TPNW meeting closes with adoption of declaration, 50-article action plan to attain world without nuclear weapons and show respect for survivor contributions
Jun. 25, 2022
by Kana Kobayashi, Staff Writer
On June 23, the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which began on June 21 in Vienna, Austria, was concluded following adoption of the Vienna Declaration, which calls for elimination of nuclear weapons and highlights the weapons’ inhumane consequences, as well as the Vienna Action Plan, intended to serve as guidelines for TPNW member nations. During a time when the risk of nuclear weapons use has increased with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the declaration stresses that any use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is a violation of international law. It asserts that achievement of a world without nuclear weapons is the only way to guarantee the weapons are never used again.
Spotlighting the risk posed to humans from nuclear weapons, the declaration demands that all nuclear weapons states never use or threaten to use such weapons under any circumstance, in an emphasis of the importance of the TPNW treaty. With consciousness regarding certain nations such as the United States and Japan, the declaration noted the regret and deep concern that no nuclear weapons states or their allies protected under the nuclear umbrella have adopted serious measures to reduce their reliance on the weapons.
The declaration recognized A-bomb survivors, who have continued highlighting the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons, for their valuable contributions to nuclear disarmament and their continued work in activities aimed at abolition of nuclear weapons. The draft declaration contained language condemning Russia’s threats to use nuclear weapons, although that country’s name was not explicitly indicated in the initial document. That statement, however, was removed from the final declaration document. The meeting’s president, Alexander Kmentt, director of disarmament, arms control and nonproliferation at the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained that the decision was made to delete the statement “to achieve balance among the opinions of the participating nations.”
The action plan consists of 50 articles, which include reaching out to non-states parties through diplomatic or other means with the aim of increasing the number of states parties to the treaty, closely consulting with affected communities at all stages of victim-assistance and environmental-remediation processes, establishing a group of experts that can provide scientific and technical advice, and providing victim assistance in a manner that is age- and gender-sensitive, among other actions.
A second TPNW states parties meeting is scheduled to be held at the United Nations headquarters in New York City during the period November 27–December 1, 2023. Mexico, a country that contributed greatly to the establishment of the TPNW, will serve as chair of the second meeting.
According to the UN, 83 nations attended the First Meeting of the States Parties to the TPNW, including observer countries such as Germany and Norway, which are North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member nations. Hiroshima City Mayor Kazumi Matsui gave an address at the meeting, with young people and non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives also having the opportunity to join. Japan’s national government, which has not ratified the TPNW, chose not to attend the meeting as an observer nation.
(Originally published on June 25, 2022)
On June 23, the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which began on June 21 in Vienna, Austria, was concluded following adoption of the Vienna Declaration, which calls for elimination of nuclear weapons and highlights the weapons’ inhumane consequences, as well as the Vienna Action Plan, intended to serve as guidelines for TPNW member nations. During a time when the risk of nuclear weapons use has increased with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the declaration stresses that any use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is a violation of international law. It asserts that achievement of a world without nuclear weapons is the only way to guarantee the weapons are never used again.
Spotlighting the risk posed to humans from nuclear weapons, the declaration demands that all nuclear weapons states never use or threaten to use such weapons under any circumstance, in an emphasis of the importance of the TPNW treaty. With consciousness regarding certain nations such as the United States and Japan, the declaration noted the regret and deep concern that no nuclear weapons states or their allies protected under the nuclear umbrella have adopted serious measures to reduce their reliance on the weapons.
The declaration recognized A-bomb survivors, who have continued highlighting the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons, for their valuable contributions to nuclear disarmament and their continued work in activities aimed at abolition of nuclear weapons. The draft declaration contained language condemning Russia’s threats to use nuclear weapons, although that country’s name was not explicitly indicated in the initial document. That statement, however, was removed from the final declaration document. The meeting’s president, Alexander Kmentt, director of disarmament, arms control and nonproliferation at the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained that the decision was made to delete the statement “to achieve balance among the opinions of the participating nations.”
The action plan consists of 50 articles, which include reaching out to non-states parties through diplomatic or other means with the aim of increasing the number of states parties to the treaty, closely consulting with affected communities at all stages of victim-assistance and environmental-remediation processes, establishing a group of experts that can provide scientific and technical advice, and providing victim assistance in a manner that is age- and gender-sensitive, among other actions.
A second TPNW states parties meeting is scheduled to be held at the United Nations headquarters in New York City during the period November 27–December 1, 2023. Mexico, a country that contributed greatly to the establishment of the TPNW, will serve as chair of the second meeting.
According to the UN, 83 nations attended the First Meeting of the States Parties to the TPNW, including observer countries such as Germany and Norway, which are North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member nations. Hiroshima City Mayor Kazumi Matsui gave an address at the meeting, with young people and non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives also having the opportunity to join. Japan’s national government, which has not ratified the TPNW, chose not to attend the meeting as an observer nation.
(Originally published on June 25, 2022)
