Australia will boycott global summit on treaty to ban nuclear weapons, citing the need for deterrent of US arsenal
Australia previously joined nuclear weapons states Russia, the US, Israel, France and the UK to vote against the resolution, while China abstained
Australia will boycott global negotiations on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons at the United Nations next month.
The global summit, to be held in New York on March 27, will go ahead with Australia out of the room.
“The Australian government’s long-standing position is that the proposed treaty to ban nuclear weapons does not offer a practical path to effective disarmament or enhanced security,” a foreign affairs department spokeswoman told Guardian Australia.
“Australia regards the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons as the cornerstone of global non-proliferation and disarmament efforts. Consistent with this position, Australia will not participate in the forthcoming UN conference to negotiate a treaty to ban nuclear weapons.”
Australia’s position was predictable, given its long-standing opposition to a nuclear weapons ban treaty. As a key plank of foreign policy, Australia has consistently maintained that as long as nuclear weapons exist, it must rely on the protection of the extended deterrent effect of the US’s nuclear arsenal, the second-largest in the world.
