Premium
The international Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will not work because it has no verification mechanism, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday, adding that this type of weapon is a "deterrent" for allied countries.
He spoke at the opening of the 16th Annual NATO Conference on Weapons of Mass Destruction, Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, held in Bucharest in video-conferencing system.
"This conference is a major opportunity for the international community to strengthen the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). We must also cease this opportunity to not undermine the NPT or challenge its vital role. I know that there are those that look at the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons or the Ban Treaty as an alternative solution to eliminate all nuclear weapons. At first glance it seems attractive, but the reality is that it will not work. The Ban Treaty has no mechanism to ensure the balanced reduction weapons and no verification mechanism. Moreover, it was not been signed by any state that possesses nuclear weapons," he said.
In this regard, he spoke of the need for guarantees in this disarmament process.
"Simply giving up our deterrent without any guarantees that others will do the same is a dangerous option, because a world where Russia, China, North Korea and others have nuclear weapons, but NATO does not is not a safer world. On the contrary, it will leave us vulnerable to pressure and attack and it will undermine the security of our alliance," he said.
At the same time, the NATO Secretary General said that "only three allied countries have nuclear weapons, but all NATO allies benefit from the security guarantees they provide".
"Our nuclear deterrent is our strongest deterrent. At the same time, there are legitimate concerns about nuclear weapons and their proliferation. Russia and China are investing heavily in sophisticated and diverse nuclear arsenals. North Korea continues its nuclear expansion and in Iran the centrifuges are spinning again. With this, the prospect for complete nuclear disarmament seems remote, but it's not less relevant," he said.
In this context, Stoltenberg welcomed the dialogue between the United States and Russia, the two major nuclear powers, to find a way forward and continue to lead the way in arms control, adding that China should also play its part in the negotiations.
"Regrettably, Beijing has so far refused to join any talks and the lack of transparency on nuclear capabilities and intentions is of concern. But ultimately, I am convinced that China, like the rest of the world, will benefit from an arms control regime that limits the number of nuclear weapons, increases transparent and enhances predictability," he said.
The NATO Secretary General stressed that the number of nuclear weapons has been reduced by 90% in the last 30 years. "But in an uncertain world, these weapons continue to play a vital role in preserving peace," he said.
