UNITED NATIONS, May 23 (AFP): Talks at the UN to reaffirm nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament goals failed on Friday, according to the leader of the talks, after four weeks of negotiations held amid low expectations.
Vietnam's Do Hung Viet, the president of the conference, said that "despite our best efforts... it is my understanding that the conference is not in a position to achieve agreement on its substantive work."
"I do not intend to put the document forward for adoption," he added. Negotiators were reviewing the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the cornerstone of nuclear weapons control, amid fears of a renewed arms race. Previous reviews in 2015 and 2022 were also unsuccessful.
With expectations low, participants negotiated over a repeatedly reviewed and watered-down text, which they ultimately failed to adopt.
Experts pointed out that even in the absence of a review agreement for the third time in a row, the treaty continues to exist, but with diminished legitimacy.
"The text keeps on becoming less and less anchored in the realities of current conflicts and proliferation risks," including North Korea and Iran, analyst Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group said before the outcome was announced. The latest version of the text seen by AFP on Friday merely stated that Tehran must "never" develop nuclear weapons.
The paragraph was in brackets, signaling persistent disagreement, despite the removal of the reference to Iran's "non-compliance" with its obligations that appeared in the first draft.
UN nuclear nonproliferation talks fail
FE Team | Published: May 23, 2026 22:09:15
UN nuclear nonproliferation talks fail
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