Letter of Protest against nuclear test by DPRK issued

His Excellency Kim Jong-Il
Chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Letter of Protest

Though the Mayors for Peace, which consists of cities around the world, A-bomb survivor organizations, and many cities and organizations asked you to refrain, you selfishly proceeded with your nuclear test. We are outraged and, on behalf of the 1,430 cities in 120 countries and regions that are members of Mayors for Peace, we vehemently protest.

The fact that you conducted this test even as the international community was working so hard to find peaceful resolutions to your problems is intolerable. We gravely fear that your action will stimulate the expansion and proliferation of nuclear arms, creating an irreversible threat to world peace and stability.

We urge you to listen conscientiously to the survivor message that “nuclear weapons are an absolute evil that can potentially extinguish the human species,” and immediately abandon all your nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons programs. We further urge you to engage constructively in the six-party talks on the nuclear issue, return to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), develop diplomatic efforts that do not rely on nuclear deterrence, and fulfill your legal obligation to negotiate in good faith toward global nuclear disarmament.

October 10, 2006

The Conference of Mayors for Peace