The Philippines has called on countries harboring nuclear weapons to strengthen the Non-Proliferation Regime, a complex of international agreements and organizations among nuclear and non-nuclear states, following concerns over the increasing role of nuclear forces in their security doctrine.
In a statement on Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations Maria Teresa Almojuela made the appeal as she recently met with her counterparts during the 10th Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
According to the DFA, Almojuela's concern stemmed from the lack of transparency in declaring the nuclear states' nuclear weapons stockpiles as well as the continued risks of instability in the geopolitical environment.
These were the reasons why she demanded negative security assurances from Nuclear Weapon States.
At the same meeting, Almojuela also cited the country's efforts in complying with non-proliferation obligations, specifically the Philippines enactment of the Strategic Trade Management Act that established the Strategic Trade Management Office in 2015 to fulfill its non-proliferation obligations.
"With the current challenging geopolitical environment, States Parties are faced with a daunting task of reviewing the effectiveness of the treaty in order to advance States Parties’ obligations to the treaty and reverse actions that undermine it," the DFA said.
The 10th Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is being held from August 1 to 26 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.