For more than two decades of its independence, Ukraine has been a consistent supporter of the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, President Viktor Yanukovych said during his speech at the plenary session of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly, ForUm learned from the President’s press service.
Yanukovych noted that Ukraine has voluntarily given up the world's third nuclear arsenal and in this year the last stocks of highly enriched uranium were completely removed from our area.
"I believe that these important steps, as well as conducting in the last year in Kyiv the Summit on peaceful and innovative use of nuclear energy are worthy of emulation," he said.
"The Joint Declaration of Ukraine, Chile and Mexico, countries that make special efforts to neutralize the risks of using highly enriched uranium, is also worth mentioning," the President said, adding that the Declaration remains open for joining.
Yanukovych said that the ambitious goal of gradually eliminating nuclear weapons, unfortunately, still remains unrealized. In this regard, he stressed the need to provide for security guarantees to states, which have given up their nuclear arsenals and made other strategic concessions, in legally binding international instruments.
