Conference on the humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons

November 8, 2014

U.S. is first nuclear power to join conference on impact of atomic arms

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/11/08/world/politics-diplomacy-world/u-s-is-first-nuclear-power-to-join-conference-on-impact-of-atomic-arms/#.VF-lIMl5B1s

Kyodo

WASHINGTON – The United States will attend the third Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna next month, the State Department said Friday, making it the first of the world’s five recognized nuclear powers to do so.

Ahead of the review conference for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty next April and May, participation in the Vienna conference will allow the United States to show its engagement in nuclear disarmament leading toward a world without nuclear weapons.

Previous conferences were held in Oslo in March 2013 and Nayarit, Mexico, in February this year.

None of the five nations that are allowed to possess nuclear weapons under the NPT attended either of the previous conferences. The other four nations — Britain, France, China and Russia — have yet to announce whether they will attend the Vienna conference.