United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the world is only one miscalculation away from what he called "nuclear annihilation" amid several global issues.
The UN chief made his remarks while speaking at the start of a conference in New York and came as leaders met at the United Nations for the 10th review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), an agreement that first came into force in 1970.
Nuclear Annihilation
He noted that today, humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from the once-unthinkable nuclear conflict situation. Guterres said that the climate crisis, stark inequalities, conflicts, and human rights violations, as well as the personal and economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, contributed to this possibility.
The UN chief warned that this situation occurred at a time of nuclear danger that has not been seen since the height of the Cold War. Guterres warned that humanity is in danger of forgetting the lessons learned during the terrifying fires of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as per DW News.
Furthermore, the war between Russia and Ukraine has exacerbated this issue by raising geopolitical tensions to levels that have not been seen since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. The NPT is a landmark international treaty that was made to prevent the increase of nuclear weapons and to promote cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Under normal circumstances, the treaty is subject to review every five years, but the 10th conference was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. It also comes as concerns are rising about China's rapidly growing nuclear arsenal and the spread of nuclear technology, especially in Iran and North Korea.
According to the Associated Press, Guterres is not alone in expressing concerns regarding the use of nuclear technology. Authorities from the United States, Japan, Germany, and many others expressed their thoughts on the matter during the conference.
Global Catastrophe
On the other hand, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that North Korea is preparing to conduct its seventh nuclear test, Iran "has either been unwilling or unable" to accept a deal to return to the 2015 agreement, and Russia is "engaged in reckless, dangerous nuclear saber-rattling" in Ukraine.
Blinken also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin warned after its Feb. 24 invasion that any attempt to interfere would lead to "consequences you have never seen," emphasizing that his country is "one of the most potent nuclear powers."
The remarks are contrary to the assurances given to Ukraine of its sovereignty and independence when it gave up its Soviet-era nuclear weapons in 1994, said Blinken. He noted that it sends "the worst possible message" to any country thinking it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself and deter aggression.
The UN chief also said that eliminating nuclear weapons is the only guarantee that they will never be used in the future against any nation. He added that he would visit Hiroshima for the anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the Japanese city that happened on Aug. 6, 1945, The Guardian reported.
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