UN disarmament chief: nuclear arms race is threatening world

U.N. disarmament chief warned Wednesday that specter of an unbridled nuclear arms race is threatening world for first time since 1970s, height of Cold War between United States and former Soviet Union.

Izumi Nakamitsu didn’t name any countries but she was clearly referring to United States and Russia, and possibly China, when she told U.N. Security Council that “relationships between states — especially nuclear-weapon states — are fractured.”

“So-called great power competition is order of day,” Nakamitsu said. “Division, distrust and a dearth of dialogue are increasingly rm.”

Russia-U.S. relations have been at post-Cold War lows since Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea.

Last year, Russia and U.S. both withdrew from 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, U.S. saying it pulled out because of Russian violations and Kremlin denying breaching treaty’s terms. Russia has said U.S. also appears reluctant to extend New START treaty, only treaty governing number of strategic nuclear weapons deployed by two countries, which expires in 2021.

Last week, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper touted a multibillion-dollar plan for a top-to-bottom modernization of America’s nuclear arsenal to keep up with Russia and outpace China. In late December, Russia’s defense minister reported to President Vlimir Putin that a new intercontinental weapon that can fly 27 times speed of sound h become operational, bolstering country's nuclear strike capability.

Nakamitsu warned that “ specter of unconstrained nuclear competition looms over us for first time since 1970s.”

“We are witnessing what has been termed a qualitative nuclear arms race — one t based on numbers but on faster, stealthier and more accurate weapons,” she said. “Regional conflicts with a nuclear dimension are worsening, and proliferation challenges are t receding.”

Security Council meeting was requested by Germany to commemorate 50th anniversary of Nuclear nproliferation Treaty on March 5 and to support upcoming conference to review and vance its goals which starts April 27 and ends May 22.

Russia and United States clashed at meeting over breakdown in arms control negotiations.

But y supported a statement by 15-member Security Council saying treaty, kwn as NPT, “remains cornerstone of nuclear nproliferation regime and foundation for pursuit of nuclear disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.”

council resolved to vance NPT’s goals and underlined treaty's essential role “in preservation of international peace, security and stability as well as ultimate objective of a world without nuclear weapons.”

Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told council that despite its achievements “ NPT is facing serious setbacks: Nuclear disarmament has come to a standstill. New techlogies are creating dangerous strategic imbalances. And proliferation crises are demanding our fullest attention.”

He pointed to rth Korea acquiring nuclear weapons, disregarding NPT and Security Council resolutions, as a key failure.

Maas said only realistic way ahe is applying pressure and stepping up nuclear diplomacy.

He urged international support for U.S. efforts to negotiate with rth Korea, and for 2015 Iran nuclear deal which “remains best and only promising tool to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.”

Russia’s U.N. Ambassor Vassily Nebenzia blamed breakdown of nuclear and arms control agreements on “attempts by one state to dominate world and to impose on international community its rules at expense of interests of or states and of international law” — a clear reference to United States.

He said U.S. has igred a Russian proposal to impose a moratorium on medium- and short-range ballistic missile systems. And he said Putin is still waiting for an answer to his proposal to extend New Start treaty “without any preconditions.”

Nebenzia also accused Trump ministration of “lowering threshold for possible use of nuclear weapons’’ and accused NATO countries of practicing “joint nuclear missions, which include elements of nuclear planning.”

Acting U.S. deputy ambassor Cherith rman Chalet said that vancing to a world without nuclear weapons “must take into account global security environment.”

“We cant overlook actions of those states that are expanding and modernizing ir nuclear stockpiles, as well as developing exotic delivery systems, threatening ir neighbors, and violating ir arms control agreements,” she said in a clear reference to Russia and China.

Looking ahe to NPT review conference, Chalet said United States seeks “a positive outcome that reflects consensus on as bro a basis as possible” and avoid divisive positions.

“States must also be united in goal of final, fully verified denuclearization of rth Korea” and remain committed “to a secure, peaceful, and bring future for rth Korea if it fulfills its obligations,” she said. “And we must remain united in our determination that Iran never acquire a path to nuclear weapons.”

Russia’s Nebenzia said it’s important for nuclear and n-nuclear states to join efforts “to ease tensions and confrontation.”

“It’s important that review conference of 2020 contribute to strengning nproliferation regime rar than weakening it,” he said, “In or words, be as n-confrontational as possible.”