On Tuesday (4 December), Mongolia marked the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the UN resolution that recognises its security and nuclear-weapon-free status. Already, 26 years have passed since Mongolia first declared itself a nuclear free zone at the UN Assembly in 1992. From the outset, however, the five nuclear weapon states namely the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France – known as the P5 – have been reluctant to consider the issue, believing that establishing single-state nuclear-weapon free zones (NWFZs) would distract from and impede the promotion of existing zones. Subsequently, Mongolia, which is sandwiched between Russia and China, reached agreements with the P5 regarding its nuclear-weapon-free status and the significance of that status for efforts to strengthen regional confidence and predictability.

The policies of the P5, clearly demonstrate that they are keen to perpetuate possession of the weapons indefinitely, thus increasing the risk of their further proliferation.

Over the past couple of years the world has seen North Korea testing missiles that could strike US soil; last month, Trump unilaterally scrapping the landmark 1987 Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Moscow, and both the United States and Russia developing a new generation of weapons. Without doubt the world has entered a new Arms Race and the madness of possible global annihilation; the nations should pause and consider the wisdom of Mongolia.