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IDN-InDepthNews

 

CENTRAL ASIA

   

 

Acronym of the Year

    

UN INSIDER
Photo: Tenth Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) on 20 September 2017 in New York. Credit: CTBTO

By Jamshed Baruah

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) – "A CTBT that is in force would be a milestone on the road to a world free of nuclear weapons. It has the potential to prevent a nuclear arms race and an escalation of regional and bilateral tensions," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. He was referring to the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) that bans nuclear testing on the Earth's surface, in the atmosphere, underwater, and underground.

"Make no mistake: we need this Treaty," said Miroslav Lajcák, President of the UN General Assembly. "I applaud the CTBT Preparatory Commission for raising awareness about the dangers associated with testing and for its partnership with the United Nations," added Guterres.

GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
CTBTO

Photo: UNIDO DG LI Yong addresses a special event, “Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (2016-2025): From political commitment to actions on the ground". 21 September 2017. Credit: UN Photo/Manuel Elias

By J Nastranis

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) – When the United Nations General Assembly adopted a Resolution to declare 2016-2025 as the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA III) two years ago, it stated: "Africa remains the poorest and the most vulnerable region in the world." And this despite the two previous decades.

The Resolution A/RES/70/293 noted "the need for the continent to take urgent action to advance sustainable industrialization as a key element of furthering economic diversification and value addition, creating jobs and thus reducing poverty," and contributing to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

UN INSIDER

Photo: Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s 72nd session on 21 September 2017. Credit: UN Photo/Cia Pak

By Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Kazakhstan's Minister of Foreign Affairs

Following are extensive excerpts from Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov's address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 21, 2017 in New York. He draws attention to President Nursultan Nazarbayev's initiative "to convene a summit of all states possessing nuclear weapons to collectively discuss further steps towards their nuclear disarmament and attaining nuclear-weapon-free world," and "to call for joint efforts to ensure that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons enters into force by 2020," the 50th anniversary of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons entering into force. – The Editor

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) - In his first statement at the United Nations in October 1992 President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev endorsed the concept of preventive diplomacy – the idea which is now very much highlighted by the Secretary-General and President of the General Assembly.

OPINION

Photo: Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev met with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on the sidelines of the US-Islamic World summit in Riyadh in May 2017. Credit: Axar.az

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) – "The Republic of Kazakhstan is a particularly illustrative example of the wisdom of relinquishing nuclear weapons," according to Rex W. Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State. He was addressing the United Nations Security Council Session on Nuclear Non-Proliferation on September 21, 2017.

"In partnership with the United States, and aided by the Cooperative Threat Reduction Act spearheaded by U.S. Senators Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar, Kazakhstan opted to remove from its territory former Soviet weapons and related nuclear technologies, and joined the Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-weapons state," Tillerson added.

NEWSBRIEFS

Photo: U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson delivers welcome remarks to State Department employees in the main lobby of the Department's Harry S. Truman building on his first day as Secretary of State in Washington, D.C., on February 2, 2017. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

By Rex W. Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State

Following are extensive excerpts from remarks by the U.S. Secretary of State during the United Nations Security Council Session on Nuclear Non-Proliferation on September 21, 2017. The complete text is available on https://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2017/09/274362.htm – The Editor

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) - At a time when stabbings, crudely constructed bombs, and trucks driven into crowds of innocent men, women, and children are often our enemies’ weapons of choice to attack us, it is easy to become complacent and see the threat of nuclear attacks as a relic of the Cold War.

The threat of a nuclear attack remains a grim reality. Those who would trigger such a horrific scenario pose a unique threat to the security of peace-loving nations.

OPINION

Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump (fourth from right) arrive at UN headquarters for the general debate of the General Assembly’s 72nd session. Also pictured, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed (third from right). 19 September 2017. Credit: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas.

Viewpoint by Hugh Dugan*

The author is Visiting Scholar at Seton Hall University’s School of Diplomacy and former senior advisor to eleven U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations.

NEW YORK (IDN) - Many globalists feared last week the arrival of 'Hurricane Donald' unleashing its wrath on the United Nations at its annual opening session. In the end, it was downgraded to a tropical storm affecting only North Korea and Iran.

