United Nations Conference Adopts Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (July 7, 2017) [1]
On July 7, 2017, a conference of states at the United Nations adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons [3]. The press release [4] states that the Treaty “prohibits a full range of nuclear-weapon-related activities, such as undertaking to develop, test, produce, manufacture, acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, as well as the use or threat of use of these weapons.” The treaty was adopted by a vote of 122 in favor, one against (Netherlands), and one abstention (Singapore), and is also “the first multilateral legally-binding instrument for nuclear disarmament to have been negotiated in 20 years.” Delegations from the nuclear powers of the United States, United Kingdom, and France also released a joint press statement [5] on the same day stating that they had “not taken part in the negotiation of the treaty . . . and do not intend to sign, ratify or ever become party to it.” The treaty will open for signature on September 20, 2017, and will enter into force ninety days after its fiftieth ratification.