UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday welcomed the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and praised countries that ratified the deal
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd January, 2021) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday welcomed the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and praised countries that ratified the deal.
The TPNW, signed by 86 countries after being adopted in 2017 and ratified by 51 nations, enters into force on Friday. The TPNW bans signatories from the development, production, testing, acquisition or transfer of nuclear weapons. All five permanent members of the UN Security Council oppose the pact, expressing fear it will undermine the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
"The Secretary-General commends the States that have ratified the Treaty and welcomes the instrumental role of civil society in advancing the TPNW's negotiation and entry into force. The survivors of nuclear explosions and nuclear tests offered tragic testimonies and were a moral force behind the Treaty. Entry into force is a tribute to their enduring advocacy," Stephane Dujarric, a spokesperson of the UN secretary-general, said in a statement.
According to the statement, Guterres looks forward to carrying out functions assigned by the treaty including preparation for the first meeting of signatory states.
Under the NPT, which entered into force in 1970 and includes 190 states, the nuclear powers are supposed to pursue general and complete disarmament. The NPT also requires non-nuclear-weapon states to forego developing or acquiring nuclear weapons.