Trump’s tone and body language, which was all that his critics were prepared to dissect, were one with the script he revised up to the last minute. Much to their surprise, in fact he did not call to drain the UN swamp. And he opted against twitterizing the place as the “Deep UN”. Few came up with much to dislike, other than a few words meant to draw headlines.

OPINION

Photo: The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons opened for signature at United Nations headquarters in New York on 20 September 2017 and will remain open indefinitely. Once 50 nations have ratified or acceded to it, it will enter into force. Credit: ICAN

By Shanta Roy

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) -- The international community took its first significant step towards a world free of nuclear weapons when over 50 countries signed a landmark treaty, which was adopted by UN member states on July 7.

The signing ceremony, which began September 20 on the sidelines of the 72nd session of the General Assembly, is expected to continue, as more countries will join the list of signatories to a treaty that was overwhelmingly voted on by 122 countries, with one against (Netherlands) and one abstention (Singapore).

The treaty has taken added significance against the backdrop of a possible military confrontation – and triggered by nuclear threats – by two nuclear powers, the United States and North Korea.

UN INSIDER

Photo shows Kimio Hattori addressing the SGI Youth Summit in Yokohama, Japan, on September 2, 2017. Credit: Soka Gakkai.

By Kimio Hattori

Following are extensive excerpts from the remarks by 91-year old Kimio Hattori at the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Youth Summit for the Renunciation of War on September 2, 2017 at the SGI Kanagawa Culture Center in Yokohama, Japan. The gathering was convened to mark the 60th anniversary of second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda’s 'Declaration Calling for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons'. The summit was held 18 days before the UN treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons opened for signature in New York. – The Editor

YOKOHAMA (IDN-INPS) - I was exposed to the atomic bomb radiation in Hiroshima as a visiting soldier and joined Soka Gakkai (SG) after the war. I am 91 years old now. I was a witness to President Josei Toda calling for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons here in Yokohama.

OPINION

Photo: Henry Van Thio, Vice President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, addresses the general debate of the General Assembly's 72nd session on 20 September 2017 in New York. Credit: UN Photo/Cia Pak

By U Henry Van Thio, Vice-President of Myanmar

Following are excerpts from the statement by U Henry Van Thio, Vice-President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, at the General Debate of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 20, 2017. – The Editor

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) - We welcome this year's theme "Focusing on people - striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet". Peace and stability is something that we are striving to achieve in Myanmar after nearly seven decades of civil strife and conflict.

Last year from this podium, our State Counsellor Daw Aung San SuuKyi set out the government's vision to end decades of internal armed conflict in Myanmar and to find lasting and meaningful solutions to the complex situation in Rakhine State.

OPINION

Photo: Applause for adoption of the UN Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons on July 7, 2017 in New York. Credit: ICAN

By Sergio Duarte, Ambassador, former U.N. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs*

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) - The opening for signature of the Treaty on the Prohibitions of Nuclear Weapons on September 20 at the United Nations in New York marks a milestone in the long history of efforts by the international community to eliminate the most destructive and cruel of all weapons invented by man.

The wide adherence to the negotiating process of the Treaty, carried out with the strong support of civil society organizations, reflected a growing global recognition that a ban on nuclear weapons is an integral part of the normative framework necessary to achieve and maintain a world free of such weapons. It is not a hasty or impromptu movement born out of frustration for the protracted lack of concrete progress on nuclear disarmament or by humanitarian considerations. Rather, it responds to a longstanding aspiration of humanity.

ARMAMENTS
Nuclear Weapons

  1. Trump's UN Speech Arouses Fear of a 'Dark and Difficult Phase' in Reducing Nuclear Threat
  2. Scotland Might Pave the Way out of Brexit
  3. Heed the Voices of the Hibakusha Urging All States to Sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
  4. Ratify the CTBT – Ban Nuclear Testing
  5. Over 110 Countries Commit to Halt Land Degradation

About IDN

IDN-InDepthNews offers news analyses, features, reports and viewpoints that impact the world and its peoples. It has been online since 2009. Its network spans countries around the world.

IDN-InDepthNews serves as flagship agency of the International Press Syndicate and its partner, the Global Cooperation Council, established in February 1983.

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