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ee Oe VIENNA CONFERENCE ON INTEGRATION EI F, THE HUMANITARIAN IMPACT see Nemy ARS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA 8-9 DEC. 2014 Austrian Pledge Having hosted and chaired the Vienna Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear ‘Weapons from 8-9 December 2014 and in light ofthe important facts and findings th been presented at the international conferences in Oslo, Nayarit and Vienna, Austria, solely in her national capacity, ard without binding any otter participant. wants to go beyond the summary Just raed cut Aftor careful consiceration of the evidence, Austria has come to the ‘allowing inescapable conclusions and makes the subsequent pledge to take them forwers uit interested parties in azilable fora including in the context of the NPT and ils upconving 2015 Review Conference: Mindful of the unacceptable harm that victims of nuclear weapons explosions end nuclear ‘esting have experiences and recognising that that the rights and reeds of victims have not yot been acecuatoly addressed, Understanding that the immediate, mid- and long-term consequences of # nuclesr weepon explosion are significantly graver than it was understood in the past and will nat be constrained by national borders but have regional or even glabal effects, potentially threatening the survival of humanity Recognizing the complexity of and interreationship between these consequences on health environment, Infestructure, food security, cimate, development, social cohesion and the global economy that are systemic and potentially reversible, ‘Aware that the risk of @ nuclear weapon explosion is significantly greater then previously ‘ssumed and is indeed increasing with increased proliferation, the lowering of the technical thieshold fer nuclear weapon capability, the engoing modernisation of nuclear weapon arsenals in nuclear weapon possessing states, and the role that is attributed to nuclear \weapons in the nuclear doctrines of possessor states, Cogniscent of the fact that the risk of nuclear weapons use with their unaccestable consequences can only be avoided when all nuclear weapans have been eliminated, Emphasizing that the consequences of a nuclear weapon explosion and the risks associated with nuclesr weapans concern the security of all humanity and that all states share the responsibilty to prevent any use of nuclear sweapans, Emphasizing thet the scope of consequences of 2 nuclear weapan explosion and <isks associated reise profound moral and ethical cuestions that go beyond debates about the legality of nuclear weapons, Mincful that no national or international response capacity exists that would adequately respond to the humen suffering and humanitarian harm that would result from a nuclear \wespon exalosion in a populated area, and that such capacity most ikely ll never exist, {Affirming that i is in the interest of the very survival of humanity that nuclear weapons are never used again, under any circumstances, Reiterating the crucial role chat international organisations, relevant UN entities, tie Ree Cross and Red Crescent Movement, elected representatives, academia and cil society play far adventing the shared objective of # ructesr weapon free world, ‘Austria regards it as her responsibilty and consequently pledges to present the facts based tiscussions, findings and compelling oxidence of the Vienna Conference, which builds upon the previous conferences in Oslo and Nayarit al refevant for, in particular the NPT Reviow Conference 2075 and in the UN framewors, as they shauld be at the centre of al deliberations, obligations and commitments with cegerc to niclear disarmament, Austria pledges to follow the imperative of human security for all and te promote the protection of cuilians against risks stemming from nuclear weepons, ‘Austria cals on all states partias to the NPT to renew their commitment to the urgent and full implementation of existing obligations under Aricle Vi and to this end, to identify and Pursue effective measures to fil the legal gep for the prohibition and emination of nuclear ‘wespons and Austia pledges to cooperate w'th all stakehoiders to achieve this goal, Austria calls on all nucloar weapons possessor states to take concrete interim measures to reduce the risk of nuclear weapon detonations, including reducing the operational status oF nuclear weapons. and moving nuclear weapors away from deplayment into storage, diminishing the role of nuclear weapons in miltary doctrines and rapid reductions of all types of nuclear weapons, ‘Austria pledges to cooperate with all relevant stakeholders, States, International Organisations, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Mavemeats, paliamentarians and civ society, in efforts to stigmatise, prohibit end eliminate nuclear weapons in ight of ‘their unacceptable humanitarian consequences and assaciated risk.