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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Mayors for Peace call for negotiation aimed at concluding treaty banning nuclear weapons

The 6th World Conference of Mayors for Peace, held in Hiroshima City to mark the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing from August 4-6, adopted the Hiroshima Appeal calling for negotiations aimed at concluding a treaty banning nuclear weapons to be started without delay.

About 240 mayors and assembly members from 92 cities and three organizations of 29 countries participated in the conference.

The appeal calls for nuclear weapons countries to immediately deactivate their nuclear weapons deployed; for leaders of nuclear weapons countries to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and to redirect funds freed from cuts in military expenditure to resolve the problems concerning peace, hunger, and the environment.

In the discussion, a participant pointed out that the head of the Japanese government should have attended the meeting. There was an opinion that the Mayors for Peace propose that the Japan Confederation of A and H Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The 7th general meeting is scheduled for 2009. -- Akahata, August 5&7, 2005