(VOVworld) - The UN General Assembly’s First Committee on Disarmament and International Security on Monday approved the Japan-led resolution to call for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

A working session of the UN General Assembly (Photo: VNA)

The move marks a turning point for the 20-year controversy over whether or not to ratify such a resolution. With 164 votes in favor, 14 abstentions, and 1 no-vote, the document calls for a world free from nuclear weapons and reiterates the important role of the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Among nuclear weapon owners, the Democratic People Republic of Korea is the only nation to vote against the resolution. China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Israel are among the 14 countries to cast abstentions. The US, UK, and France support the document.

Speaking in Tokyo, the Japanese Foreign Minister Fumioi Kishida praised the Committee’s decision saying that the resolution would contribute to building a world free of nuclear weapons. The document will be approved by the UN General Assembly in its early December meeting.