U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry calls for reduction of nuclear threat but cautions against new framework
Apr. 12, 2016
by Yumi Kanazaki, Staff Writer
On April 11, after the close of the two-day meeting of the G7 foreign ministers, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke to reporters at the International Conference Center Hiroshima in Naka Ward and stressed the importance of their visit to Hiroshima to advance efforts to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons. At the same time, he cautioned against the movement of non-nuclear nations in seeking a new legal framework to outlaw nuclear arms.
Mr. Kerry acknowledged that one discussion at the foreign ministers’ meeting became difficult, an admission that echoes the clash last spring between the nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear nations at the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which ended in failure. He stated that reducing nuclear weapons must be done in a way that makes the world safer. Ensuring both security and nuclear reduction, he said, involves banning nuclear tests, which President Obama wants to do, and that the U.S. Congress must act to ratify the Nuclear Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Mr. Kerry toured the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and took in the current state of the A-bombed city. He praised Japan’s efforts to rebuild after the war by saying that Japan has risen from the destruction of that time and transformed itself into a prosperous nation. He added that while the events of August 6, 1945 must not be forgotten, it is vital that we all apply the lessons of the past to the future, rather than becoming mired in the past.
Mr. Kerry also stressed the achievements of the four Nuclear Security Summit meetings that have been led by President Obama. With respect to North Korea, which continues to pursue its nuclear ambitions and has ratcheted up its provocative behavior, he expressed serious concern and called on North Korea to refrain from raising tensions in the region any further and fulfill its international commitments and obligations.
(Originally published on April 12, 2016)
On April 11, after the close of the two-day meeting of the G7 foreign ministers, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke to reporters at the International Conference Center Hiroshima in Naka Ward and stressed the importance of their visit to Hiroshima to advance efforts to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons. At the same time, he cautioned against the movement of non-nuclear nations in seeking a new legal framework to outlaw nuclear arms.
Mr. Kerry acknowledged that one discussion at the foreign ministers’ meeting became difficult, an admission that echoes the clash last spring between the nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear nations at the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which ended in failure. He stated that reducing nuclear weapons must be done in a way that makes the world safer. Ensuring both security and nuclear reduction, he said, involves banning nuclear tests, which President Obama wants to do, and that the U.S. Congress must act to ratify the Nuclear Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Mr. Kerry toured the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and took in the current state of the A-bombed city. He praised Japan’s efforts to rebuild after the war by saying that Japan has risen from the destruction of that time and transformed itself into a prosperous nation. He added that while the events of August 6, 1945 must not be forgotten, it is vital that we all apply the lessons of the past to the future, rather than becoming mired in the past.
Mr. Kerry also stressed the achievements of the four Nuclear Security Summit meetings that have been led by President Obama. With respect to North Korea, which continues to pursue its nuclear ambitions and has ratcheted up its provocative behavior, he expressed serious concern and called on North Korea to refrain from raising tensions in the region any further and fulfill its international commitments and obligations.
(Originally published on April 12, 2016)
