Deeply concerned that 15,350 nuclear weapons remain in the arsenals of 9 States, approximately 1,800 of which are on “high alert” status and can be launched within minutes;
Aware that even a limited nuclear exchange could result in great loss of human life and could trigger (further) climate change and nuclear famine;
Recalling the legally binding obligation adopted by 190 states, contained in Article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to “undertake to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a Treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control”; Noting the reaffirmation of this legally binding obligation by the International Court of Justice in 1996 and the 2010 “reaffirmation by the nuclear-weapon States of their unequivocal undertaking to accomplish, in accordance with the principle of irreversibility, the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals”;
In light of the unanimous motion adopted by Canadian Members of Parliament and Senators in 2010 that “encourages the Government of Canada to engage in negotiations for a nuclear weapons convention as proposed by the United Nations Secretary General” and “to deploy a major world-wide Canadian diplomatic initiative in support of preventing nuclear proliferation and increasing the rate of nuclear disarmament”;
Noting Canada’s support for the 2014 Inter-Parliamentary Union’s resolution entitled, “Toward a Nuclear Weapons-Free World”, that “Recommends that parliaments urge their government to start negotiations on a nuclear weapons convention or on a package of agreements to help achieve a nuclear weapon free world…”;
While commending Canada’s ongoing support of nuclear disarmament verification measures and efforts to launch negotiation of a treaty to control fissile materials;
Given the limited membership in and abject failure of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) to effectively address these and all other aspects of nuclear disarmament:
The Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (CNANW) calls upon the Government of Canada to PLAY A GREATER LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE ABOLITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS, by: I. Sponsoring a resolution in the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly that seeks a mandate to negotiate a comprehensive, legally binding Convention that prohibits nuclear weapons and requires their verifiable elimination; II. Seeking to undertake negotiations as a matter of urgency, as recommended by Mayors for Peace representing more than 7,000 cities worldwide, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki; III. Ensuring that treaty negotiations are conducted in a forum that is open to all UN member states, using democratic rules of procedure modelled upon those of the General Assembly; and IV. Ensuring that participating states welcome and encourage the input and engagement of civil society.
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