Church councils call on NATO to reject nuclear weapons

A coalition of church councils have called on NATO to work towards a world free of nuclear weapons.

A nuclear weapon-free world is not only possible but more secure, they said in a letter sent to the NATO leadership on Monday.

The church councils urged NATO to reject the notion that peace can be preserved by nuclear weapons.

NATO should instead recognise that security is jeopardised by nuclear weapons and "reinforce the vision of a world without nuclear weapons", they insisted.

The letter was signed by the general secretaries of the World Council of Churches, the Conference of European Churches, the National Council of Churches of Christ USA, and the Canadian Council of Churches.

They recommended that NATO review its strategic concept and security doctrine and show willingness to remove hundreds of US tactical nuclear weapons positioned in European countries.

The call comes ahead of NATO talks on Friday and Saturday in the French city of Strasbourg and the German cities of Kehl and Baden Baden.

"We believe security must be sought through constructive engagement with neighbors and that authentic security is found in affirming and enhancing human interdependence within God’s one creation," the letter states.