Vienna – Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger on Monday warned of rising nuclear risks and an “appalling crisis” in international affairs, calling for a “paradigm shift” away from nuclear weapons and urging remaining states to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Speaking at the opening of the CTBT’s Science and Technology Conference in Vienna, Meinl-Reisinger said that mechanisms of international cooperation are not working well in the face of rising geopolitical tensions, ongoing conflicts, and climate change.
“We are confronted with a world in an appalling crisis,” she said, adding that while the scientific community understands that such complexity can only be addressed through cooperation, this view “is not universally shared among politicians.”
The foreign minister described nuclear weapons as one of the central elements of this crisis, posing an “existential threat to the survival of humanity.”
“Nuclear risks are on the rise,” she said, noting that scientific evidence underscores that the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons would be “greater, more complex and more global than previously understood.”
“From a rational perspective, it is clear that reliance on the threat of global destruction cannot be a sustainable way to ensure peace. A paradigm shift away from nuclear weapons is needed,” she stated.
Meinl-Reisinger said that bringing the CTBT into legal force and putting an end to nuclear test explosions is a key pillar of achieving this shift.
“Nearly 30 years after the CTBT was concluded, the remaining Annex II states should live up to their responsibilities vis-a-vis the entire international community and ratify the treaty,” she urged.
As the host country of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Meinl-Reisinger praised the treaty for establishing a “strong international norm against nuclear testing” and hailed the organisation’s monitoring system as a “scientific and technology marvel.”
She noted that more than 90% of the worldwide monitoring system has already been realised, ensuring that “no nuclear test would go unnoticed” and providing numerous other civilian and scientific benefits.
“This example of cooperation is more important today than ever, as we witness that multilateralism is being challenged on so many fronts,” she said.
