Speech of  Ambassador Thomas Hajnoczi (Retired, Disarmament Diplomat, Austria)  at the Nuclear Catastrophe or Nuclear Abolition (Lets Eliminate nuclear weapons before they eliminate us) Webinar held on 16 July 2022,  Organized by Asia Europe Peoples Forum and GENSUIKYO Japan

Ambassador Thomas Hajnoczi (Retired, Disarmament Diplomat, Austria) explains the outcomes of the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

At the out set I want to congratulate the organizers on the well chosen title of this webinar. Indeed, it is fitting in the current situation of heightened tensions as a result of President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine starting a protracted war that is causing so much human suffering and destruction. Russian leaders even threatened to use nuclear weapons. So the quote of the UN Secretary-General’s message to the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons brings it to the point: If we do not succeed in eliminating nuclear weapons, they will eliminate us.

There is no half way solution. You cannot compromise between maintaining nuclear weapons that put the very survival of mankind into jeopardy and a world without nuclear weapons. Smaller numbers of nuclear warheads are certainly better than higher numbers, but the risk of their detonation by accident, error, unauthorized or intentional will persist.

Whatever path is taken towards nuclear abolition, the prerequisite is the legal norm to prohibit nuclear weapons. We have seen this already regarding biological and chemical weapons. Therefore the Treaty on the  Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (in short TPNW) is of seminal importance. The position of a country on the TPNW is a good indicator whether it only pays lip service to the objective of nuclear disarmament or really wants to achieve it. The opposition of those countries that want to cling to nuclear weapons also in the  future has underlined the relevance and importance of the TPNW.

The TPNW has entered into force in January 2021, but due to the COVID pandemic the First Meeting of States Parties (1MSP) could not be held before 21 to 23 June 2022 in Vienna.

At the start of the Meeting four additional states presented their instruments of ratification, raising the number of States Parties to 65. During the general debate 11 of the present observer states announced that they are working on their ratification. The constant increase in the number of States Parties will continue. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres invited all countries to consider joining the TPNW.

Among the observer states were 4 NATO countries (Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway) and Australia. In this context the absence of Japan was regrettable, not only for the present hibakushas. For the TPNW is the only nuclear disarmament treaty dealing with victim assistance and the only nuclear bombed country is widely expected to show an interest in this issue.

It was informative to listen to positions on nuclear disarmament of so many countries and NGOs at the first big disarmament conference after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But the main objective of the meeting was to take concrete decisions in order to promote the implementation of the TPNW.

They have been prepared in digital consultations over more than one year. This proves again that the TPNW is a 21st century treaty, fit for purpose, as the strong participation of civil society has become its hallmark. Since all states and all people on our planet would be strongly affected by nuclear war,  it is logical to seek the input of NGOs, academia and international organisations.

The 1MSP decided the establishment of a Scientific Advisory Group which is tasked to further enrich the knowledge on the humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons and a shared understanding of the risks of nuclear weapons as well as technical guidance. The expertise of leading independent international scientists from different fields will finally be sought and published also regarding nuclear disarmament.

The 1MSP decided 10 years as the maximum deadline for the destruction of nuclear weapons of nuclear armed states that join the TPNW. The maximum period for the removal of nuclear weapons from the territory of new States Parties was set at 90 days.

On victim assistance and environmental remediation the States Parties will establish national focal points, coordinate and develop mechanisms for assistance, continue work on developing a voluntary reporting format and discuss the establishment of an international trust fund.

Intersessional work until the Second Meeting of States Parties in November 2023 in New York is foreseen also on universalisation, the designation of a competent international authority or authorities to negotiate an elimination plan and verify its implementation when a nuclear armed state joins the TPNW.

Furthermore a coordination committee, a gender focal point and an informal facilitator on tangible cooperation between the TPNW and the NPT were created.

The 1MSP adopted an action plan outlining concrete actions to be taken by States Parties. Some of the above mesures are contained therein, a detailed presentation would go beyond the allocated time span.

The most important outcome of the meeting politically is the Declaration „Our Commitment to  World Free of Nuclear Weapons“. Some of its main points are:

– The unequivocal condemnation of any and all nuclear threats, whether they be explicit or implicit and irrespective of the circumstances. (This wording is clearly stronger than those issued by other multilateral fora before in response to the Russian threats.)

– Nuclear weapons do not preserve peace, but only heighten tensions. This highlights the fallacy of nuclear deterrence theories. They are based on the threat or actual use of nuclear weapons and, hence, the destruction of countless lives and of inflicting global catastrophic consequences.

– Non-nuclear weapons states that advocate nuclear deterrence encourage the ongoing possession of nuclear weapons.

– Growing instability and outright conflict greatly exacerbate the risks that these weapons will be used, whether deliberately or by accident or miscalculation.

– The existence of nuclear weapons diminishes and threatens the common security of all states; indeed, it threatens our very survival.

– Regret that despite the terrible risks, and despite their legal obligations and political commitments to disarm, none of the nuclear armed states and their allies under the nuclear umbrella are taking any serious steps to reduce their reliance on nuclear weapons. Instead, vast sums are spent on maintaining, modernizing, upgrading or expanding nuclear arsenals and increasing their role in security doctrines.This has to end and the resources utilized for sustainable development.

– Recognition of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as the cornerstone of disarmament and non-proliferation regime and reaffirmation of the TPNW’s complementarity with the NPT.

– The focus on the humanitarian consequences and risks should be increased in all disarmament processes and the prevention of these consequences must be at the center of our collective efforts to achieve and maintain a world without nuclear weapons.

– The States Parties will not rest until the last state has joined the treaty, the last warhead has been dismantled and destroyed and nuclear weapons have been totally eliminated from the earth.

As you can see this is a powerful text, not the typical compromise text of a big multilateral conference with many caveats. But states cannot achieve these objectives without active involvement from civil society. It is this cooperation between civil society and states that makes the TPNW so different and powerful. States can only invite other states to join, but the change of the position of a still reluctant state has to come democratically through the people. Civil society has a key role and I trust that the next speakers will address this in more detail.