Foreign Minister Schallenberg: Nuclear Weapons Do Not Provide Security
AUSTRIA, September 25 - On the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg once again emphasised the need for nuclear disarmament.
On 26 September 2022, the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg attended the opening of the 66th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, with a total of 175 countries invited. Under the motto “Global Cooperation in the Nuclear Field,” the focus was not only on nuclear security and the role of the IAEO, but also on Iran’s buildup of highly enriched uranium stock, as well as on the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the associated nuclear threats by Russia.
For decades, the nuclear risks have not been this high. Russia’s actions show an alarming degree of irresponsibility, and they can have disastrous consequences for all of us. Nuclear weapons are a sword of Damocles hanging over all of humanity. In no way do they provide security. Nuclear weapons pose a risk for all of us, and they do not recognize borders,
said Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, emphasising the existential threat and the currently elevated risk that these weapons will be used due to Russia’s recent nuclear threats.
In addition to the attempt of nuclear blackmailing, Foreign Minister Schallenberg also condemned the bombing of nuclear reactors and other nuclear facilities, for instance at the Russian-occupied nuclear power plant in Zaporizhshia. The Foreign Minister expressed his support for establishing a security zone around the nuclear power plant, and reiterated the importance of the IAEO’s work on the ground.
Similarly, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg underlined the importance of the organisation for the 2015 JCPOA:
As the host, Austria continues to stand behind the nuclear talks. We support the EU’s efforts to ensure that everyone can fully participate in the agreement. We call upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to resume its collaboration with the IAEO and to once again permit comprehensive inspections.
The IAEO provides independent expertise, making it an important partner for Austria not just in the talks with Iran. The IAEO also plays a vital role in the area of disarmament. The majority of states oppose a new nuclear arms race, which is reflected by the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). During the General Conference of the IAEO, the Foreign Minister once again called for urgent steps towards a world that is free from nuclear weapons:
The nuclear status quo is not sustainable; we need a paradigm shift. This is precisely why Austria will continue to work towards the complete elimination of all nuclear weapons,
concluded Schallenberg.
The severe humanitarian consequences of using nuclear weapons significantly increase the urgency and significance of a general ban on these weapons. For the first time, with the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons concluded on 22 January 2021, there is now an international ban on having, deploying, and threatening to deploy nuclear weapons, similar to the existing ban on biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction. In addition to the legal and ethical delegitimisation of these weapons, the aim is to increase pressure on nuclear weapon states to take steps towards disarmament.
Together with other countries, Austria was responsible for negotiating the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The first meeting of the contracting parties took place in June 2022, with all of these states clearly condemning any use of nuclear threats. An ambitious action plan included concrete steps that ranged from operationalising the Treaty and helping victims to remediating environmental damage and creating an institutional framework for nuclear disarmament.
