The UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons went into force today. While 122 countries in the world are a party to this treaty, Iceland is not one of them.
Fréttablðið contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a clarification of Iceland’s position. In response, the Ministry said that their position is clear: their aim is for a world free of nuclear weapons. However, they believe that this goal is best achieved through the existing Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Iceland is a NATO country, and many NATO countries who did not vote in favour of the nuclear weapons ban have stated that such weapons, for example in the US, enhance their security. This was not a position put forward by Icelandic authorities, but support for Iceland’s participation in the ban still remains high.
RÚV reports that numerous organisations in Iceland have called upon the Icelandic government to be a party to the nuclear weapons ban. They include the Icelandic Red Cross, UNICEF, Amnesty International, the office of the Bishop of Iceland, the National Queer Organisation, and many others.
Ultimately it will be up to Parliament to decide whether Iceland takes part in the ban in the future, or maintains its current position.
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