Cuba advocates in Geneva the total elimination of nuclear weapons

HAVANA, Cuba, Mar 22 (ACN) Cuban first deputy foreign minister, Gerardo Peñalver, called today in Geneva, Switzerland, for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

Speaking at the Conference on Disarmament, where the island assumes the presidency, the diplomat stressed that the eradication of these weapons of mass extermination is and must continue being the top priority.

Peñalver expressed deep concern and alarm at the latent danger of a nuclear conflagration, and urged a transparent, verifiable and irreversible process of total elimination of such weapons.

Cuba is convinced that the Conference has the capacity to simultaneously negotiate important norms to prevent and protect humanity from danger, he said.

Cuban official referred to legally binding agreements that prohibit the arms race in outer space, provide security guarantees to non-nuclear-weapon States, and prohibit the production of fissile material for the manufacture of such weapons or other devices of the same nature.

During his speech, the first deputy foreign minister also ratified his country's commitment to promoting the universalization of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which he considered a materialization of the humanist thinking of the historic leader of the Revolution, Fidel Castro.

The diplomat defended the search for a world of justice, dignity and peace, which he considered possible if the prevailing unjust and undemocratic order is changed and international cooperation prevails.

Regarding the current crisis in Europe, he affirmed that Cuba will continue advocating for a serious, constructive and realistic diplomatic solution, by peaceful means, that guarantees the security and sovereignty of all, as well as peace, stability and regional and international security.

He expressed that the determination of the United States to continue the progressive expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) towards Russia's borders has led to a scenario with implications of unpredictable scope, which could have been avoided if the well-founded demands of that country for security guarantees had been seriously and respectfully addressed.

Multilateralism faces enormous challenges; in this context, the role of the United Nations, international cooperation and the peaceful settlement of disputes are increasingly relevant, Peñalver concluded.