"Let me remind you that nuclear disarmament is not just an ardent desire of the people, as expressed in many resolutions of the United Nations. It is a legal commitment by the five official nuclear states, entered into when they signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty"

Joseph Rotblat emphasizes the fundamental obligation that rests on the official nuclear-armed states due to their participation in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He frames nuclear disarmament not merely as a popular or moral aspiration but as a binding legal duty, established under international law. Rotblat highlights a critical distinction: while the global desire to ban nuclear weapons has often found expression through numerous United Nations resolutions, the commitment of the five nuclear states, the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France, has a more concrete foundation. Their signatures on the NPT represent not just a diplomatic gesture, but a formal promise made to the international community that carries legal and ethical weight.

Rotblat’s words stress accountability. The NPT, which entered into force in 1970, was built on a bargain: non-nuclear states agreed not to acquire nuclear weapons; in return, the five recognized nuclear powers committed to pursuing nuclear disarmament and to facilitate access to peaceful nuclear technology. The ongoing possession and modernization of nuclear arsenals by these states, therefore, do not simply defy global expectations; they violate an agreement they solemnly entered. When official nuclear-armed countries neglect or delay their disarmament responsibilities, they undermine both the spirit and the letter of the NPT, weakening trust in international law and encouraging nuclear proliferation.

Rotblat reminds his audience that enduring global security depends on fulfilling these promises. By shifting the focus from aspiration to obligation, he removes ambiguity, urging the nuclear states to acknowledge that their pledges have the force of law. Public will and legal obligation align in the call for disarmament, reinforcing the collective demand for a world free of nuclear threat. For Rotblat, the path forward requires not only honoring popular hopes but also respecting, and acting upon, international legal commitments solemnly made to all of humanity.