NAYARIT, Mexico, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement said Thursday from Mexico it is time to rid the world of nuclear weapons for good.
Delegates from the ICRC and Red Crescent met in Nayarit, Mexico, to discuss the potential humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, saying it was time to eliminate nuclear weapons "once and for all."
"The debate about nuclear weapons must be shaped by a full grasp of the short-, medium- and long-term consequences of their use," ICRC Vice President Christine Beerli said in a statement.
After the lingering effects of the nuclear weapons attacks on Japan in 1945, the agencies said the international community needs to show the collective will to prevent their future use. Beerli said the destructive power of nuclear weapons has only grown since atomic weapons were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Beerli said she welcomed steps made by members of the international community to discuss disarmament issues, but said the debate must extend beyond immediate security concerns to the lingering humanitarian issues associated with nuclear weapons.
The U.S. State Department issued a separate statement Thursday saying it organized a multilateral workshop to coordinate efforts aimed at ensuring nuclear material doesn't fall into the wrong hands.
"Sharing good practices and lessons learned regarding investigative and technical capabilities are crucial to effectively counter nuclear and radioactive materials smuggling," the State Department.
