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Majority of UN States Agree on Treaty to Ban Nuclear Weapons | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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A United Nations logo is seen on a glass door in the Assembly Building at the United Nations headquarters in New York City September 18, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar


Nearly two-thirds of United Nations states agreed on Friday to a treaty to ban nuclear weapons after months of talks, which were boycotted by the United States, Britain, France and others who instead pledged commitment to a decades-old Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons will enter into force 90 days after 50 countries have ratified it. It was adopted on Friday with 122 votes in favor, one against and one abstention.

At the start of the talks in March, US Ambassador Nikki Haley said dozens of countries were skipping the negotiations because they were committed to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which entered into force in 1970 and is aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology.

The UN General Assembly resolution adopted a resolution in December – 113 in favor to 35 against, with 13 abstentions – to “negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination” and encouraged all member states to participate.