Participants in a meeting of nongovernmental organizations from 17 countries on Sunday began workshops on achieving the abolition of nuclear weapons.

The participants in the Nagasaki Global Citizens' Assembly for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons were discussing establishing a nuclear-free zone in Northeast Asia and establishment of a nuclear weapons convention on dismantling all nuclear weapons step by step.

The three-day conference, which began Saturday, is one of the largest antinuclear NGO events ever held in Japan.

Internationally known NGOs participating include Abolition 2000, the Middle Powers Initiative and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, all of which played roles in getting the world's declared nuclear powers to pledge to eliminate their nuclear arsenals during a U.N. meeting in May on reviewing the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.