Cuba Decries Lack of Will on Nuclear Disarmament

United Nations, Apr 22. -Cuba denounced on Thursday at the United Nations the lack of political will from several states to make real progress in nuclear disarmament.

Cuba Includes Nuclear Issue in Berne Conference
It also proposed the immediate creation of a UN fund made up of at least half the worldâ�Ös military spending to be allocated to economic and social development of countries in need.

Cuba also presented the initiative to agree on an International Convention to wipe out nuclear weapons in 25 years and ban them forever.

Cubaâ�Ös stand was put forward by Acting Permanent Representative to the UN Rodolfo Benitez at the closing session of the UN Disarmament Committee.

The diplomat said that for the tenth consecutive year the group concluded its work without any substantial recommendation to advance towards nuclear disarmament and no proliferation or on a project to declare a Fourth Decade for Disarmament.

That situation does not constitute an isolated event, he said, and recalled that the Conference on Disarmament has not started negotiation in years, as the General Assembly adopts dozens of resolutions on the issue, which fail to be accomplished.

Benitez warned that the mere existence of nuclear weapons and of the doctrines on their possession and use constitute a threat to world peace and security; therefore, "nuclear disarmament remains a highest priority" in the field.

He said it is unacceptable that there are still tens of thousands of nuclear weapons with capacity to destroy the whole world several times and asserted that Cuba will continue working in the committee and in other for fora "until the total ban and elimination of nuclear weapons in the planet is achieved."  (Prensa Latina)