“A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.” These words can be found in the joint statement released by the White House on Jan. 3, 2022, in which five of the most powerful countries of the world pledged to avoid nuclear war.
The countries that signed the joint statement are the U.S., Russia, China, the U.K. and France, also known as the “P5,” as they are permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. According to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, the P5 also have the most nuclear warheads in the world.[1]
In wondrous synchronicity, on Sept. 8, 2022, we will be commemorating the 65th anniversary of second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda’s Declaration for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons. On Sept. 8, 1957, in front of the 50,000 youth members in attendance at a Soka Gakkai youth festival, Mr. Toda entrusted all Soka Gakkai youth with the mission to abolish nuclear weapons. He famously declared: “We, the citizens of the world, have an inviolable right to live. Anyone who jeopardizes that right is a devil incarnate, a fiend, a monster.”[2]
Ikeda Sensei, who, more than anyone, inherited the will of Mr. Toda to eradicate nuclear weapons. He has written peace proposals and editorials, and held countless dialogues. In his 2018 peace proposal, Sensei writes:
Why have I focused so singlemindedly on finding a resolution to the nuclear issue? This is because, just as Josei Toda discerned, so long as nuclear weapons exist the quest for a world of peace and human rights for all will remain elusive.[3]
—Prepared by the World Tribune staff
Joint Statement of the Five Nuclear-Weapon States on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races
The People’s Republic of China, the French Republic, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America consider the avoidance of war between Nuclear-Weapon States and the reduction of strategic risks as our foremost responsibilities.
We affirm that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. As nuclear use would have far-reaching consequences, we also affirm that nuclear weapons—for as long as they continue to exist—should serve defensive purposes, deter aggression and prevent war. We believe strongly that the further spread of such weapons must be prevented.
We reaffirm the importance of addressing nuclear threats and emphasize the importance of preserving and complying with our bilateral and multilateral non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control agreements and commitments. We remain committed to our Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) obligations, including our Article VI obligation “to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.”
We each intend to maintain and further strengthen our national measures to prevent unauthorized or unintended use of nuclear weapons. We reiterate the validity of our previous statements on de-targeting, reaffirming that none of our nuclear weapons are targeted at each other or at any other State.
We underline our desire to work with all states to create a security environment more conducive to progress on disarmament with the ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons with undiminished security for all. We intend to continue seeking bilateral and multilateral diplomatic approaches to avoid military confrontations, strengthen stability and predictability, increase mutual understanding and confidence, and prevent an arms race that would benefit none and endanger all. We are resolved to pursue constructive dialogue with mutual respect and acknowledgment of each other’s security interests and concerns.
This joint statement was published on whitehouse.gov on Jan. 3, 2022.
References
- https://www.icanw.org/nuclear_arsenals <accessed on Jan. 4, 2022>. ↩︎
- “Declaration for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons,” https://www.worldtribune.org/2017/08/declaration-abolition-nuclear-weapons/ <accessed on Jan. 4, 2022>. ↩︎
- https://www.daisakuikeda.org/sub/resources/works/props/2018-peace-proposal-full/ <accessed on Jan. 4, 2022>. ↩︎
You are reading {{ meterCount }} of {{ meterMax }} free premium articles