Negotiations on a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination – concluding statement by Sweden.
In connection with today’s adoption of a treaty on prohibition of nuclear weapons by the conference, I would like to make the following explanation of vote.
Motivated by a humanitarian perspective, mindful of the urgent need to break the stalemate, and willing to explore any path with potential of delivering concrete results, Sweden decided to support, and participate in, these negotiations. Anything else, we felt, would be to evade an obligation, also enshrined in Article VI of the NPT. We joined a broad majority of the UN membership whose frustration with the lack of progress triggered this clear political stance against an increasingly dangerous status quo.
The result of this effort is now before us in the form of a treaty. It does not meet all the expectations we had. Despite the complexity of the matter, and the unprecedentedly limited time at our disposal, Sweden has voted in favour of the adoption of this treaty. Läs röstförklaringen