Gensuikyo delegation takes call for nuclear weapons elimination to U.S. mission at U.N.

A delegation of the Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo) visited the U.S. mission to the United Nations in New York to request that the United States support the no-use and abolition of nuclear weapons.

The delegation was visiting the United Nations, which was holding discussions on disarmament in the General Assembly First Committee, to get U.N. member states' support for Gensuikyo's campaign, "Hiroshima and Nagasaki Should Not be Repeated! We Say 'No!' to Use of Nuclear Weapons, and Demand a Total Ban and the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons."

At the U.S. mission, Takakusagi Hiroshi, general secretary of Japan Gensuikyo, first pointed out that world opinion is increasingly concerned that the United States has publicly hinted at the possible use of nuclear weapons in war.

Takakusagi demanded that the U.S. government clearly promise not to use nuclear weapons, follow the nuclear disarmament agreements, and work to eliminate nuclear weapons as quickly as possible.

U.S. mission officials replied that the U.S. government also wants nuclear weapons eliminated and that it will comply with the final report of the May 2000 Non Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

However, the U.S. officials insisted that, since some countries do not follow international agreements, it is impossible to achieve the elimination of nuclear weapons in the foreseeable future.

To the Gensuikyo delegation's request that the U.S. give up war plans against Iraq, the U.S. mission officials said that although the U.S. does not want war, it will take every effort to prevent Iraq from using weapons of mass destruction.

Handing over about 3,000 signatures calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons, the Gensuikyo delegation demanded that the U.S. government respond to these voices in earnest. The U.S. mission officials promised to take the signature petition to their government. (end)