Greenpeace International responds to nuclear testing conducted by North Korea

In response, Greenpeace International, Executive Director Bunny McDiarmid said:

“Greenpeace strongly condemns the alleged nuclear testing by North Korea. Greenpeace has opposed any kind of development, testing and use of nuclear weapons by any country since its founding in 1971. We are deeply alarmed by the news emerging from the region and by the prospects of looming escalation.

“We believe in a world where peace is achieved through diplomacy, negotiation and cooperation, not by threat, military escalation and brinkmanship.

“We urge all parties to rapidly de-escalate the situation and pull back from the brink. We call on the UN Security Council to uphold its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security on behalf of all humanity and not individual national interests.

“Furthermore, in a time where the threat of nuclear war has become, to some, thinkable again, world governments must use it as an impetus to come to their senses and disarm.

On September 20 a new treaty banning Nuclear Weapons will be open for signature at the UN. We urge all governments to sign and ratify the treaty so that we can finally rid the world of this evil invention - nuclear weapons.”

The nine nuclear armed states (the US, Russia, China, France, UK, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea) still hold an estimated 16,300 nuclear warheads at 98 sites in 14 countries. The five permanent members of the UN Security Council are all in possession of nuclear weapons.

Media contacts:

Greenpeace International Press Desk: pressdesk.int@greenpeace.org  +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours)