Amid tensions over North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests, 51 countries have signed the world’s first legally binding treaty banning nuclear weapons. It prohibits the development, testing and possession of nuclear weapons, as well as using or threatening to use these weapons. It was first adopted in July by 122 U.N. member states, despite heavy U.S. opposition. None of the nine countries that possess nuclear weapons signed the measure, including Russia, Britain, China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel. We speak with Susi Snyder, nuclear disarmament program manager for the Netherlands-based group PAX and author of the report, “Don’t Bank on the Bomb.”
TRANSCRIPT
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman. Amidst tensions over North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests, President Donald Trump told the U.N. General Assembly Tuesday the United States would totally destroy North Korea, a country of 25 million people. Then, on Wednesday, 51 countries signed a new treaty that would ban nuclear weapons. The United Nations calls it the world’s first legally binding treaty banning nuclear weapons. It prohibits the development, testing, and possession of nuclear weapons, as well as using or threatening to use these weapons. The treaty is set to take effect 90 days after it is ratified. It was first adopted in July by 122 U.N. member states, despite heavy U.S. opposition. None of the nine countries that possess nuclear weapons signed the measure. Those countries are the United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel.
For more, we’re joined by Susi Snyder, nuclear disarmament program manager for the Netherlands-based group PAX and author of the report “Don’t Bank on the Bomb.”
Welcome to Democracy Now!
SUSI SNYDER: Thank you very much.
AMY GOODMAN: Talk about what happened this week at the U.N.
SUSI SNYDER: So, this week, 50 countries said, “We ultimately reject…