Disarmament

26 February 2018, Geneva

Remarks to the Conference on Disarmament

Madame President, Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great honour to be here. I thank you for your work and particularly for the serious efforts you have made, including this year, to find ways to break the long-standing stalemate in this Conference. 

I welcome the decision you took ten days ago to take forward your substantive work. The most difficult part now lies ahead, as you work to translate [this] into the resumption of negotiations. 

26 September 2017, UN Headquarters

Remarks on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

Secretary-General António Guterres (left) addresses the High-level Plenary Meeting for the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

In recent months, the dangers posed by nuclear weapons have been forcefully driven home, making this event timelier than ever.
 
We know that the horrific humanitarian and environmental consequences of the use of nuclear weapons would transcend national borders.

20 September 2017, UN Headquarters

Remarks at “Article XIV Conference” on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

If there is something I take very seriously it is the fact that, as Secretary-General, I am the depository of the Comprehensive-Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. 

Since 1999, this biennial conference has had the challenging task of finding ways to facilitate the Treaty’s entry into force. That is why I join my voice to Minister Al-Jafari when he urged the eight remaining states in Annex 2, whose ratification is required to bring the treaty into force, to ratify as soon as possible. 

05 September 2017, UN Headquarters

Opening remarks at press encounter

Secretary-General António Guterres speaks to journalists at UN Headquarters. UN Photo/Evan Schneider

In two weeks’ time, world leaders will be here in the General Assembly to address the full range of global challenges.
 
But in recent days we have seen the dramatic aggravation of three of the main threats we face as an international community: the nuclear threat, sectarianism and climate change.
 
The latest nuclear and missile tests by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are profoundly destabilizing for regional and international security.  I condemn them unequivocally.
 

22 November 2016, New York

Remarks on "Future of Multilateral Disarmament" at New York University

It is a great pleasure and honour for me to have this opportunity to share some thoughts on my hope and what the United Nations has been doing on arms control and disarmament with distinguished professors and students here today.

You have helped to prepare future generations to address global challenges through multilateral cooperation. 

Your outstanding teaching and research have deepened the public’s understanding of the work of the United Nations. 

And I salute you all for all of this and much more ­– what you have been doing and continue to do.

08 October 2016, Reykjavik

Remarks at seminar on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the Reagan-Gorbachev Summit

I am pleased to join you to mark the 30th anniversary of the landmark Reagan-Gorbachev Summit.

That meeting here in Reykjavik was in many ways a turning point in global strategic relations.

U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev came to Reykjavik with different visions for stability.

Yet over the course of two days, they came close to an audacious plan for the elimination of all nuclear weapons.

General Secretary Gorbachev called it a “breakthrough, which allowed us for the first time to look over the horizon.”

03 October 2016, Geneva

Remarks at planting ceremony of the second-generation Hibakusha tree

It is a privilege to be part of this meaningful ceremony. Today, we plant a poignant gift from our partners, the Mayors for Peace and the City of Hiroshima.

This beautiful sapling is a symbol of resilience and of peace. It pays solemn respect to those who perished on 6 August 1945.

As this tree blossoms, it will also be a vivid reminder of how the hibakusha;– those brave survivors – have transformed their tragedy into a message of hope for the world.

22 September 2016, UN Headquarters

Opening remarks to the ASEAN-UN Ministerial Meeting

Your Excellency, Saleumxay Kommasith, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Chair of ASEAN in 2016, 
Distinguished Foreign Ministers of the Governments of ASEAN, 
Your Excellency, Le Luong Minh, Secretary-General of ASEAN, 
Excellencies, 
Colleagues, 
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to welcome you to United Nations Headquarters, as you warmly welcomed me to Vientiane earlier this month.

21 September 2016, UN Headquarters

Remarks to the Eighth Ministerial Meeting of the Friends of the CTBT (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty)

It is a great pleasure to be here with the Friends of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. I thank the governments of Australia and Japan for organising today’s event, and I thank all the Friends of the CTBT for their continued support. 

These meetings remind all States that the status quo cannot stand. 

It is not sustainable, and it must change. 

The treaty’s failure to enter into force was unacceptable when I entered office in 2007. It is beyond unacceptable now. 

09 September 2016, UN Headquarters

Opening remarks at press stakeout

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of the media.

As you know, I returned last night from a very productive visit to Southeast Asia.

I will see you again next Wednesday for my traditional press conference before the new General Assembly beginning.

This morning, I want focus on the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

I condemn in the strongest possible terms the underground nuclear test by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. This is yet another brazen breach of the resolutions of the Security Council.