Message of Cuba to the World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs
Nagasaki, August 9, 2024
Dairon Ojeda
Charge d’affaires ad interim
Embassy of Cuba in Japan
I am honored to participate as Cuba’s representative in this new edition of the World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, in the beautiful city of Nagasaki, which constitutes -together with Hiroshima- a symbol of peace, resilience, and permanent reflection on the urgency of advocating, among all of us, for a world free of nuclear weapons.
I would like to thank the Organizing Committee of this World Conference for the invitation and, at the same time, extend my warmest greetings to the participants.
The current international scenario is increasingly dangerous and challenging. International peace and security are threatened by conflicts; unconventional warfare; acts of aggression and attempts at regime change; the imposition of unilateral economic sanctions by major powers against developing countries; and an alarming arms race that each year allocates increasing resources, which are essential for the sustainable development of our nations. In this context, the existence of nuclear weapons constitutes a threat to the very survival of humanity.
Given this reality, Cuba rejects the existence, proliferation or use of nuclear weapons, and other weapons of mass destruction, as well as the development and use of new weapons and new ways of waging war. These principles of the Cuban foreign policy are endorsed in the Constitution of the Republic, approved by a popular referendum in 2019, as proof of the political will of the Cuban State and the popular support for this sensitive and urgent issue.
This position is based on the humanist thinking of the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, who was a tireless fighter in favor of nuclear disarmament. It is worth remembering at this moment that Fidel paid tribute in 2003 to the victims of the cruel atomic bombing by the United States in Hiroshima. On that occasion, he said: “May such barbarism never happen again”.
Fidel Castro also exchanged on several occasions with Hibakushas and members of Peace Boat during his trips to Cuba. In particular, in March 2012, he received ten Hibakushas and the more than 700 cruise passengers of Peace Boat, on its 15th visit to our island. At the Global Forum for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons held on that occasion, we learned firsthand about the horrors perpetrated in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and made clear our commitment to the struggle for peace and the survival of humankind.
Unfortunately, the current scenario remains uncertain. Meanwhile, exorbitant resources are squandered on sophisticated killing devices, official development aid commitments are not met, and millions of people around the world continue to suffer from hunger and poverty. The international community cannot remain passive or silent in the face of the increase and modernization of nuclear arsenals; and the strengthening of the role of these weapons in the defense and security doctrines of certain nuclear-weapon States, which are increasingly ready to consider the use of these weapons.
Discussions and intermediate steps towards nuclear risk reduction should not distract us from the goal of achieving a world free of nuclear weapons. Non-proliferation is not an end in itself, but a step towards achieving nuclear disarmament. Cuba has always rejected the selective and double-standard approach to this issue. At the same time, we consider that military postures and doctrines on nuclear deterrence, strategic stability, or the need to “create the conditions for nuclear disarmament” must be abandoned once and for all.
Nuclear disarmament is and should continue to be the highest priority in the area of disarmament, given the existential threat that this weapon represents for humanity. In this regard, we stress the importance of achieving practical commitments that clearly reflect the primary responsibility of the nuclear-weapon States to fulfill this objective in a transparent, verifiable, and irreversible manner, and within a defined time frame.
In this endeavor, we are proud to have been the fifth State to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), in force since January 2021. This is a necessary instrument to effectively advance the nuclear disarmament provision contained in Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). We believe that, with the prohibition of nuclear weapons as a norm of international law, clearly embodied in the TPNW, we have taken a fundamental step on the road to the total and irreversible elimination of nuclear weapons.
We call for a greater effort towards the universalization and institutionalization of the TPNW as part of the multilateral disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control architecture. In this regard, we are pleased that the Latin American and Caribbean region currently has the largest number of States Parties to the TPNW.
Our region, despite its diversity, was a pioneer in having Latin America and the Caribbean become the first densely populated area in the world to be declared a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone through the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco). It has also shown its commitment to nuclear disarmament with the Special Declarations of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC, in Spanish).
The issue of disarmament must be addressed with a sense of urgency because a simple human error could doom the entire planet.
That is why we consider it an unavoidable duty to join in the commemoration every September 26 of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, which contributes to the United Nations’ objective of preserving international peace and security. We are proud that this achievement is based on an initiative promoted by the Non-Aligned Movement and endorsed by the international community.
From this city, which witnessed one of the most horrendous and unjustified crimes ever committed, we ratify the motto that guides this World Conference: ” Together with the Hibakusha, let us achieve a nuclear weapon-free, peaceful and just world — for the future of the humankind and our planet”.
Thank you very much.