Australia Stands in the Way of Nuclear Weapons Ban

Australia has remained steadfast in its opposition to an international ban on nuclear weapons at a U.N. meeting on nuclear disarmament by forcing an unexpected vote on a report seeking to start disarmament negotiations.

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The report recommended that negotiations for banning nuclear weapons start in 2017.  The report was thought to be passed unanimously at the conference on disarmament on Friday in Geneva. But Australian representatives demanded a vote that eventually went against their favor; approved by 69 nations, opposed by 22, with 13 abstaining.

The recommendations in the report support “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination." Formal negotiations will take place at an international conference, after the proposal is tabled at the U.N. General Assembly.

Australian officials told Friday's conference that a blanket ban on nuclear arms would not practically facilitate disarmament. Australia’s attempt to disrupt disarmament efforts was “shameful and outrageous,” Tim Wright from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, was quoted by the Guardian.

“Australia is resisting the tide of history. A majority of nations believe that nuclear weapons are unacceptable and must be prohibited” Wright said.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has previously stated that they oppose nuclear disarmament because of threats from North Korea and Iran, citing their reliance on deterrence from U.S. nuclear arms.

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The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI, estimated in 2016 that the U.S., Russia, China, France, the U.K., India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea possess over 15,000 nuclear weapons.

Western nations have been criticized for their double standard of condemning nuclear testing for nations such as North Korea, while possessing massive arsenals themselves. Recent moves towards disarmament have been seen as a result of little gains made under non-proliferation treaties following the end of the Cold War.

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As of yet no major power has disarmed their nuclear program. South Africa is a notable example, who renounced their arms program in 1991.

During the Geneva talks, it was also reported that Pakistan had asked India if it would agree to a mutual ban on the testing of nuclear weapons between the long time rivals.