Phil Twyford accuses Russia of ‘diplomatic sabotage’ as it blocks agreement at nuclear treaty conference

Russia has blocked the final document at a nuclear treaty conference in what New Zealand’s Disarmament Minister Phil Twyford has labelled “an act of diplomatic sabotage”.

The five-yearly conference on the United Nations’ Nuclear Non-Prolieration Treaty (NPT) has just wound up in New York, following a review by the 191 states party to the agreement.

Twyford said in a statement New Zealand is deeply disappointed in the result.

“This is an act of diplomatic sabotage at the very time the world needs cooperation on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.”

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The NPT aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.

It allowed the five countries that had tested nuclear weapons before 1967 – the US, Russia, China and France – to keep them, though encouraged them to slowly disarm.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to use nuclear weapons in his invasion of Ukraine, leading UN chief Antonio Guterres to warn “humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation,” citing both the Ukraine war and threats in Asia and the Middle East.

Guterres last week demanded a halt to “nuclear sabre-rattling”, saying the world is at a “maximum moment of danger” and all countries with nuclear weapons must make a commitment to “no first-use”.

Twyford said the outcome blocked by Russia fell far short of New Zealand’s ambitions for the conference and did not respond to calls from the overwhelming majority for urgent progress on nuclear disarmament.

“It is extremely disappointing that even with the United States’ offer of new negotiations on arms control the nuclear weapons states between them were unable to agree anything significant on actual disarmament.”

The adoption of the draft outcome would have been a welcome sign of collective cooperation so sorely needed in a time of global uncertainty and insecurity, he said.

“The draft outcome did reflect New Zealand’s deep concern at the heightened threat and devastating consequences of nuclear weapons use. It also signposted new pathways for work on nuclear risk reduction, enhanced transparency and accountability, and efforts to address nuclear harm, including in the Pacific, but Russia’s objections have prevented even these modest steps.

“With the very real nuclear risk apparent in today’s world, and growing concern about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons, this failure is unacceptable and puts further stress on the NPT.”

Twyford said New Zealand remained committed to the treaty and its goal of a world without nuclear weapons.

“We will continue to work with all NPT states parties and other partners to this end.”