WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the below statement to coincide with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, which begins today (August 1):
“I’m very pleased to see the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference begin today in New York. After a two year delay, this year’s Conference must reaffirm the Treaty as a cornerstone of the global nuclear nonproliferation regime.
“The Biden administration must use this gathering to rally all NPT States Parties to reject Russia, China, and Iran’s continued efforts to undermine the Treaty’s core tenets. In his address, I was encouraged to see Secretary Blinken single out Russia’s egregious disregard for the NPT’s core principles with its brutal invasion of Ukraine, dangerous nuclear rhetoric, and military activities at Ukrainian civil nuclear facilities. Similarly, we can’t ignore China’s massive nuclear buildup or Iran’s blatant neglect of its IAEA nuclear Safeguards Agreement, thwarting efforts to verify its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes.
“As members meet to address these concerns and renew the international community’s commitment to the Treaty’s three pillars of non-proliferation, disarmament, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy, the United States is making clear we remain committed to leading international efforts to strengthen the existing nuclear nonproliferation regime.”
###