MOSCOW, October 29. /TASS/. Moscow, London, Beijing, Washington and Paris won’t sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), a joint statement made at the First Committee of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly said.

"We will not support, sign or ratify this Treaty. The TPNW will not be binding on our countries, and we do not accept any claim that it contributes to the development of customary international law; nor does it set any new standards or norms. We call on all countries that are considering supporting the TPNW to reflect seriously on its implications for international peace and security," the statement published on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website said.

The sides firmly believe that the best way to "achieve a world without nuclear weapons is through a gradual process that takes into account the international security environment." "This proven approach to nuclear disarmament has produced tangible results, including deep reductions in the global stockpiles of nuclear weapons," the statement said.

Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom and the United States believe that the TPNW runs counter to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and bears the risks of undermining it. The five nuclear weapon states say the document ignores the international security context and regional challenges, does nothing to increase trust and transparency between States and will not result in the elimination of a single weapon.

"It is creating divisions across the international non-proliferation and disarmament machinery, which could make further progress on disarmament even more difficult," the statement said.

Russia, the UK, China, the US and France are committed to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the organization of negotiations on nuclear disarmament.

"We, the nuclear weapon States recognized by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, reaffirm our commitment to the Treaty, in all its aspects, fifty years since its signature," the document says. "We remain committed under the Treaty to the pursuit of good faith negotiations on effective measures related to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control."

The sides support the ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons with undiminished security for all. "We are committed to working to make the international environment more conducive to further progress on nuclear disarmament," the statement says.

Russia, the UK, China, the US and France call on all states to commit to the continued success of the Non-Proliferation Treaty: "to ensure compliance, to promote universalisation, to ensure the highest standards of non-proliferation, and to respond to ongoing and emerging proliferation challenges, wherever they occur. In this context our five countries reiterate our commitment to continue our individual and collective efforts within the NPT framework to advance nuclear disarmament goals and objectives," the document says.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was adopted in July 2017. The document can only enter into force when 50 states ratify it. A total of 69 countries have signed the treaty and 19 of them have ratified it.