UN to hold 2015 NPT review conference

The 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will be held from April 27 to May 22 at UN Headquarters here, UN officials said Friday.

The president-designate of the review conference is Ambassador Taous Feroukhi from Algeria. Conferences to review the operation of the NPT have been held every five years since it went into effect in 1970.

The 2015 review conference is expected to consider a number of key issues, including universality of the NPT, nuclear disarmament with specific practical measures and nuclear non-proliferation, the UN website said.

The upcoming conference is also set to review issues including implementation of the 1995 resolution on the Middle East, measures to address withdrawal from the treaty, and ways to promote disarmament education.

The 2015 review conference is of great historic significance, as this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 45th anniversary of the entry into force of the NPT.

China attaches great importance to the NPT review conference, Hong Lei, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said in Beijing earlier on Friday, adding that Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong will lead a delegation to the conference and address the general debate.

The Chinese side hopes that all parties will take the opportunity to fully review the implementation of the treaty and press ahead with the three objectives defined in the treaty -- nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful use of nuclear energy -- in a comprehensive and balanced way, Hong said.

China is ready to work hand in hand with all parties to push for the success of the review conference, he added.