From March 3-7 (US time), at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the Third Conference of the Member States of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) took place with the participation of representatives of 94 countries that have signed and ratified the Treaty, observer countries and more than 100 relevant international organizations.
According to a VNA correspondent in New York, UN Deputy Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, said that although the international context has many unfavorable factors such as increasing geopolitical competition, the risk of nuclear weapons use still exists, nuclear-weapon possessing countries have not fully implemented their commitments leading to the erosion of many key legal documents on nuclear disarmament, there are still some remarkable developments such as the international community is increasingly aware of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons; the number of countries signing, ratifying and becoming full members of the Treaty continues to increase along with the participation and support of many international organizations and relevant parties, including scientists, in raising awareness and promoting the implementation of the Treaty.
Deputy Secretary-General Nakamitsu called on member states to focus on discussing solutions, taking advantage of the time from now until the First Review Conference (2026) to determine strategic directions for more effective implementation of the Treaty in the coming time.
Representatives of many countries and international organizations affirmed that the TPNW is a breakthrough achievement and a victory for multilateralism; called for continued promotion of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament; promoted universalization and effective implementation of the Treaty as well as measures to support victims and overcome environmental consequences, and promoted the complementary role of the Treaty with other global frameworks on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Overview of the Conference. (Photo: VNA)
Speaking at the Conference, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, stated that in the complex and unpredictable geopolitical situation, dependence on nuclear deterrence continues to exist, and the international community needs to work together to ensure that nuclear disasters never happen again.
Affirming Vietnam's strong commitment to the goal of completely eliminating nuclear weapons, the Vietnamese Ambassador called on countries to focus on promoting countries' ratification and accession to the Treaty to increase the universality of the document, fully implement nuclear disarmament commitments, attach importance to the role of nuclear-weapon-free zones, continue to strengthen multilateralism in disarmament, emphasizing that nuclear-weapon states have a leading role in implementing verifiable, irreversible and legally binding nuclear disarmament measures.
On this occasion, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang reaffirmed the rights of countries to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with international law.
As a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ) and one of the first 10 countries to ratify the TPNW, Vietnam is committed to cooperating with the international community towards a world without nuclear weapons, for peace, security and sustainable development.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was adopted in July 2017 and entered into force on January 22, 2021. This is the first international treaty to comprehensively prohibit the development, testing, production, manufacture, stockpiling, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons.
Vietnam has participated and actively contributed to the TPNW negotiation process, being one of the first countries to sign (September 22, 2017) and the 10th country to ratify the TPNW (May 17, 2018).
The early signing and ratification of the Treaty clearly demonstrates Vietnam's consistent policy for peace and support for nuclear disarmament worldwide./.
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