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Prime Minister Solberg congratulates ICAN on Nobel Peace Prize

‘I would like to congratulate the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) on being awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. By mobilising civil society all over the world, ICAN is playing an important role in promoting the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons,’ said Prime Minister Erna Solberg.

The award comes at a time of greater international turbulence and insecurity and new nuclear weapons tests. Ms Solberg stressed that any use of nuclear weapons would have catastrophic humanitarian consequences and that the total elimination of weapons of mass destruction would make the world safer. This point was also made by the Nobel Committee in its announcement. 

‘Norway shares the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. Having said this, we have made it clear that we will not sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Norway will not support proposals in the UN that would weaken NATO’s role as a defence alliance. As long as countries outside the alliance keep their nuclear weapons, NATO will remain a nuclear alliance,’ said Ms Solberg. 

‘Further progress on disarmament must be made within the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), with the participation of nuclear-weapon states. I am pleased that the Nobel Committee emphasises that the NPT will remain the primary legal instrument for promoting nuclear disarmament and achieving a world free of nuclear weapons,’ said Ms Solberg.