New York, 7 April
The Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations, Ambassador U Kyaw Moe Tun, urged international community to remain vigilant about the plan for construction a small-scale nuclear reactor by the junta of his country as the regime lacks transparency and necessary regulatory and management systems to safely operate a nuclear power facility.
During the General Debate of 2023 Substantive Session UN Disarmament Commission meeting held at UN headquarters in New York from 3 to 21 April, the ambassador said on 4 April, “Myanmar steadfastly believes the total elimination of nuclear weapons is the only surefire way to guarantee the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. We all agree that nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought, and thus there is no point in nuclear saber-rattling, which nowadays no longer serves as deterrence, and only contributes to fueling the flame.”
He continued to say that the long overdue entry-into-force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty remains hostage to some Annex II states, and and he urged them to ratify the Treaty at their earliest opportunity.
He added that if the military did not launch the attempted illegal coup back in February 2021, Myanmar would now have ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and brought Myanmar’s Additional Protocol with the IAEA into force.
He also discussed, “Any peaceful use of nuclear weapons should involve rational state actors and stakeholders and follow the stringent guidelines of the IAEA, while the security sector of the military lacks transparency and necessary regulatory and management systems to safely operate a nuclear power facility. Given their consistent disregard for the rule of law and non-compliance with applicable international law, including international humanitarian law.”
He also stressed that the international community remains vigilant about the junta’s recent attempt to build a small-scale nuclear reactor, while his country is suffering from its military’s inhumane and brutal atrocities.
He also highlighted Myanmar fully understands the devastating impact of weapons on human lives and regional security, and stated the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and the security consequences of the transfer of nuclear weapons to any recipient.
He also said controlling access to weapons to the inhumane military junta could save the lives of Myanmar’s people, and that he retaliated his appeal to those states which are exporting arms and ammunitions to the brutal military junta in Myanmar to stop arming them now.
News—Than Lwin times
Thanlwintimes