Vatican warns against nuclear armament and integration of AI in military systems

The Vatican has warned that updating, expanding, and escalating rhetoric surrounding nuclear arsenals increases international instability and holds peace hostage to the threat of mass destruction, calling for intensified efforts toward nuclear disarmament.

Nuclear weapons danger

Monsignor Christophe Cazes, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, stated during a discussion session on arms in New York that the continued existence of nuclear weapons constitutes one of the most dangerous threats facing humanity, noting that the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons transcend geographical boundaries and generations.

Cazes emphasized that relying on nuclear deterrence as a security guarantee is based on a false belief, as building security on the threat of using weapons capable of causing massive destruction keeps humanity in a state of constant fragility and danger.

Disarmament and treaties

He affirmed that the sustainable solution to nuclear risks lies in the complete elimination of these weapons, and that measures aimed at reducing nuclear risks, no matter how important, cannot replace disarmament. He called on nuclear-armed states to fulfill their obligations under Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Cazes also affirmed his support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, calling on states to strengthen its implementation and expand its accession, and called for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty to enter into force, while maintaining the existing voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing.

Risks of artificial intelligence

He also warned of additional risks arising from the integration of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies into nuclear systems, particularly their potential impact on decisions that could have extremely serious consequences, stressing the need to always maintain effective and responsible human control.

This call at the United Nations extends the Vatican’s intensive diplomatic efforts, warning that the integration of emerging digital technologies with military arsenals places humanity before an unprecedented existential crossroads.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)