Tokyo Aug 9 (IANS) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Thursday urged countries possessing nuclear weapons to lead non-proliferation efforts during the commemoration of Nagasaki bombing s 73rd anniversary
Guterres who has been in Japan since Tuesday delivered a speech during the ceremony paying homage to the victims of the nuclear attack and expressed his respect for the residents of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Efe news reported.
"The cities are a beacon of hope and strength and a monument to the resilience of its people but fears of nuclear war are still with us. Millions of people live in a shadow cast by the dread of unthinkable carnage " he said referring to the fears of a possible nuclear conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
Stressing that many countries continue to spend "vast sums to modernize their arsenals" slowing down the disarmament process Guterres said that countries possessing nuclear weapons have a special responsibility to lead non-proliferation efforts
"There can be no more Hiroshimas no more Nagasakis " he said.
The US had dropped two nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9 1945 respectively. The explosions immediately killed around 1.2 lakh people and its radiations were felt till much later.

--IANS mag/vm