11 Jul 17. Whether one likes it or not, the successful conclusion in New York on July 7, 2017 of negotiation on a “Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons” will be a meaningful step on the difficult path towards the establishment of a global norm regarding nuclear weapons. The adoption of the new treaty was defined as “historic” by Izumi Nakamitsu, the recently appointed UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. This Treaty, she added, “is a product of the strong desire on the part of majority of UN member states to make progress in nuclear disarmament”.