Scientists Call for Abolition of N-Weapons

Hiroshima, Nov. 5 (Jiji Press)–Scientists and scholars from around the globe demanded in a joint declaration Wednesday that nuclear powers never use the weapons of mass destruction. “From Hiroshima, we affirm with conviction that nuclear weapons must never be used again, under any circumstances, since a nuclear war would destroy not only nations but the future of humankind itself,” said the declaration, adopted to wrap up the five-day 63rd Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs in the atomic-bombed western Japan city. Expressing their concerns that “nuclear-armed states are expanding and modernizing their arsenals, the risk of nuclear proliferation is higher, and the ‘nuclear taboo’ is being violated by explicit threats of nuclear attacks,” the participants stressed that “dialogue must replace confrontation.” They also urged nuclear weapons states to adopt no-first-use policies and give unconditional negative security assurance to non-nuclear nations. During the international meeting, discussions were held under the theme of “80 Years after the Atomic Bombing–Time for Peace, Dialogue and Nuclear Disarmament.” The Pugwash Conference was founded in 1957 in response to the 1955 Russell-Einstein Manifesto, which drew attention to the risk of human extinction from nuclear war. In 1995, the conference was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Japan has hosted its international convention for four times, including the just-ended Hiroshima gathering. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]