--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For some twenty years the window that…" description: "\"For some twenty years the window that opened at the end of the Cold War has been allowed to hang flapping in the wind. It is high time that the five nu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c14/hans-blix-15720_cold_for-some-twenty-years-the-window-that-op_3208454.jpg" --- # For some twenty years the window that opened at the end of… ![“For some twenty years the window that opened at the end of the Cold War has been allowed to hang flapping in the wind. It is high time that the five nuclear-weapon states take seriously their commitment to negotiate toward nuclear disarmament.” quote by Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c14/hans-blix-15720_cold_for-some-twenty-years-the-window-that-op_3208454.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c14/hans-blix-15720_cold_for-some-twenty-years-the-window-that-op_3208454.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c14/hans-blix-15720_cold_for-some-twenty-years-the-window-that-op_3208454.jpg) > “For some twenty years the window that opened at the end of the Cold War has been allowed to hang flapping in the wind. It is high time that the five nuclear-weapon states take seriously their commitment to negotiate toward nuclear disarmament.” [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Calls for nuclear‑weapon states to honor commitments and negotiate disarmament, ending post‑Cold‑War complacency. **In simple terms:** Nuclear powers must act on disarmament promises. Key Takeaway Push for concrete disarmament steps. Themes peace security global governance Mood urgent hopeful Type political call‑to‑action When to use this quote - diplomacy - policy making - public advocacy Key Concepts nuclear non‑proliferation international law Questions to Reflect On - What incentives can motivate nuclear states? - How can civil society influence disarmament? A Different Perspective Geopolitical tensions may stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Cold war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-war/) [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Disarmament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disarmament/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Flapping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flapping/) [Negotiate Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiate-nuclear-3660630/) [Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear/) [Nuclear disarmament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-disarmament/) [Nuclear weapon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-weapon/) [Nuclear weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-weapons/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Weapon States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapon-states-5985540/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) [Window](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/window/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [The five original nuclear weapon states I mentioned - U.S., Britain, France, China, and Russia - under the NPT have committed to the achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/the-five-original-nuclear-weapon-states-i-mentioned-u-s-britain/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [All nuclear weapon states should now recognize that this is so, and declare - in Treaty form - that they will never be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-rotblat/all-nuclear-weapon-states-should-now-recognize-that-this-is-so-and/) [Joseph Rotblat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-rotblat/) > [I thought I was going to grow up and become a diplomat and negotiate nuclear arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/i-thought-i-was-going-to-grow-up-and-become-a-diplomat-and-negotiate/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [“On May 17, 2010, Iran’s tyrannical leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad managed to successfully negotiate a nuclear alliance with Turkey, using the Obama administration’s own policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/on-may-17-2010-iran-s-tyrannical-leader-mahmoud-ahmadinejad-managed/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [Barack Obama has injected fresh momentum into efforts - stalled for a decade - to bring about nuclear disarmament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/barack-obama-has-injected-fresh-momentum-into-efforts-stalled-for-a/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [“The New START accord cuts the strategic nuclear arsenals on each side to 1,550 warheads. Can any of its critics make a case that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-kaplan/the-new-start-accord-cuts-the-strategic-nuclear-arsenals-on-each-side/) [Fred Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-kaplan/) > [Reducing the nuclear danger will require a universal, consistent opposition to all forms of weapons development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cortright/reducing-the-nuclear-danger-will-require-a-universal-consistent/) [David Cortright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cortright/) > [When are we left-wingers going to learn that we are losing the cultural and political battle with conservatives because we are fractured into narcissistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/when-are-we-left-wingers-going-to-learn-that-we-are-losing-the/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I have met with political leaders, legislators, and diplomats, seeking the next steps to press in reducing and eliminating the nuclear threat in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/i-have-met-with-political-leaders-legislators-and-diplomats-seeking/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [We have been led to believe that we have come a long way toward world nuclear disarmament. But that is not the case. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/we-have-been-led-to-believe-that-we-have-come-a-long-way-toward-world/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [Here's how the court put it, and all judges agreed to this. The court said: "There exists and obligation to pursue in good faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/here-s-how-the-court-put-it-and-all-judges-agreed-to-this-the-court/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [In a nuclear war there would be no victors, only victims. The truth of peace requires that all ... strive for a progressive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/in-a-nuclear-war-there-would-be-no-victors-only-victims-the-truth-of/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [...convince all nuclear powers, including those which have been more reluctant up to now, of the necessity to respect the "vital interests" of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-garcia-robles/convince-all-nuclear-powers-including-those-which-have-been-more/) [Alfonso Garcia Robles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-garcia-robles/) > [Nuclear weapons are the scourge of the earth; to mine for them, manufacture them, deploy them, use them, is a curse against God, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-berrigan/nuclear-weapons-are-the-scourge-of-the-earth-to-mine-for-them/) [Philip Berrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-berrigan/) > [Some might complain that nuclear disarmament is little more than a dream. But that ignores the very tangible benefits disarmament would