The Mayor of Hiroshima, Tadatoshi Akiba has praised Euro-MPs including Plaid Cymru’s Jill Evans for their work in favour of nuclear disarmament in the European Parliament. Mr Akiba was reacting to news that Euro-MPs have voted in favour of a resolution put forward by Ms Evans supporting the Mayors for Peace campaign.

The Conference of Mayors for Peace draws together cities from all over the world that approve of the Program to Promote the Solidarity of Cities toward Total Abolition of Nuclear Weapons.

Jill Evans MEP said:

"I'm delighted to be able to support this marvellous campaign for an end to nuclear weapons. The pioneering work of the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in mobilising cities throughout the world to work for the total abolition of nuclear weapons deserves all of our support.

“For many years, the city of Hiroshima has dedicated itself to working for world peace and in particular an end to nuclear weapons. They know more than most about the inhumane cruelty of nuclear weapons and I'm glad that we've been able to enlist the support of the European Parliament in the Mayors for Peace campaign.

”I will be writing to the Mayors of Welsh cities that aren't already members urging them to sign up for this important initiative."

In an official statement praising Ms. Evans' leadership in the European Parliament on this issue, Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima says:

"The breadth of support in Europe demonstrates a clear recognition that public opinion must be heard and mobilized against all weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons. Since the launching of the Mayors' Campaign in Nagasaki in November, word has spread around the world at an astonishing speed. Fear of nuclear terrorism has got people asking why we have these horrible weapons around in the first place?"

Notes

For more information on 'Mayors for Peace' visit www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/mayors/

The city of Newport is already a member of the campaign.

Diwedd/Ends.