The United Nations General Assembly is resuming this week negotiations on a legally binding global prohibition on nuclear weapons. The body released at the end of May its first draft of the ban treaty, which details prohibitions on the use, production, transfer, and testing of such weapons. Negotiations resume from June 15 to July 7, after which the conference will submit a report to the General Assembly’s 72nd session in September.
Roughly 40 nations boycotted the initial negotiations that began in March — including the nuclear-weapon states France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Still, the General Assembly produced a draft under which states parties would agree never to develop, produce, possess, or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; transfer or receive such weapons; use them; conduct nuclear test explosions; and conduct related activities.