SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good day everyone. Very good to see you all here in New York at the United Nations, and I must say that I am very pleased to be here on behalf of the administration, on behalf of the United States, to help kick off a critical 30-day—Review Conference for not – the proliferation treaty.
This has now been the case for 50 years. It has made a powerful difference to the world by making the world a safer place, making it less dangerous, ensuring that countries with nuclear weapons, including the United States, pursue disarmament; to ensure that countries that do not have nuclear weapons do not acquire them by maintaining and strengthening non-proliferation; and ensuring that countries can engage in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, something that is even more important as we address the challenges posed by climate change.
This is a critical moment for the NPT. It is also a challenge because different parts of this regime are under challenge. And of course we see that especially in the area of non-proliferation when we have challenges posed by Iran, North Korea and now in various ways by Russia.
So the next 30 days is the work that is being done here by countries around the world to reaffirm the Non-Proliferation Treaty, to strengthen it, to strengthen every one of its pillars – disarmament, non-proliferation, peaceful use – more more decisive than ever before.
The US will be here in force over the next month. We have about 60 people on our team who will be here every single day working with any country around the world that is looking to strengthen this very, very vital regime, a treaty that has made a huge difference over the last 50 years and needs. to continue to make a difference over the next 50 years. Thank you.
QUESTION: Thank you very much Ned and thank you –
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Nice to see you.
QUESTION: — MR. secretary. This is Pamala Falk from CBS News.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Yes. Good to see you.
QUESTION: We heard some pretty grim forecasts this morning from the Secretary-General about nuclear annihilation.
QUESTION: How concerned are you about Russian-occupied nuclear power plants in Ukraine like Zaporizhzhia – which are unsupervised – or Chernobyl? And what is your worst fear for e.g. talking about Pelosi’s trip to China?
SECRETARY BLINK: Well, first about Russia and Ukraine, step back for a second. Remember that when the Soviet Union dissolved, nuclear weapons were left on the territory of three new countries: Kazakhstan, Belarus and Ukraine. Ukraine had the confidence to give up the weapons that it inherited when the Soviet Union dissolved because of obligations that Russia undertook to respect and protect its sovereignty, its independence, its structural integrity. The fact that Russia has now done the exact opposite, that it has attacked Ukraine unprovoked in an attempt to wipe out that sovereignty and independence – it sends a terrible message to countries around the world who are making decisions about whether to pursue nuclear weapons or not. So just a step back, it’s usually important to recognize that.
Secondly, and more practically immediately, we are deeply concerned by the fact that Russia has taken over nuclear facilities in Ukraine, particularly in Zaporizhzhia, one of the largest nuclear facilities in Europe. There are credible reports, including in the media today, that Russia is using this facility as the equivalent of a human shield, but a nuclear shield in the sense that it is firing at Ukrainians from around the facility. And of course, the Ukrainians cannot and will not fire back, lest there be a terrible accident involving a nuclear power plant. So this is the height of irresponsibility. It is very important that the IAEA is given access to understand what is happening in these facilities and to ensure that they continue to be used in ways that maintain all the necessary safety and security obligations at the factories.
Regarding Taiwan, firstly, the President will make her own decisions about whether she will visit Taiwan. Congress is an independent, co-equal branch of government. The decision is entirely the chairman’s. What I can say is this: This is very precedent in the sense that previous speakers visited Taiwan. Many members of Congress are going to Taiwan this year as well. And so if the speaker decides to visit and China tries to create some kind of crisis or otherwise escalate tensions, it would be all Beijing. We are looking for them, in the event she decides to visit, to act responsibly and not engage in any escalation going forward.
QUESTION: Secretary Blinken, on the subject of grain, we know that a ship was able to –
QUESTION: — to leave the port of Odesa today with 26,000 (inaudible) grain by sea. Can you give us an update on how it’s going? Do you expect more to come out to help with the food shortage? And is it also a sign that tensions may ease?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: So this is a good and important first step. We were happy to see the first ship move. It has 26, 27,000 tons of grain, but keep in mind that there is something like 20 million tons that is in silos and in storage in Ukraine that has been held back by the Russian blockade of Odesa until now, and that must go out. It has to go to world markets, it has to go to places where people desperately need food, it has to go out so that prices also continue to fall, not up.
The test will be in the coming days and weeks. It’s a start, it’s important. I must say that the leadership of Secretary-General Guterres and the UN has been absolutely instrumental in getting us to today, where we are at least seeing the first ship move. But the test is now for real in the coming days and weeks. More ships must move, more grain must be on the market. That’s what will really make a difference.
QUESTION: Did you talk to Prime Minister Kishida —
QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Michelle Nichols of Reuters. They mentioned this morning that a return to the Iran nuclear deal would be the best outcome for the world.
QUESTION: Iranian officials have signaled their willingness to return to negotiations. Is the US ready to return to negotiations? And did Speaker Pelosi tell you she’s stopping in Taiwan tomorrow?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Second part first. We don’t know what Speaker Pelosi intends to do, but again, that’s entirely her decision, and one that we respect one way or another.
Second, on the JCPOA, we continue to believe, as I said this morning, that the best way forward would be a return to compliance by both sides with the JCPOA to ensure that we put Iran’s nuclear program back in a box and avert any kind of crisis. The EU has put forward a best proposal based on many, many months of discussions, negotiations, talks. It’s very consistent with something that they presented in March that we agreed we would pursue in March, but we — it remains to be seen whether Iran is willing and able to move forward.
So we remain prepared to move forward on the basis of what has been agreed. It remains unclear whether Iran is prepared to do so.
MR PRICE: We’ll take one last question right here. Yes.
QUESTION: Did you talk to Prime Minister Kishida about Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan? And did you share any concerns about that?
Sir. PRICE: I did not speak to the Prime Minister about it. I had the opportunity to speak with him briefly this morning, just to say how powerful it is that he is here on day one of the Non-Proliferation Review Conference. It sends a very strong message around the world. Japan’s commitment to disarmament, to non-proliferation, to the peaceful use of nuclear energy is crucial both as a matter of history and as a matter of Japan’s leadership in the world, and I think the Prime Minister sent a very strong message by being here today on the first day of the conference. And I just thanked him profusely for doing that.
