on mutually threatening to incinerate hundreds of thousands of people with nuclear weapons "when we know there have been near-misses, errors of judgment — there's been accidents — and there's a degree of instability in the political leadership in the world." Nuclear powers withhold support None of the nine countries known or believed to possess nuclear weapons — the United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel — is supporting the treaty. The United States and other nuclear powers instead want to strengthen and reaffirm the nearly half-century-old Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, considered the cornerstone of global nonproliferation efforts. North Korea launches projectile into sea, South Korea's military says Trump warns North Korea he's weighing a 'severe' response That pact sought to prevent the spread of atomic arms beyond the five original weapons powers — the U.S., Russia, Britain, France and China. It requires non-nuclear signatory nations to not pursue atomic weapons in exchange for a commitment by the five powers to move toward nuclear disarmament and to guarantee non-nuclear states access to peaceful nuclear technology for producing energy. North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile tests, including its July 3 launch, have become a timely argument for proponents and opponents of the treaty to ban atomic weapons. Play Trump: 'They are behaving in a very, very dangerous manner' JUMP TO BEGINNING OF THE TRACK SKIP BACK 15 SECONDS WATCH SKIP FORWARD 30 SECONDS ADJUST VOLUME 00:00 00:33 SHARE FULLSCREEN Trump: 'They are behaving in a very, very dangerous manner'0:33 Beatrice Fihn, executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, said 15,000 nuclear weapons around the world have not managed to deter Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions and a new approach is needed starting with prohibition as the first step to eliminate nuclear arms. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said March 27 when talks began on the nuclear weapons ban treaty that "there is nothing I want more for my family than a world with no nuclear weapons, but we have to be realistic." She asked if anyone thought North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons, stressing that North Koreans would be "cheering" a nuclear ban treaty — and Americans and others would be at risk. © The Associated Press, 2017 -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
