At least 113 countries are part of the negotiations which have begun at UN headquarters in New York this week, aiming to negotiate a “legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”.  Surrounded by other supporting countries, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, center, speaks to reporters outside the General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Monday, March 27, 2017.... (Associated Press) 
 
 Surrounded by other supporting countries, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, center, speaks to reporters outside the General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Monday, March 27, 2017. As a mom and daughter, "there is nothing I want more for my family than a world with no nuclear weapons," the former South Carolina governor said. To keep the peace.” 
 
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 “We would love to have a ban on nuclear weapons but in this day and time we cannot honestly say that we can protect our people by allowing the bad actors to have them and those of us who are good trying to keep the peace and safety not to have them.” 
 
 France and the UK, fellow nuclear weapons states, also spoke against the ban treaty negotiations, saying they would not assist in disarming nuclear states. Haley asked 
 
 President Barack Obama's administration also opposed the talks 
 
 United Nations, New York (CNN) US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced Monday that the United States and almost 40 other nations would not participate in the first-ever talks on an international treaty to ban nuclear weapons. JUST WATCHED North Korea continues with nuclear program Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH North Korea continues with nuclear program 02:39 
 
 "Is there anyone that believes that North Korea would agree to a ban on nuclear weapons?" Australia has consistently maintained that as long as nuclear weapons exist, it must rely on the American nuclear umbrella, the protection of the deterrent effect of the US’s nuclear arsenal, the second largest in the world. The outreach coordinator for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Gem Romuld, said existing treaties – such as the nuclear non-proliferation treaty – had failed to reduce nuclear arsenals, and that Australia should embrace the new plan of action to rid the world of the weapons. Read more 
 
 Non-nuclear states have expressed increasing frustration with the current nuclear regime and the sclerotic movement towards disarmament.
– Monday saw the start of UN talks focused on a noble goal: banning nuclear weapons across our planet. It was the result of a 2016 vote that saw more than 100 countries in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution to kick off such talks, which are aimed at ultimately establishing an international treaty that would prohibit the development and possession of such weapons, CNN reports. By extension, using them would also be banned. The AP reports Austria, Brazil, and Ireland were at the forefront of the effort. Wondering where the US is? Boycotting. US Ambassador Nikki Haley was present Monday—but remained outside the General Assembly hall with other boycotting nations in a sign of opposition. One big quote: "As a mom, as a daughter, there is nothing I want more for my family than a world with no nuclear weapons. But we have to be realistic." Her view is that the nearly 50-year-old Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is doing its job, with the US slashing its nuclear arsenal by 85% under it, and that North Korea is too big a loose cannon for this to be a responsible or feasible endeavor. "North Korea would be the one cheering, and all of us and the people we represent would be the ones at risk," she said. By the Guardian's count, 113 countries are participating, but 40 are boycotting, and that list includes the US, China, France, Britain, Russia, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea, which the paper points out are the nine states known to have nuclear weapons.