At the United Nations General Assembly this week, Iceland voted against a nuclear disarmament resolution, pressenza.com reports. The resolution passed by a large majority with 128 nations supporting disarmament, 29 voting against it, and 18 abstaining.
The humanitarian pledge against which Iceland voted calls for the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons, explaining the dire consequences of the use of such weapons, the global consequences of their use in terms of health, the environment, climate, economy, and other factors.
The pledge emphasizes that “the risk of nuclear weapons use, with its unacceptable consequences, can be avoided only when all nuclear weapons have been eliminated,” affirming that “it is in the interest of the very survival of humanity that nuclear weapons are never used again, under any circumstances.”
The opposing nations sent out a statement explaining that they are aware of the grave humanitarian consequences of a nuclear weapon detonation, but believe the draft resolutions before the Committee are “contributing to increasing international divisions with regard to nuclear disarmament, including by seeking to marginalise and de-legitimise certain policy perspectives and positions. All delegations must be able to engage in this important discourse on nuclear disarmament, reflecting their distinctive national security and other circumstances.”
Vísir asked for an explanation of Iceland’s stance yesterday, but got no response from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
