The U.N. Security Council Summit on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament unanimously approved a resolution on Thursday at the UN Headquarters in New York, calling on nuclear weapons states to scrap their arsenals. Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the summit and outlined China's propositions on the issue. CRI's correspondent Shen Ting filed the report from New York.
Reporter:
It was the fifth time the Security Council has met at the level of heads of state and government and the first time to focus exclusively on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.
Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered a speech after the approval of a resolution that calls for stepped up efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, promote disarmament and "reduce the risk of nuclear terrorism." He said that to realize a safer world for all, we must first and foremost remove the threat of nuclear war.
"First, maintain global strategic balance and stability and vigorously advance nuclear disarmament. All nuclear-weapon states should fulfill in good faith obligations under Article ¢¦ of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and publicly undertake not to seek permanent possession of nuclear weapons. Countries with the largest nuclear arsenals should continue to take the lead in making drastic and substantive reductions in their nuclear weapons."
He has also urged to abandon the nuclear deterrence policy based on first use of nuclear weapons; and to fully respect the right of all countries to peaceful use of nuclear energy and carry out active international cooperation.
President Hu reiterated that China is firmly committed to a nuclear strategy of self-defense, and have adhered to the policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstance.
"China does not participate in any form of nuclear arms race. We will continue to keep our nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required for national security, and make effort to advance the international nuclear disarmament process. China will continue to play a constructive role in upholding the international nuclear non-proliferation regime."
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the Security Council to make the most of this historic meeting on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. He called for new ways to boost the transparency of the weapons programmes of those countries that are recognized as having nuclear weapons, and also urged greater use of the UN's disarmament machinery.
"I hope, for example, that the Conference on Disarmament can advance the program of work it adopted this year, including negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty. For its part, the council could promote universal membership in key treaties, work to improve compliance, and assess the need for new agreement including a nuclear weapon convention."
US President Obama, who presided over the meeting, said the approval of the resolution on the summit reflects the renewed determination of the Security Council.
"The historic resolution we just adopted enshrines our shared commitment to a goal of a world without nuclear weapons. And it brings Security Council agreement on a broad framework for action to reduce nuclear dangers as we work toward that goal."
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev echoed the voice of other leaders, saying that "our main shared goal is to untie the problem knots" among nations seeking nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament.
Shen Ting, CRI News, the UN Headquarters in New York.
