The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:
The Secretary-General welcomes the vote of the United States Senate to support the ratification of the new Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START) today. This sends a firm and clear message in support of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
Recalling the follow-on actions agreed upon at the 2010 Review Conference of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Secretary-General believes that the United States ratification will help maintain the hard-won momentum in recent years for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. He hopes that the Russian Federation and the United States build upon this momentum and continue to engage in follow-on measures in order to achieve deeper reductions in their nuclear arsenals.
The Secretary-General looks forward to the entry into force of the Treaty. He reaffirms his full commitment to working towards achieving nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
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