'Today’s collective security system is being tested like never before' -UN Chief at Security Council

Security Council meeting on Promoting Common Security Through Dialogue and Cooperation, Secretary-General António Guterres today (22 Aug) said “today’s collective security system is being tested like never before” and stressed that “nuclear saber-rattling must stop” The Secretary-General said, “lingering differences between the world’s great powers - including at this Council - continue to limit our ability to collectively respond”, while “humanitarian assistance is stretched to the breaking point, and human rights and the rule of law are under assault.” Trust, he said, “is in short supply.” Guterres noted that “the tools that have kept us from catastrophic world war are more important than ever,” but “they must be fit for today’s rapidly deteriorating international peace and security environment.” He said, “countries with nuclear weapons must commit to the “no first use” of those weapons. They must also assure States that do not have nuclear weapons that they will not use - or threaten to use - nuclear weapons against them, and be transparent throughout. Nuclear saber-rattling must stop.” The President of Tenth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) - which is taking place this month at the General Assembly - Gustavo Zlauvinen said, “as a consequence of the geopolitical turmoil rocking our world since February this year, the NPT faces a raft of challenges, the diversity and scope of which are unlike anything that has come before.” Still, he said the past three weeks “have witnessed that the parties have come resolved to strengthen the global regime that spans the three pillars of the Treaty, meaning nuclear disarmament, Non-Proliferation, and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.” For his part, China’s Ambassador Zhang Jun said, “it seems that every country is striving for its own security. But the result is that the sense of insecurity is on the rise in all countries.” In the face of the new situation, he said, “it is necessary for the Security Council to revisit its original mission to better respond to the expectations of all parties and better and better fulfill its responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.” Credit UN Photo/Manuel Elías


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