On the occasion of the coming into effect of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), Italy confirms its full backing of the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons, and continues to be particularly engaged in disarmament sectors, weapons control, and non proliferation, which are essential parts of our foreign policy. We appreciate civil society’s role in sensitisation to the catastrophic consequences of the use of nuclear weapons.
We are convinced that the best approach to achieving effective nuclear disarmament calls for full involvement of militarily nuclear countries where, instead – from when the initiative of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was launched – we have seen growing polarisation in the debate, at the heart of the international community. While maintaining profound respect for the reasons behind the Treaty and its supporters, we therefore maintain that the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons can only be achieved realistically by a difficult procedure that takes not only humanitarian considerations into account, but also national security and international stability needs.
