U.N. Panel Adopts Japan-Led Nuke Abolition Resolution

New York, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)–The U.N. General Assembly Committee on Disarmament and International Security on Friday adopted a Japan-sponsored resolution calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons. The resolution received 145 votes in favor, while five countries, including China, Russia and Iran, voted against it. There were 28 abstentions, including France and the United States, which marked its first abstention since 2019. The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, the sole remaining nuclear disarmament framework between the U.S. and Russia, will expire next February, the resolution noted. For the first time, it calls for negotiations among the three countries possessing the largest number of nuclear weapons to establish a new nuclear arms control framework, apparently referring to the United States, Russia and China. It also urged all nuclear-armed states to ensure transparency regarding their nuclear policies and details of their weapons. Japan has submitted a resolution on nuclear weapons abolition for 32 consecutive years. The full General Assembly is expected to vote on it in early December. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]