VIENNA, June 21 (KUNA) -- The First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) kicked off here on Tuesday -- chaired by the chief Austrian diplomat Alexander Kmnett.
The convention, scheduled on June 21-23, addresses extent of stakeholders' abidance by the treaty that went into effect as of January 22, 2021.
Chairperson of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer, addressing the event, underscored the humanitarian aspect of nations' adherence to the nuclear prohibition treaty.
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg regretted in his statement to the conferees some nations' abstention from joining the treaty.
Alluding to Russia's threats to employ nuclear arms, the minister said Moscow's threat, a few months ago, was basically "theoratical however it worries everyone now." He disclosed that 65 states have signed the treaty and 23 others have abstained from inking it. (end) amq.rk