Indonesia pushes for more nuclear-free zones
Indonesia is calling for the creation of more nuclear-weapon-free zones in the world.
Foreign Minister Sugiono made this appeal during a major disarmament meeting in Geneva on Monday. He said countries must act fast to strengthen efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.
Indonesia is urging global powers to sign a key agreement related to Southeast Asia’s nuclear-free zone. The agreement, known as the SEANWFZ Protocol, has not yet been signed by the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom.
These five countries, known as the P5, have raised concerns that signing it might limit their military operations in the region.
Sugiono warned that the world is now more at risk of conflict than it has been in decades.
According to the Indonesian foreign minister, nuclear weapons are increasing, disarmament promises are being ignored, and military strategies are once again relying on nuclear power.
He stressed that the world must change course, saying, “Nuclear weapons do not guarantee security but instead become a threat.”
He also called on countries that depend on nuclear weapons for their defence to rethink their policies and align with the goals of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), a global agreement aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.
The Geneva meeting where Sugiono spoke was part of the Conference on Disarmament, the only global forum dedicated to negotiating disarmament agreements.
It includes 65 countries, such as Indonesia and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
