NATO chief: UN convention won't rid world of nuclear arms
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NATO's secretary general says the military alliance supports the idea of a world without nuclear weapons, but doesn't believe it can be achieved by imposing a ban through the United Nations convention on nuclear weapons.
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said during a speech at a security conference in Sweden on Sunday that ridding the world of nuclear weapons requires a period of "painful disarmament" that the U.N. convention cannot guarantee.
Stoltenberg's message was clearly directed to the Swedish government, which is divided on whether to sign the convention.
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The NATO chief told Swedish media earlier that Sweden, which is not a NATO member, could find its cooperative relationship with the alliance weakened if it does.
Pope Francis last week called on nations to work toward a binding nuclear weapons ban.