United States and Allies Protest U.N. Talks to Ban Nuclear Weapons
By SOMINI SENGUPTA and RICK GLADSTONEMARCH 27, 2017
UNITED NATIONS — Saying the time was not right to outlaw nuclear arms, the United States led a group of dozens of United Nations members on Monday
that boycotted talks at the global organization for a treaty that would ban the weapons.
Mr. Rycroft said his country was not participating in the talks "because we do not believe
that those negotiations will lead to effective progress on global nuclear disarmament." Ms. Haley questioned whether countries favoring a weapons ban understood the nature of global threats.
"It is absolutely clear that the time has not yet come for that." Proponents of a nuclear weapons ban have acknowledged the challenges of reaching a treaty, but have been encouraged by efforts
that led to landmark prohibitions on other weapons, including chemical weapons, land mines and cluster munitions.
Is there anyone who thinks that North Korea would ban nuclear weapons?" Ms. Haley
and other ambassadors standing with her, including envoys from Albania, Britain, France and South Korea, declined to take questions.
Referring to nations participating in the talks, she said, "You have to ask yourself, are they looking out for their people?" She cited North Korea
and Iran in articulating her opposition to the talks.