(Washington) The United States on Sunday denounced the “cynical obstruction” of Russia that “alone” prevented the adoption of a joint declaration at the United Nations on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Posted yesterday at 12:18 PM.
“After weeks of intense and fruitful negotiations, Russia unilaterally decided to block consensus on the final document” at the end of the four-week United Nations review conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, said US State Department spokesman Vidant Patel.
He said in a press release that this was with the sole aim of “preventing language elements that are only aware of the radiological hazards at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant,” which is occupied by the Russian military in Ukraine.
Russian forces occupied the Zaporizhia Power Plant, the largest in Europe, in early March, shortly after the start of the invasion on February 24, located near the front line in the south.
Kyiv and Moscow accuse each other of carrying out bombing operations near the complex, thus endangering the plant.
The operator of Ukrainian nuclear power plants, Energoatom, warned on Saturday that it is now working with the risks of radioactive leakage and fire.
The 191 signatories of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, promote complete disarmament and promote cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, have met at the United Nations Headquarters in New York since 1Verse August.
But Russia blocked the adoption of a joint declaration on Friday, denouncing “some shameful political paragraphs” in its draft final text.
“Despite the cynical Russian obstruction, the fact that all other parties supported the final document demonstrates the treaty’s essential role in nonproliferation,” the US official quoted above, however, welcomed.
But Austria, a neutral and non-nuclear country, on Saturday denounced the position of Russia and other great powers.
“Contrary to the disarmament obligations of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the five nuclear-armed states – the United States, France, China, the United Kingdom and Russia – are increasing or improving their arsenals,” the Austrian government wrote in a press release. Denouncing their lack of a “concrete will to implement previously unfulfilled contractual obligations”.
