Photo/Illutration Diplomats attend the first meeting of parties to the U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on June 23 in Vienna. (Tabito Fukutomi)

VIENNA--Delegates at the first U.N. nuclear ban treaty meeting adopted a declaration criticizing not only nuclear powers but also countries under the nuclear umbrella for failing to take “serious steps” toward nuclear disarmament.

The three-day meeting of parties to the U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) ended on June 23 with the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Action Plan.

In the declaration, the signatories also expressed their intention to seek dialogue with nuclear powers.

The meeting was held under the cloud of Russia’s threat to use nuclear weapons following its invasion of Ukraine. The threat has reignited a heated debate on nuclear deterrence and further divided countries promoting nuclear disarmament and those reluctant to do so.

In the declaration, the TPNW signatories reaffirmed “our determination to realize the complete elimination of nuclear weapons,” calling the treaty “a fundamental step” toward achieving that goal.

The statement also described the humanitarian consequences of using nuclear arms as “catastrophic” ones that “cannot be adequately addressed.” It added that those weapons are “incompatible with respect for the right to life.”

The declaration went on to denounce nuclear deterrence doctrines as “fallacy” since they are based on the risks of “inflicting global catastrophic consequences.”

The statement also condemned nuclear powers and their allies under the nuclear umbrella for “placing a greater emphasis” on nuclear arms in their security policies instead of taking “serious steps to reduce their reliance on nuclear weapons.”

But the declaration did not mention Russia by name when referring to threats to use nuclear arms.

The action plan comprises 50 actions the TPNW signatories intend to take to fulfill their commitment outlined in the declaration.

Among the five pillars in the action plan is expanding the number of nations ratifying the treaty; measures toward the elimination of nuclear weapons; assistance to victims exposed to radiation from nuclear weapons and testing; institutionalizing scientific and technical advice for the effective implementation of the TPNW; and the relationship of the treaty with the nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation regime.

Before adopting the action plan, participants at the June 23 meeting decided to establish the Scientific Advisory Group, which will include up to 15 nuclear experts, and appoint an “informal facilitator” to seek areas where they can cooperate with nuclear powers and other signatories to the older Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT).

The move is aimed at complementing the role of the NPT, which serves as a foundation for the nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation regime, by incorporating expert views and knowledge.

The TPNW signatories also unanimously agreed on June 22 to require nuclear powers to dispose of their nuclear arsenals within 10 years after ratifying the TPNW.

The decision was made to prepare for a possible scenario of nuclear powers joining the treaty, which is extremely unlikely at this point. The deadline can be extended for up to five years in the event of unexpected circumstances.

Five NATO members--Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey--host nuclear warheads that belong to the United States. The TPNW signatories also decided to require these countries to remove those warheads from their territories within 90 days should they ratify the treaty.

(This article was written by Mami Okada, Tabito Fukutomi and Gakushi Fujiwara.)

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