Secretary-General Hails ‘Milestone’ Arms Reduction Treaty, Calls

for Continuing Efforts to Eliminate All Nuclear Weapons

 

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the signing of the New START Treaty as an important milestone in the international efforts to advance nuclear disarmament and to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons. 

The Secretary-General commends President [Dmitry] Medvedev and President [Barack] Obama for their leadership.  He believes that this significant achievement will also help create a positive atmosphere for the upcoming Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The Secretary-General hopes that the Russian Federation and the United States continue their efforts in the pursuit of the reduction and elimination of all nuclear weapons.

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For information media • not an official record