BUDDHIST LEADER URGES STATES' COMMITMENT IN ADVANCE OF NPT MEETING

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- On July 26, ahead of the Tenth NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons) Review Conference that will open on Aug 1, Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda has called on the five nuclear-weapon states to declare that they will never be the first to use nuclear weapons in a conflict: the principle of “No First Use”.

Ikeda urges the five nuclear-weapon states under the NPT to give substance to a joint statement made by their leaders on Jan 3, 2022, that "a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought”, by declaring policies of No First Use.

According to a statement, he has proposed three points included in the Final Document of the Review Conference.

The point include that the five nuclear-weapon states pledge to continue to abide by their January Joint Statement, immediately pursuing measures to reduce the risks posed by nuclear weapons in accord with their Article VI nuclear disarmament commitments.

Ikeda, a passionate campaigner for nuclear abolition for over 60 years, also argues that commitment to No First Use would also free resources to protect people from shared threats such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

During the NPT Review Conference on Aug 4, the SGI will hold a side event promoting No First Use together with other like-minded organisations.

-- BERNAMA