In the final week of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York, Federal Foreign Minister Dr Guido Westerwelle today (27 May) issued a joint appeal to the Conference with his counterparts from Australia, Japan, Austria and South Korea and New Zealand’s Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control. The Ministers called upon all conference participants to work in the very best spirit of cooperation to achieve a positive result from this Conference and fortify the international non proliferation regime.

Quoting from their joint appeal:

”The Conference offers us the opportunity to respond effectively to the mounting challenges to the global non proliferation regime and to reaffirm the authority of the Treaty.

However, after weeks of intense discussions, there still remain divergences in opinions over the draft final document. All of us must play our respective part. Nuclear Weapon States and Non Nuclear Weapon States have their own obligations and responsibilities under the Treaty. We must overcome the difference and gather our political will for a convergence of views. The world cannot afford a repetition of the failure we saw in 2005.

We call on all States Parties to the Treaty with the greatest sense of urgency to show maximum flexibility and spirit of cooperation. The Conference must send a strong political signal to reinforce momentum towards a world without nuclear weapons. Let us work hard in the remaining days ahead to ensure that we seize this opportunity. (…)“