: Nuclear-free Mongolia a ‘symbol of peace in a troubled world’: Guterres #IndiaNEWS #International In a visit to Mongolia on Tuesday, Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the UN’s

Nuclear-free Mongolia a ‘symbol of peace in a troubled world’: Guterres #IndiaNEWS #International
In a visit to Mongolia on Tuesday, Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the UN’s full solidarity for the country, which he described as “a symbol of peace in a troubled world�?.

Mr. Guterres was speaking to journalists at a press conference in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, following a meeting with the Foreign Minister, Battsetseg Batmunkh.

My gratitude to President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa & the people of Mongolia for their generous hospitality.
Mongolia has shown its commitment to non-proliferation & disarmament by declaring itself a nuclear-weapon-free zone.
I hope many other countries will follow this example. pic. twitter. com/wmdI4Cgfag
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 9, 2022

He stated that in a world with dramatic geopolitical divides, and where conflicts proliferate everywhere, Mongolia as an area free of nuclear weapons is an example for other countries to follow.  
No more nuclear weapons
“We live in a world where for the first time in decades people are thinking that a nuclear war might be possible again,�? said Mr. Guterres.
“There is only one way to be absolutely sure that a nuclear war is impossible, and that way is if there are no nuclear weapons. �?
Mongolia is the latest stop on the Secretary-General’s visit to Asia, which began in Japan on Friday.
Tribute to peacekeepers
Over the past six decades, the country has become an increasingly important contributor to the UN’s work, he said.
Mr. Guterres expressed gratitude to Mongolian peacekeepers serving at UN peace operations, “often in the most challenging settings and with courage in the way they protect civilians where unfortunately, there’s sometimes no peace to keep�?.
The Secretary-General had met with Mongolia’s President, Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, and other senior officials, earlier on Tuesday.
They discussed the geopolitical situation in the region, the challenges Mongolia faces as a landlocked country, and national efforts to tackle climate change.  

UN Mongolia/Rentsendorj Bazarsuk
Secretary-General António Guterres at a tree planting event attended by H. E. Mr. Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, President of Mongolia.

‘Make peace with nature’
Relatedly, Mr. Guterres also joined young people and peacekeepers at a tree-planting ceremony, part of Mongolia’s One Billion Trees campaign to address climate change and desertification.
“My generation was very stupid. My generation declared war on nature – with climate change with the loss of biodiversity, with pollution,�? he said.