U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for an international agreement to bar production of plutonium and uranium for use in nuclear bombs, saying it was a crucial step to satisfying President Barack Obama’s vision of a world without nuclear weapons. “Almost 20 years after the end of the Cold War, the world has more than 20,000 nuclear weapons. As I speak to you today, centrifuges around the world are revolving out more enriched uranium,” Clinton told a meeting of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament yesterday in Geneva, where she also held part talks on the political turmoil in Libya and across the Middle East.
Halting manufacture of bomb grade materials “is in the interest of every country,” Clinton said, urging the UN to open talks on a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty “without further delay.” The Obama administration says a successful treaty would halt manufacture of material for nuclear weapons worldwide and would decrease the risk that plutonium or bomb-grade uranium would fall into the hands of terrorists. Though Clinton did not mention any country by name, opposition from Pakistan has been an obstruction to the so-called FMCT. Pakistan has used routine maneuvers for months to block the start of negotiations on the treaty.
Pakistan’s leaders say they require to produce more nuclear material to keep pace with India. Pakistan has enough plutonium and extremely enriched uranium for about 100 bombs or more, while India has a enough supply for 140 bombs, according to the Arms Control Association, a Washington-based non-partisan advocacy and research group. “Our patience is not endless. There is no validation for a single nation to abuse the consensus principle and forever thwart the lawful desire of the 64 other states to get negotiations under way on an agreement that would strengthen our general security,” Clinton said.
Halting manufacture of bomb grade materials “is in the interest of every country,” Clinton said, urging the UN to open talks on a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty “without further delay.” The Obama administration says a successful treaty would halt manufacture of material for nuclear weapons worldwide and would decrease the risk that plutonium or bomb-grade uranium would fall into the hands of terrorists. Though Clinton did not mention any country by name, opposition from Pakistan has been an obstruction to the so-called FMCT. Pakistan has used routine maneuvers for months to block the start of negotiations on the treaty.
Pakistan’s leaders say they require to produce more nuclear material to keep pace with India. Pakistan has enough plutonium and extremely enriched uranium for about 100 bombs or more, while India has a enough supply for 140 bombs, according to the Arms Control Association, a Washington-based non-partisan advocacy and research group. “Our patience is not endless. There is no validation for a single nation to abuse the consensus principle and forever thwart the lawful desire of the 64 other states to get negotiations under way on an agreement that would strengthen our general security,” Clinton said.
No comments:
Post a Comment