Representatives of US, UK, France, China and Russia discuss nuclear weapons

The United States convened a working meeting of experts from China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom in June to discuss nuclear weapons, including reducing the related strategic risks.

Source: The US Department of State on 23 June, reporting the meeting which occurred on 13-14 June, as written by European Pravda

Details: During the meeting of five Nuclear Weapons States, foreign affairs and defence officials "discussed strategic risk reduction, as well as nuclear doctrines and policy", according to a State Department press release.

Quote: "The U.S. delegation welcomed the professional approach of the delegations and the inclusion of defense officials in the thematic discussions," the department noted.

Details: The United States, as the presiding country of the discussions, "will continue efforts to facilitate discussion among nuclear experts from these five countries on these important topics".

The meeting was held within the framework of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), adopted in 1970 by the five states with a confirmed nuclear weapons stockpile who are also permanent members of the UN Security Council.

The NPT seeks to stop the spread of nuclear weapons potential and to guarantee the right of state parties to develop atomic energy for peaceful purposes.

Background: Earlier this month, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute noted that the number of operational nuclear weapons had increased globally as countries implemented long-term plans to modernise and expand their armed forces.

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