Conflicts & War

Guterres says discussion of nuclear conflict ‘totally unacceptable’

United Nations, Sep 22 (EFE).- United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres said Thursday that the discussion of a nuclear conflict was “totally unacceptable”.

“The idea of nuclear conflict, once unthinkable, has become a subject of debate,” the UN chief said addressing the General Assembly in New York.

“This in itself is totally unacceptable. All nuclear-armed states should recommit to the non-use and progressive elimination of nuclear weapons,” he continued to say.

Guterres added that the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest in Europe, remained a cause of “grave concern”.

“All attacks on nuclear facilities must end, and the purely civilian nature of such plants must be re-established.

“Any damage to nuclear infrastructure, whether deliberate or not, could have terrible consequences for people around the plant and far beyond,” he said, adding that “the world cannot afford a nuclear catastrophe.”

Guterres also said he was “deeply concerned” by plans to hold referendums in Ukrainian territories on joining Russia.

“I am also deeply concerned by reports of plans to organize so-called “referenda” in areas of Ukraine that are currently not under government control.

“Any annexation of a State’s territory by another State resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the UN Charter and of international law,” he said. EFE

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