In the discussion, Minister Fajon underlined that Slovenia supports the 22 “stepping stones” approach for nuclear disarmament, which includes concrete goals, such as minimising conflict risk and accidental nuclear weapon use, reducing the role of nuclear weapons in their policies and doctrines, strengthening cooperation and building trust, enhancing transparency on arsenals and strengthening the nuclear arms control architecture. Slovenia also joined a separate document on reducing nuclear risks.  By joining the Initiative, Slovenia is enhancing its activities and contributing to global efforts for maintaining international peace and safety.

Minister Fajon called for the parties of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to reaffirm the Treaty as a keystone for creating global non-proliferation and disarmament architecture.  Progress is needed with regard to all the three pillars: disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. She confirmed that Slovenia will continue to closely cooperate with other countries of the Initiative, in their efforts to reach realistic and feasible goals, which will lead to a world without nuclear weapons.

The Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament was launched in 2019 at the initiative of Sweden and Germany, and currently has 16 founding and 24 associate member countries. Slovenia joined it in early July as it follows a pragmatic and result-oriented agenda in the field, representing an upgrade of the step-by-step approach that Slovenia has been advocating for years.

Today, Minister Fajon attended billateral meetings with Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, Argentinian Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero and representatives of Palestine and Kyrgyz Republic. She will go on to meet with her counterparts from Switzerland and Vietnam.