bring for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/some-might-complain-that-nuclear-disarmament-is-little-more-than-a/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) ## More by Hans Blix > [But I would say if the Security Council is only relevant if it agrees with the United States, then we have come a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/but-i-would-say-if-the-security-council-is-only-relevant-if-it-agrees/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [If you take the biological weapons in the United States we still will have perhaps a single individual who was able to make anthrax,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/if-you-take-the-biological-weapons-in-the-united-states-we-still-will/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [The country is not a democratic state. Therefore we fear that they might carry a recorder in their pocket or there may be bugs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/the-country-is-not-a-democratic-state-therefore-we-fear-that-they/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [We have not found any smoking guns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/we-have-not-found-any-smoking-guns/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [Never humiliate anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/never-humiliate-anyone/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [Unlike South Africa, which decided on its own to eliminate its nuclear weapons and welcomed inspection as a means of creating confidence in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/unlike-south-africa-which-decided-on-its-own-to-eliminate-its-nuclear/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [It's true the Iraqis misbehaved and had no credibility but that doesn't necessarily mean that they were in the wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/it-s-true-the-iraqis-misbehaved-and-had-no-credibility-but-that-doesn/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [You never get quite down to the bottom of the barrel, but we are much higher than that at the present time. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/you-never-get-quite-down-to-the-bottom-of-the-barrel-but-we-are-much/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [The U.N. is much more than the case of Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/the-u-n-is-much-more-than-the-case-of-iraq/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [I have my detractors in Washington. There are bastards who spread things around, of course, who planted nasty things in the media. Not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/i-have-my-detractors-in-washington-there-are-bastards-who-spread/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [To me the question of the environment is more ominous than that of peace and war...I'm more worried about global warming than I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/to-me-the-question-of-the-environment-is-more-ominous-than-that-of/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [What surprises me, what amazes me, is that it seems the military people were expecting to stumble on large quantities of gas, chemical weapons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/what-surprises-me-what-amazes-me-is-that-it-seems-the-military-people/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [On big issues like war in Iraq, but in many other issues they simply must be multilateral. There's no other way around. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/on-big-issues-like-war-in-iraq-but-in-many-other-issues-they-simply/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [It was to do with information management. The intention was to dramatise it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/it-was-to-do-with-information-management-the-intention-was-to/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [The Iraqis are not threatened by the Turks or by the Iranians or by the Saudis and they tell me that these are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/the-iraqis-are-not-threatened-by-the-turks-or-by-the-iranians-or-by/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) [Explore all 42 Hans Blix quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) ## More Cold quotes > [Once ye made up yer mind to do somethin', 'tis better t'stumble o'er the small hillock of jump-ahead than t'bash yer head on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/once-ye-made-up-yer-mind-to-do-somethin-tis-better-t-stumble-o-er-the/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [Of course Messi could handle a cold Tuesday night in Stoke. He'd be drinking tea and relaxing beforehand. Me? I'd probably be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neymar/of-course-messi-could-handle-a-cold-tuesday-night-in-stoke-he-d-be/) [Neymar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neymar/) > [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/) [Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/) > [You start playing when it's cold and you want to be playing when it's cold again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimy-williams/you-start-playing-when-it-s-cold-and-you-want-to-be-playing-when-it-s/) [Jimy Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimy-williams/) > [It would be a piece of ingenuousness to accuse the man of today of his lack of moral code. The accusation would leave him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/it-would-be-a-piece-of-ingenuousness-to-accuse-the-man-of-today-of/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [I would have touched it like a child But knew my finger could but have touched Cold stone and water. I grew wild, Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/i-would-have-touched-it-like-a-child-but-knew-my-finger-could-but/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [What's to become of the morally sound? Left out in the cold, I suppose. We must heal the sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/what-s-to-become-of-the-morally-sound-left-out-in-the-cold-i-suppose/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [When I first started, all the reviews of Cold Chisel would say, 'This singer won't have a voice in six months.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-barnes/when-i-first-started-all-the-reviews-of-cold-chisel-would-say-this/) [Jimmy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-barnes/) > [One of the problems trying to play an instrument outside in the cold is your fingers give up on you and you can't wear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-macdonald/one-of-the-problems-trying-to-play-an-instrument-outside-in-the-cold/) [Amy Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-macdonald/) > [God tempers the cold to the shorn sheep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-etienne-sainte-claire-deville/god-tempers-the-cold-to-the-shorn-sheep/) [Henri Etienne Sainte-Claire Deville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-etienne-sainte-claire-deville/) > [Those nights lying alone are not discontinuous with this cold hectic dawn. It is who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/those-nights-lying-alone-are-not-discontinuous-with-this-cold-hectic/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) [Browse all 5,381 Cold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For some twenty years the window that opened at the end of the Cold War has been allowed to hang flapping in the wind. 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