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The President of the NPT Review Conference, Viet Nam’s Ambassador Do Hung Viet, told journalists in New York that the danger of a nuclear war is “seen and is felt, I think, much more concretely these days” and said that without an outcome document from the Conference “I would not say it would be a success.”
As the 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) got underway, Do said it is convening “at a particularly challenging time,” and “the most challenging time for the NPT regime itself.”
Asked about Iran’s election as a conference’s vice-presidency, he said the nomination had been made “a few months ago, but the concern about Iran’s candidacy on emerged about a week ago,” and noted that it is “the right of any state party and the right of any group to nominate their candidates.”
The Ambassador said, “what we have managed to do is to get the agreement of all the states parties that instead of asking for a vote, they would instead disassociate themselves from the decision made at the conference. So, again, this is an issue that only came out about a week ago. So, it is not reflective of the consultations that I have had over the past eight months.”
Asked about Israel status as a non-member of the NPT, he said “there are continuous” calls for Israel, India, and Pakistan “to join the NPT as non-nuclear weapon states.”
Responding to a question on what would constitute a success, Do said, “if the conference is conducted smoothly, in an inclusive manner, where everyone is heard, everyone’s view can be reflected. I think that is also, it can be characterized as a good conference. But again, I would not say it would be a success.”
The Ambassador said, “nuclear rhetoric and arms race, nuclear arms race, is really looming. The threat to use nuclear weapons have been floating up there. The modernization and expansion of nuclear arsenals and the violation of international law, the level of mistrust amongst major powers and regional countries. So, the stakes are very, very high, actually.”
The 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is being held from 27 April to 22 May 2026 at United Nations Headquarters in New York
The NPT, in force since 1970 and extended indefinitely in 1995, is considered the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime.
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