Kazakhstan provided new impetus for comprehensive nuclear negotiations - Douglas Roche
ASTANA. KAZINFORM Today, Astana is going to host the International Conference "Building a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World". Douglas Roche, ex-Ambassador of Canada for Disarmament, Honorary Chairman of the Middle Powers Initiative Forum kindly agreed to share his expectations from the conference and his view on the nuclear disarmament issues.
On August 29, Kazakhstan and the world are set to mark the 25th anniversary of the closing of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and celebrate the International Day against Nuclear Tests. What in your view is the significance of this date for the international community?
It is a reminder to humanity of the immense harm done to those in test areas. The testing of nuclear weapons opened up the nuclear arms race, which has brought us to this moment when all the nuclear powers are modernizing their nuclear weapons. We must use this moment to inform people how dangerous the present situation is.
PNND is a co-organiser of the international conference “Building a Nuclear Weapon Free World” which is going to take place in Astana. As a co-founder of PNND, what do you expect from this event?
PNND is an outstanding organization, which is rallying parliamentarians around the world to raise their voices and their votes against the continuation of the nuclear weapons threat to the world. By joining PNND with Kazakhstan in this event, a powerful message can be sent out to the whole world that we must demand that our leaders develop policies of common security. In such policies, nuclear weapons have no place.
As you know, in December 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration for Achieving a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World that was put forward by Kazakhstan. The UN Open-ended Working Group on Nuclear Disarmament is currently preparing for the upcoming UN General Assembly session. What measures should be taken within multilateral negotiations to achieve a nuclear-weapons-free world?
The action by Kazakhstan has given leadership to the world and provided new impetus for comprehensive nuclear negotiations to be held. The report of the Open-Ended Working Group calls for negotiations on a ban treaty to commence in 2017. This is a new opportunity for like-minded countries to work together to develop a legal path to the elimination of nuclear weapons. The nuclear powers may continue to resist the humanitarian movement to eliminate nuclear weapons, but they cannot stop it. With the political will of nations, parliamentarians and an informed civil society, we can look to a new milestone to be reached in the long struggle for a nuclear weapons-free world.
Thank you for the conversation.