Hiroshima mayor asks president of Nicaragua to submit Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol to NPT Review Conference
Jan. 27, 2010
by Toshiko Bajo and Uzaemonnaotsuka Tokai, Staff Writers
Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba held a press conference at Hiroshima City Hall on January 26, after returning from a trip to the United States and Nicaragua, where he met the presidents of both nations.
In Nicaragua, Mayor Akiba asked President Daniel Ortega to submit the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol, which provides a road map for the abolition of nuclear weapons by 2020, to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference slated for this May. President Ortega expressed his intention to strive for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
In Nicaragua, 151 of the 153 cities in the country are members of Mayors for Peace, for which Mayor Akiba serves as president. President Ortega met with Mayor Akiba on January 18, and said, "I would like to work with you for the goal of eliminating all nuclear weapons." Though he did not clarify whether Nicaragua will submit the protocol to the NPT Review Conference, he indicated his desire to attend the gathering.
In the United States, Mayor Akiba met with President Barack Obama on January 21 along with members of the United States Conference of Mayors at the White House. Referring to the fact that he learned of President Obama's desire to visit Hiroshima in person, the mayor commented, "I'm happy to be able to confirm that President Obama is actually considering a visit."
As for the decision of the City of Nagasaki to step down from the effort to bring the 2020 Olympics to the A-bombed cities, Mayor Akiba emphasized that the decision was made in order to seek a breakthrough that would still make it possible to host the Games. "I will exert my best effort so that the decision can bring about a positive and constructive result," the mayor said. He indicated that the city of Hiroshima will declare its candidacy on its own, upholding the ideals of peace shared by Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
(Originally published on January 27, 2010)
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Hiroshima mayor says popular will decisive for nuke-free world (Jan. 22, 2010)
Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba held a press conference at Hiroshima City Hall on January 26, after returning from a trip to the United States and Nicaragua, where he met the presidents of both nations.
In Nicaragua, Mayor Akiba asked President Daniel Ortega to submit the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol, which provides a road map for the abolition of nuclear weapons by 2020, to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference slated for this May. President Ortega expressed his intention to strive for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
In Nicaragua, 151 of the 153 cities in the country are members of Mayors for Peace, for which Mayor Akiba serves as president. President Ortega met with Mayor Akiba on January 18, and said, "I would like to work with you for the goal of eliminating all nuclear weapons." Though he did not clarify whether Nicaragua will submit the protocol to the NPT Review Conference, he indicated his desire to attend the gathering.
In the United States, Mayor Akiba met with President Barack Obama on January 21 along with members of the United States Conference of Mayors at the White House. Referring to the fact that he learned of President Obama's desire to visit Hiroshima in person, the mayor commented, "I'm happy to be able to confirm that President Obama is actually considering a visit."
As for the decision of the City of Nagasaki to step down from the effort to bring the 2020 Olympics to the A-bombed cities, Mayor Akiba emphasized that the decision was made in order to seek a breakthrough that would still make it possible to host the Games. "I will exert my best effort so that the decision can bring about a positive and constructive result," the mayor said. He indicated that the city of Hiroshima will declare its candidacy on its own, upholding the ideals of peace shared by Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
(Originally published on January 27, 2010)
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Hiroshima mayor says popular will decisive for nuke-free world (Jan. 22, 2010)
