"An Island on a Continent"

• According to the Cuban Foreign Minister, there are «more than 13,000 nuclear weapons in the world, 3,825 of which are ready for immediate use.»

Belgrade, Aug 30 (Agencies) Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez reiterated his country’s position in favor of the prohibition and cessation of all nuclear tests and the total elimination of these weapons.

On the occasion of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, this August 29th, the foreign minister ratified the firm position of the island in this regard.

On August 3rd, Cuba stated at the United Nations (UN) its defense of a world free of the danger that these weapons represent and warned that political manipulation, selectivity and double standards in non-proliferation must cease.

The only sustainable solution to the existential problem that nuclear weapons represent is their total elimination, said Yuri Gala, deputy permanent representative of the Caribbean nation, speaking at the Tenth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). .

The diplomat lamented the lack of concrete progress in nuclear disarmament, in particular regarding the fulfillment of the obligations and commitments acquired by the nuclear powers 52 years after the entry into force of the treaty.

He pointed out that it is neither fair nor acceptable that a group of States Parties strictly comply with all the obligations of the NPT and others do not.

Nor is it that certain countries are condemned and demonized for alleged violations of the non-proliferation regime by the same States that continue perfecting their nuclear arsenals, supplying and transferring technologies, said the Cuban Ambassador.

The NPT entered into force in 1970 and has the adherence of 191 States, including five possessors of nuclear weapons, which makes it the multilateral disarmament agreement with a binding commitment and with the largest number of consents.

Cuba is a signatory to it and has reiterated on numerous occasions its firm position in favor of the total elimination of this weaponry in a transparent, verifiable and irreversible manner.