04/01/2022 (Agence Europe) – The five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) expressed, on Monday 3 January, in a joint statement, that they “believe strongly that the further spread of such (nuclear) weapons must be prevented”. “Nuclear weapons—for as long as they continue to exist—should serve defensive purposes, deter aggression, and prevent war”, they added, saying that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. The five countries reaffirmed the importance of preserving and respecting bilateral and multilateral agreements and commitments on non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control. The statement comes as the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference began on 4 January and the Iran nuclear negotiations continue in Vienna. See the statement: https://bit.ly/3ES42lw (CG)