Shortly after midnight, the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons entered into force after the 51 necessary states ratified the treaty. Luxembourg, however, is not one of them.
Even today, victims of nuclear explosions have to live with the consequences. A ban would prevent such consequences.
The treaty stipulates that the signatory countries may not develop, test, purchase, occupy or stockpile nuclear weapons or other explosive devices under any circumstances, according to the ICRC's Helen Durham.
Not only would the treaty provide pathways towards the elimination of nuclear weapons, but it is a concrete step towards the implementation of existing obligations.
However, Luxembourg has not signed the treaty. In an attempt to put pressure on the government, many Luxembourgish communes are part of the international organisation 'Mayors for Peace', which advocates strongly against nuclear weapons. The commune syndicate Syvicol also called for support.
Emile Eicher affirmed that the separate councils have a responsibility towards the security of the citizens and their well-being. The events of 1945 especially triggered an international network for mayors who support the ban on nuclear weapons. Eicher therefore completely supports the treaty, and thinks it is normal for his commune to help the cause.
In 1989, Wiltz joined the organisation, but the number has increased to 60 ever since. Compared to our neighbouring countries, this is a high number relative to the country's size, Eicher says, with the exception of Belgium.
By joining the organisation, the mayors seek to prove to the government, how important a ban on nuclear weapons is to the population. The ratification of the UN treaty is a great way to start according to Eicher. He hopes that the government will understand the syndicate's message and sign the treaty after all.
However Francois Bausch, Minister of Defence, does not see much sense in the treaty. He believes Luxembourg is more active in a different framework (the Non-Proliferation Treaty) which it has been part of for 50 years. He continues by assuring that the existing treaty is not the final stop, but seeks an international agreement with the countries that still actively use nuclear weapons.
Finally, he sees the Mayors for Peace organisation as a fantastic way to show support for a nuclear weapon free world.
