March 19, 2024 (EIRNS)—UN Secretary General António Guterres, in an address to the UN Security Council’s open debate on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation yesterday, called for nuclear disarmament as the only path for avoiding a nuclear war. “Today, we meet at a time when geopolitical tensions and mistrust have escalated the risk of nuclear warfare to its highest point in decades. The Doomsday Clock is ticking loudly enough for all to hear. From academics and civil society groups, calling for an end to the nuclear madness. To Pope Francis, who calls the possession of nuclear arms ‘immoral.’...
“To Hollywood, where ‘Oppenheimer’ brought the harsh reality of nuclear doomsday to vivid life for millions around the world.
“Humanity cannot survive a sequel to ‘Oppenheimer.’ Voice after voice, alarm after alarm, survivor after survivor, are calling the world back from the brink.
“And what is the response? States possessing nuclear weapons are absent from the table of dialogue. Investments in the tools of war are outstripping investments in the tools of peace. Arms budgets are growing, while diplomacy and development budgets are shrinking….
“An accidental launch is one mistake, one miscalculation, one rash act away. And ultimately, all of humanity will pay the price. A nuclear war must never be waged—because a nuclear war can never be won.
“There is one path—and one path only—that will vanquish this senseless and suicidal shadow, once and for all. We need disarmament now. In fact, eliminating nuclear weapons is the first action called for under the proposed New Agenda for Peace—our effort to strengthen the tools of prevention and disarmament. We need nuclear-weapon States to lead the way across six areas.”
Guterres listed the six areas: “Nuclear weapon States must re-engage in working together to develop transparency and confidence-building measures to prevent any use of a nuclear weapon.”;
