Danger of nuclear weapons: President Cassis calls for concrete measures in New York
President Cassis attended the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York on August 2, 2022. In his speech, Cassis underlined that Russia's threats with nuclear weapons had highlighted the need for a package of measures to contain nuclear risks.
Recent developments in Ukraine have also demonstrated the need to protect civilian nuclear facilities in armed conflicts. Switzerland therefore wants to ensure nuclear safety and give new impetus to nuclear disarmament. The conference will continue until August 26. "Switzerland wants to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons," said President Ignazio Cassis on August 2, 2022, at the Review Conference of the 191 States Parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in New York.
"The consequences of using nuclear weapons would be catastrophic." The Swiss president recalled that any use of nuclear weapons could break the 75-year-old nuclear taboo since the drops on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and lead to further nuclear escalation. That is why Switzerland wants to bring movement into stalled nuclear disarmament processes. Ignazio Cassis called for the conference to send a signal that nuclear weapons should never be used again: "We need to reduce the role of nuclear weapons and reduce the likelihood of a nuclear accident or use as a result of a misunderstanding. Words must be followed by concrete actions to avert humanitarian and environmental disasters."
Safety of nuclear facilities in conflict regions
In the run-up to the conference, Switzerland was the driving force behind a package of measures supported by around 30 countries to reduce nuclear risks and make the world more resilient in times of crisis. These include crisis communication channels such as "hotlines" to prevent unwanted escalations.
Switzerland attaches a central role to nuclear disarmament and the prevention of nuclear proliferation, because peace and security are priorities of its foreign policy. It wants to play the role of a bridge builder, striving for viable solutions and constructive dialogue. In this way, it contributes to greater security worldwide. It is committed to ensuring that compliance with international humanitarian law takes precedence over political or military power.
Political will to comply with the nonproliferation norm.
A central concern of the Federal President, he said, was the safety of nuclear facilities for civilian use. The Russian aggression against Ukraine has brought the dangers home. Together with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and with other states, Switzerland is working for the recognition of basic safety standards. These standards must be respected in any situation - including violent conflicts - to prevent catastrophic consequences of nuclear incidents. This was reiterated by President Ignazio Cassis and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi at a joint event on the sidelines of the conference.
The aim is to ensure that the NPT is effective and can achieve its goals. "We need to address regional challenges, such as condemning the advancement of North Korea's nuclear program, which violates UN Security Council resolutions. We also need an immediate return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action by all its parties. And we must support the IAEA safeguards system, which is the backbone of the nuclear nonproliferation regime," the President said in New York.
Source: DFA
