UN launches negotiations to ban nuclear weapons

A UN General Assembly committee decided yesterday to organise negotiations on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons starting next year.

The resolution is non-binding and the first of its kind. It was adopted by a vote in which 123 of 193 member nations were in favour of the resolution, which prompted applause in the hall, according to Anadolu Agency.

According to the resolution’s text, the General Assembly decided to hold a UN conference in 2017 “in order to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”.

The two negotiations sessions were scheduled on 27-31 March and from 15 June to 7 July in New York.

The resolution was presented by a group of six countries, Austria, Mexico, Brazil, Ireland, Nigeria and South Africa, with the support of 34 member states.

The US, France, Britain and Israel were amongst those who voted on the resolution.