Third International Conference on Nuclear Weapons Ends in Vienna

© AP Photo / Juan Carlos LlorcaLt. Col. Jason Crowe closes a radiation contaminated bunker at Ft. Bliss, Texas. (File)
Lt. Col. Jason Crowe closes a radiation contaminated bunker at Ft. Bliss, Texas. (File) - Sputnik International
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The two day conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons has come to a end in Vienna.

VIENNA, December 9 (Sputnik), Daria Chernyshova — The third conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons has come to a close in Vienna, Austria with almost 160 nations, international organizations and representatives of civil society calling for the immediate ban on nuclear weapons.

The United States and Russia have to find a way to co-exist peacefully, which would guarantee that neither country would use a nuclear weapon no matter what the political landscape. - Sputnik International
US, Russia Should Exclude Use of Nuclear Weapons: Experts
"The impact of the detonation of a nuclear weapon, irrespective of the cause would not be constrained by natural boundaries. It could have real global consequences, causing destruction, death and displacement, as well as profound and long-term damage to the environment, climate, health, human health and well-being… and could even threaten the survival of human kind," the final statement of the conference stressed.

The two day conference saw discussions on various aspects of the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, including the impact on human health and the environment, as well as reviews of the risks of the accidental use of nuclear weapons due to the fallible nature of both technology and humanity.

The participants of the conference underlined that the use and testing of nuclear weapons has already had a catastrophic effect, and left radioactive contamination in many parts of the world.

The United Kingdom believes a complete and immediate ban on nuclear weapons will endanger political stability, the British delegation to the Third International Conference on Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons said in its final statement. - Sputnik International
UK Fears Political Instability in Wake of Blanket Nuclear Weapons Ban
"As long as nuclear weapons exist, there remains the possibility of a nuclear explosion. Even if the probability is small, given the catastrophic consequences of a nuclear weapon detonating, the risk is unacceptable," the final statement underlined.

The participants of the conference urged that leaders seize the opportunity to reduce those risks now.

The conference in Vienna is the third conference of its kind, and it was finally attended by some of the five officially recognized nuclear powers, who had previously declined to attend — the United States and the United Kingdom.

Unlike all the other statements made by every participant of the conference, the British delegation made it clear that it did not consider a complete ban on nuclear weapons viable as it would endanger political stability, so that it would preserve its nuclear stockpile until absolutely necessary.

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