Parliamentarians join UNSG to urge Neuclear Weapons Convention

(L-R): Dr. Raphael Chegeni, MP (Tanzania), Edine von Herold, MP (Costa Rica), Alyn Ware (PNND), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Ambassador Anda Filip (IPU), Nicky Wagner, MP (New Zealand) and Jonathan Granoff (GSI) during teh Neuclear Weapons Conventions at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Other speakers on the panel included IPU Permanent Observer to the United Nations Anda Filip, PNND Co-President Raphael Chegeni MP ( Tanzania), PNND Council Member Edine von Herold MP ( Costa Rica), PNND New Zealand Deputy-Chair Nicky Wagner MP ( New Zealand) and Global Security Institute President Jonathan Granoff.

The event was held in order to bring the voices of parliaments and parliamentarians to the government delegations and non-governmental observers at the 2010 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, and in particular to urge progress on the UN Secretary-General’s five-point plan for nuclear disarmament – which includes the call for a Nuclear Weapons Convention.

Mr Ban noted that “Ten years ago, the NPT Review Conference described the total elimination of nuclear arsenals as “the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.” Mr Ban urged parliamentarians and civil society to “take that message back to your capitals and your governments,” in order to ensure that the NPT Conference takes definite action before it closes on 28 May.