VN advocates non-proliferation of nuclear weapons

VGP – Nuclear disarmament and prevention of nuclear wars toward a nuclear-weapons-free world are legitimate aspirations of the humankind. Nuclear weapons holding states, nuclear powers and military allies should bear the biggest responsibility in the process, said Vietnamese State President Nguyễn Minh Triết on Thursday in New York when attending the UN Security Council’s Summit.

September 25, 2009 10:34 AM GMT+7

State President Nguyễn Minh Triết attends the UN Security Council’s Summit, New York, September 24, 2009 - Photo: VOV

Addressing the Summit, State President Nguyễn Minh Triết underlined that military expenditures increased by 45% over the last decade. Especially, the amount of expenses on nuclear weapons are much bigger than those spent to realize the Millennium Development Goals, so as to lift billions of people out of poverty, help the international community prevent the environment degradation, mitigate climate change impacts and cope with diseases.

Việt Nam backs plans, initiatives and suggestions raised by the international community, especially member states of the Non-Aligned Movement and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said the Vietnamese Head of State.
Việt Nam shares the same opinion with the international community that multilateral and bilateral negotiations and unilateral plans have to target smaller nuclear arsenals in nuclear weapons holding states and safety in non-nuclear weapon ones in order to prevent nuclear deterrence.

The Vietnamese Head of State took this occasion to suggest the resumption of international negotiations on nuclear disarmament and call on nuclear powers to take the lead for the sake of a peaceful world.

According to the State President, the international community should bring the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) into full play while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should play a bigger role.

Agreements on nuclear-free zones manifest the strong desires and legitimate rights of all countries in order to reduce the risk of a nuclear war and prevent nuclear proliferation.

State President Triết recommended the UN’s member states support the enclosed Protocol of the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone which came into force in 1997 and beef up application of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

The international community has long hailed Việt Nam for its efforts to join and fulfill commitments under major multinational treaties on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction./.