POBNEWS24, Dhaka, Aug 2 2022 : Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen said, ‘We hope that the Tenth Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) will emerge with decisions that will facilitate the universality and implementation of the treaty to rid the world of the threat of nuclear weapons’. He expressed this optimism on the opening day of the ‘Tenth NPT Review Conference’ at the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Tuesday morning.
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1974 in his historic first speech to the United Nations General Assembly, referring to the call to free the world from the grip of nuclear war. Momen said, “This call forms the basis of Bangladesh’s full and unwavering commitment to the general and complete disarmament of nuclear weapons, which is also our constitutional obligation.”
The foreign minister urged the international community to unite against the nuclear weapons that a handful of states have permanently stockpiled with complete disregard for the safety of humanity.
Dr. Momen reiterated Bangladesh’s support for the effective implementation of the three pillars of the NPT-nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful use of nuclear energy. In this regard, he emphasized the non-discriminatory implementation of Article IV of the Treaty, which recognizes the inalienable right of all states to develop, research, produce and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including power generation, health care and agriculture.
The foreign minister called for increasing investment and international cooperation in research on nuclear technology and exploring the possibility of its peaceful use for the benefit of mankind.
Meeting with the UN Secretary General
In addition to attending the NPT Review Conference, the Foreign Minister held a bilateral meeting with the UN Secretary General. AK Abdul Momen. Various bilateral international issues including UN peacekeeping operations, climate change, Rohingya issue were discussed in the meeting. During the discussion regarding peacekeeping operations, the UN Secretary General reiterated Bangladesh’s important contribution to UN peacekeeping operations. Following the foreign minister’s request to recruit more Bangladeshi peacekeepers, the UN Secretary General said that soon more peacekeepers and weapons equipment will be taken from Bangladesh for various peacekeeping missions in Africa.
Besides, the Foreign Minister requested the Secretary General to appoint more number of Bangladeshi officials to various political and military high positions at the UN Headquarters. The UN Secretary General expressed the gratitude of the international community to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for providing shelter to the displaced Rohingya and continued humanitarian assistance. The UN Secretary General expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for agreeing to join the Global Crisis Response Group formed to face the challenges of the Ukraine war.
