UNITED NATIONS, April 2 -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to advance the goals of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the only treaty that contains legally-binding commitments to nuclear disarmament.
The council members made the reaffirmation after meeting on supporting the Non-proliferation Treaty ahead of the 2020 Review Conference.
In a press statement after the meeting, they reaffirmed "their commitment to advance the goals of the NPT as the cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and the foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy."
They underscored the viability and the mutually reinforcing character of all the commitments taken under the treaty, the need for its full implementation and the importance of achieving universal adherence to the treaty.
The NPT, signed in 1968 and effective since 1970, aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.
Joined by 191 states, it represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon states.
The members of the Security Council concurred that the 2020 NPT Review Conference provided an opportunity for the NPT states parties ,to reaffirm their commitment to the treaty, to commemorate its historic achievements and strengthen the nuclear-disarmament and non-proliferation regime.
They expressed their readiness to work together and join efforts to achieve a successful outcome at the 2020 conference.