UN Passes Nuclear Disarmament Resolution
Security Council Approval to Rid World of Nuclear Weapons
Sep 24, 2009
United States President Barack Obama presided over the elite 15-member council, the fifth meeting of heads of state in the Security Council since its creation in 1946, and was the first American president to assume that role. According to the CBC, the resolution calls for renewed efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, to reduce the risk of nuclear terrorism, and to promote nuclear disarmament.
Following the vote, President Obama declared, “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.
A Landmark Anti-Proliferation Resolution
The resolution is considered to be a landmark document in the fight to eliminate nuclear weapons, as it was passed unanimously and received support from Russia and China, in particular. China and Russia have been the focus of international pressure to abandon their nuclear weapons programs and to stop selling arms to countries without their own nuclear program. Their support for anti-proliferation is key to reducing the existence of nuclear weapons.
The passage of the UNSC resolution also singles a change in American nuclear policy. On Thursday, September 24th, the United States also rejoined a biannual conference for the support of a treaty banning nuclear tests, a conference that they have not participated in since 1999. Obama aides see the passage of the resolution as an affirmation of the President’s anti-nuclear agenda, as laid out in a speech delivered in Prague in April.
A Change in United States Nuclear Policy
According to the Globe and Mail, President Barack Obama called in Prague for the destruction of Russian and American nuclear arsenals, the adoption of a treaty banning nuclear tests, an international fuel bank to safeguard nuclear material, and discussions on a new accord that ends the production of fissile materials for atomic weapons. In the same speech, the President also declared his support for the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, an international accord to which only India, Israel, Pakistan, and North Korea are not party. All four countries are targets of criticism from the international community for their suspected or confirmed nuclear programs.
A Promising Development for Anti-Nuclear Advocates
Anti-nuclear observers and advocates have praised the passage of the nuclear disarmament resolution, noting the significance of its unanimous approval by heads of state and suggesting that it is a step in the right direction. International consensus and cooperation is essential for the success of anti-proliferation treaties and actions.
United Nations Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon was pleased with the resolution, calling it a “fresh start toward a new future," according to the CBC.
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