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2007 July 25 - 31 TOP3 [ANTI-N-ARMS]

2007 World Conference against A & H Bombs receives messages from governments

The Organizing Committee of the 2007 World Conference against A & H Bombs received messages from governments of New Zealand, Mexico, Laos, and Lithuania as of July 31.


The following is the message from Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark:

I am pleased and honoured to express once again the New Zealand Government’s support for the World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs.

This annual conference, held in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki serves as an important reminder of the need for concerted efforts to achieve progress toward a nuclear weapon free world. Never again should humanity bear witness to the horrendous suffering caused by such weapons.

New Zealand has a long history of advocating for a world free of nuclear weapons. 2007 marks the 20th anniversary of New Zealand’s nuclear free legislation. New Zealand remains committed to nuclear disarmament and will be working hard to achieve progress toward the total abolition of nuclear weapons in the lead up to the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

I wish you well for a successful conference and commend all of the participants for your tireless efforts towards a more peaceful world.

Yours sincerely

Helen Clark
Prime Minister
New Zealand


The following is the message from Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico Patrica Espinosa Cantellano:

I refer your kind communication of last April 18th, in which you extend an invitation to the Government of Mexico to participate in the 2007 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, to be held from August 3rd to 9th on the occasion of the commemoration of the atomic attacks to the Cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Mexico is firmly committed to the cause of nuclear disarmament, convinced that only the total and definitive elimination of these weapons constitutes the unique guarantee that they will not be used. My country considers that it is necessary to alert to the international community on the devastating effects that could have a nuclear war and of the inadmissibility to preserve these weapons as an option in the policies and doctrines of national security.

With this purpose, during the works of the First Preparatory Committee of the Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) what will initiate next April 30th, in Vienna, Austria, the Mexican Government will insist on the urgency to give total compliance ot the legal obligation of nuclear disarmament established in the article VI of the NPT and to the unequivocal undertaking assumed by the Nuclear Weapons States to eliminate their nuclear arsenals, in the 2000 Review Conference of the NPT.

Also, Mexico will promote initiatives to progress in the application of measures of action adopted also in 2000, and it will continue encouraging the abolition of the nuclear weapons during the 62nd session of the General Assembly of the Untied Nations and in other international fora of disarmament.

In this spirit, I want to send a message of solidarity from my country to the 2007 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, encouraging its works an recognizing its valuable mission warning the world about the lethality of these weapons and the serious threat that their existence represents.

I avail myself of this opportunity to reiterate to you the assurances of my highest consideration.

Sincerely,

Patrica Espinosa C.
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mexico



The following is the message from President of Laos Choummaly Sayasone:

On the occasion of the World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs which will be hold from 3-9 August 2007, on behalf of the government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Lao people, I would like to express my sincere congratulations to the conference’s organizing committee and all the delegations. I am confident that this year’s conference will intensify the solidarity among peace-loving people in the world in exercising pressure on the countries producing and possessing nuclear weapon to abandon their thoughts of competing the production and stockpiling of this dangerous weapon, and moving toward the eventual elimination of production and possession of weapons of mass destruction.

Today, the international community is facing high risk posed by the Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs. To assure peaceful living of humankind without the threats of Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, the Lao Government and people do hope that all participating delegations would devote their wisdoms and utilize this forum to seek ways for brining concrete benefits to all the peace-loving people in the world.

Once again, the LAO PDR reaffirms that we will firmly stand side by side with the Japanese people and international community to continuously resist the production of the Atomic and Hydrogen bombs in order to enable the international community to live in a world of peace, friendship and cooperation for development.

May I finally wish the World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs 2007 great success, and wish all delegations of this conference happiness.

Choummaly Sayasone
President
Lao People’s Democratic Republic


The following is the message from Minister of Health of Lithuania Rimvydas Turcinslas:

Today’s world is more then 60 years apart from that fatal day when consolidated by pain we promised each other not to repeat the tragedy once again. In human minds Hiroshima and Nagasaki became symbols warning about the threat of the nuclear genocide.

The time period starting with the day when the atomic bomb was used for the first time signifies a key phase in history. Due to the victims of the honourable Japanese nation, to the wisdom in the world, to the humane fear of extermination nuclear weapons were not targeted against humanity anymore. This year, commemorating the 21st anniversary of the Chernobyl reactor accident, once again we had an opportunity to responsibly assess the actual impact of nuclear explosions to the health and welfare of the people. The tragedies of Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Chernobyl are the most painful lessons to the humanity of the 20th century.

This year marks 15 years of a close collaboration between the Chernobyl Medical Centre of the Sapiega hospital in Lithuania with the colleagues in Japan who by joint efforts are strengthening the principles of peaceful coexistence among the nations and the states.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the organisers of this important event, to the participants of antinuclear movements in Japan and other states, to all people of goodwill for taking care of the world’s future, for striving to lead a friendly life in the planet free from nuclear death. Wishing success in our joint work while implementing the ideas of great humanism, I remain.

Truly Yours,

Rimvydas Turcinskas
Minister of Health
Republic of Lithuania


- Akahata, July 26 & August 1, 2007