Australia Stands in the Way of Nuclear Weapons Ban
Published 21 August 2016 (11 hours 7 minutes ago)
Australia has remained steadfast in its opposition to an international ban on nuclear weapons at a UN meeting on nuclear disarmament by forcing and unexpected vote on a report seeking to start disarmament negotiations.
The report recommended that negotiations for banning nuclear weapons start in 2017. The report was thought to be passed unanimously at the conference on disarmament on Friday in Geneva. But Australian representatives who demanded a vote which eventually went against their favor; approved by 69 nations, opposed by 22, with 13 abstaining.
The recommendations in the report support “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”. Formal negotiations will take place at an international conference, after the proposal is tabled at the UN General Assembly.
Australian officials told Friday’s conference that it was a blanket ban on nuclear arms would not practically facilitate disarmament efforts. Australia’s attempt to disrupt disarmament efforts was “shameful and outrageous,” Tim Wright from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, was quoted by the Guardian.
“Australia is resisting the tide of history. A majority of nations believe that nuclear weapons are unacceptable and must be prohibited” Wright said.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has previously stated that they oppose nuclear disarmament because of threats from North Korea and Iran, citing their reliance on deterrence from US nuclear arms.
