Top UN officials call for nuclear disarmament

At the first ever high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Nuclear Disarmament here Thursday, top UN officials called on all countries to take renewed steps to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

"Some might complain that nuclear disarmament is little more than a dream. But that ignores the very tangible benefits disarmament would bring for all humankind," Xinhua quoted UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as saying at the meeting held on the margins of the UNGA's annual general debate.

"Its success would strengthen international peace and security. It would free up vast and much-needed resources for social and economic development," Ban said.

He stated that nuclear disarmament would advance the rule of law, spare the environment and help keep nuclear materials from terrorist or extremist groups.

"Some progress has been made... Yet much remains to be done," he said, adding that the transparency of nuclear weapons stocks, delivery systems and fissile material remains weak and uneven.

The UN chief appealed to nuclear weapon states, in particular, to intensify their efforts to cooperate with the international community and move towards disarmament.

He also urged countries that have not yet done so to accede to the UN-backed Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as well as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

In his speech at the high-level meeting, UNGA President John Ashe reminded states of the link between the post-2015 development agenda and nuclear disarmament, emphasising that fewer resources to weapons stockpiles translates into more resources for development.

"As we put time, resources and energy into maintaining and expanding this ever increasing weaponry complex, we divert resources from education, healthcare, poverty reduction, and the overall goal to move towards more sustainable development," Ashe said.

He urged UN member states to renew and strengthen their commitment to put more resources to social and economic development.

"Building on today's meeting and the work many of you are already doing, we can make significant progress - to advancing the agenda before us and to creating a world that honours what we all truly value: security, prosperity and peace and human well-being," he added.