Japan Press Weekly

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2017 March 29 - April 4 [PEACE]

UN conference advances toward conclusion of treaty banning nuclear weapons

The UN conference held at the UN Headquarters in NYC to negotiate a nuclear weapons ban treaty on March 31 went into recess in order for the chair to draw up a draft treaty by June.

The next session of the conference is scheduled to begin on June 15 and will last for one month till July 7.

Looking back with satisfaction on the five days of discussions, the conference chair, Costa Rica Ambassador Elayne Whyte, stressed that discussions on a legally-binding instrument prohibiting nuclear weapons took place in a productive, constructive, and effective manner.

The chair said that all of the participants showed their firm resolves to conclude a Nuclear Weapons Convention, which has greatly encouraged the conference to fulfill its task of establishing such a treaty. Whyte expressed her determination to have the draft treaty adopted at the end of the next session.

In the latest five-day session, A-bomb survivors (Hibakusha), nuclear test victims, and other civil society representatives delivered speeches. The chair said that speeches by Hibakusha and nuclear test victims reminded everyone in the assembly hall about the inhumane impact of nuclear weapons with their first-hand accounts.

This conference was convened based on a resolution adopted in December 2016 by the UN General Assembly. In addition to government delegates from more than 115 countries, NGOs, researchers, and parliamentarians from throughout the world also participated and exchanged views on ironing out the provisions for the NWC.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo spoke at the meeting as a member of the international NGO, the Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament. During his visit to New York City, he met with envoys from various nations, including the Holy See, and NGO activists.

Past related articles:
> Shii holds talks with chair of antinuke UN conference [March 28, 2017]
> Shii meets with UN ambassadors in NYC [March 28, 2017]
> Shii petitions UN to conclude NWC as early as possible [March 26, 2017]