wfn.org | Assembly Promotes Citizen's Pledge on Nuclear Weapons

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

19-June-1997 
GA79089 
 
           Assembly Promotes Citizen's Pledge on Nuclear Weapons 
 
                           by Nancy Rodman 
 
SYRACUSE--The 209th General Assembly Wednesday evening urged Presbyterians 
to make personal commitments to the cause of world peace by considering 
signing the Citizen's Pledge (below) to abolish all nuclear weapons and to 
participate in education and advocacy efforts for arms control and 
disarmament. 
 
    The Assembly renewed its call for the ratification and implementation 
of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and for implementation of the Chemical 
Weapons Ban Treaty and the revised Protocol on Antipersonnel Mines. 
Congregations and presbyteries are encouraged to advocate with their 
Representatives and Senators for ratification and implementation of the 
treaties. 
 
    The Assembly commended those countries and world leaders who have given 
concrete direction and guidance in achieving the completion of the 
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and celebrated those in business and science 
who are giving their lives to the destruction of weapons and to the 
conversion of weapons to peacetime use. 
 
                          Citizen's Pledge 
 
    Nuclear weapons threaten life, liberty and security of person.  A world 
free of nuclear weapons is a human right.  Nuclear weapons serve no 
justifiable purpose, and pose a long-term threat to all forms of life. 
Reliance by governments on these weapons, which threaten massive death and 
destruction, is immoral.  The responsibility for ending this reliance lies 
with all of us, and particularly the citizens of the nuclear weapons 
states. 
 
    Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons 
(NPT), signed by more than 160 nations, calls `for negotiations in good 
faith on effective measures related to cessation of the nuclear arms race 
at an early date and to nuclear disarmament'  I support the goal of nuclear 
disarmament.  I urge all governments, and specifically my own government, 
to immediately initiate negotiations for an International Treaty on 
Comprehensive Nuclear Disarmament. 
 
    I pledge to seek the abolition of all nuclear weapons in the world, and 
to take all actions within my capabilities toward realizing this goal. 
 
    Signature:___________________.  Return to Presbyterian Peace 
Fellowship, Box 271, Nyack, NY 10960. 

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