ASEAN Member States welcome the ‘Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Five Nuclear-Weapon States on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races’ on 3 January 2022 in which the five Nuclear-Weapon States (NWS) emphasized the importance of preserving and complying with bilateral and multilateral non-proliferation, disarmament, and arms control agreements and commitments.

We welcome the intention expressed by the five NWS in the above-mentioned statement to avoid military confrontations, to strengthen stability and predictability, and to increase mutual understanding and confidence, to ensure that the world remains peaceful, stable and secure. We, however, remain concerned over the existential threat facing humanity posed by the existence and modernisation of nuclear weapons. We firmly believe that the total

elimination of nuclear weapons is the only way to guarantee against their use and threat of use.

Download the full statement here.