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The “Mayors for Peace” network gathered here today was founded in 1982, but 23 years later we appear to belong to a political minority. It’s true that we represent the political will of citizens from more than 1,000 countries worldwide, to speak out for the abolition of nuclear weapons. However, in our everyday political lives we are discovering that ownership of nuclear weapons has once again been legitimised. Just a few weeks ago, the review conference of the non-proliferation treaty collapsed and in these times of growing international terrorism, countries with nuclear weapons are refusing to commit to further disarmament processes and are developing new kinds of weapons. Southern hemisphere countries are refusing to allow stricter monitoring of their atomic facilities, since they fully understand the symbolic value of nuclear status, and experts estimate that we will soon be able to identify 20 countries with nuclear weapons. 60 years after the terrible events of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the “nuclear taboo”, which has previously prevented the use of nuclear weapons, appears to be foundering.

This must be a shocking realisation for the people of Hiroshima, who are still suffering from the effects of the dreadful events of 60 years ago. Manifestly, there is still no real understanding of the principle of guilt and atonement.

This makes our voice more important than ever and this is why, I deliver to you today, Mr. Akiba, an appeal from members of the European Parliament. We the signatories have resolved to speak up for nuclear disarmament and call on the European Union to do everything in its power to ensure that nuclear weapons are never deployed again. By means of this statement, we want to encourage Mayors in our constituencies to join the “Mayors for Peace” movement assembled here.

I have successfully achieved this in my home city of Leipzig and am happy to announce that our Lord Mayor, Wolfgang Tiefensee, has become a member of this organisation, with the agreement with the Council of Elders of Leipzig City Council. Please allow me to pass on the personal greetings of Mr. Tiefensee to you all at this point. In his message of greeting, he remembers the demand of the East German peace movement in times of worldwide armament to “Turn swords into ploughshares”. He calls on us to talk about anxiety and depression as a consequence of violent conflict and not to conceal the opportunities that are lost in life, when government expenditure is devoted to armament instead of education and health care.

However, it is not enough to just collect signatures for the demands of “Mayors for Peace”. There must be more. A true movement will be created from this initiative, should we succeed in convincing our citizens that nuclear weapons must be banned worldwide and that a deep commitment to peace and disarmament is ultimately the most important legacy that we can leave our children and grandchildren. This commitment also includes the reconditioning and reparation processes – I know this only too well from my own experience in Germany. I will be listening very closely throughout the conference to what mechanisms you use in your various cities to achieve these aims.

Although this year’s review conference of the non-proliferation treaty represents a common standpoint for EU countries on fundamental questions, which is an enormous step forward, as a member of the European Parliament it is not only important to me that the European Union works for nuclear disarmament and against the further proliferation of nuclear technologies. We Europeans must clarify, whether and how Europe will become involved in measures to counter the further proliferation of nuclear weapons, as part of European Security and Defence Policy, within NATO or under the guise of the EU. As a member of the Green Faction of the European Parliament, I am convinced that multi-laterality and diplomacy must be given priority over bilateral agreements and military intervention. The additional protocol to the non-proliferation treaty must form the basis for monitoring obligations. The treaty relating to the comprehensive ban on nuclear weapons testing must ultimately be ratified by the remaining countries, in order for it to come into force. Nuclear countries themselves must take their obligations seriously with regard to nuclear disarmament, pursuant to Article 6 of the non-proliferation treaty. The USA must stop the development of new nuclear weapons, including mini-nukes for example, and must also submit a timetable for removing tactical nuclear weapons from its European military bases. Without this step, any demands made to other nations are not credible.

With today’s presentation of the call from members of the European Parliament to you, Mr. Akiba, we would like to show the people of Japan that they are not alone in their commemoration of the victims and political efforts to stop any repetition of this tragedy. Mr. Akiba, please allow us to take up the proposal contained in your public letter to the review conference and to create a new negotiation platform for the ban on nuclear weapons.

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