United States and Allies Protest U.N. Talks to Ban Nuclear Weapons<br />By SOMINI SENGUPTA and RICK GLADSTONEMARCH 27, 2017<br />UNITED NATIONS — Saying the time was not right to outlaw nuclear arms, the United States led a group of dozens of United Nations members on Monday<br />that boycotted talks at the global organization for a treaty that would ban the weapons.<br />Mr. Rycroft said his country was not participating in the talks "because we do not believe<br />that those negotiations will lead to effective progress on global nuclear disarmament." Ms. Haley questioned whether countries favoring a weapons ban understood the nature of global threats.<br />"It is absolutely clear that the time has not yet come for that." Proponents of a nuclear weapons ban have acknowledged the challenges of reaching a treaty, but have been encouraged by efforts<br />that led to landmark prohibitions on other weapons, including chemical weapons, land mines and cluster munitions.<br />Is there anyone who thinks that North Korea would ban nuclear weapons?" Ms. Haley<br />and other ambassadors standing with her, including envoys from Albania, Britain, France and South Korea, declined to take questions.<br />Referring to nations participating in the talks, she said, "You have to ask yourself, are they looking out for their people?" She cited North Korea<br />and Iran in articulating her opposition to the talks.
