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May 19, 2006
SouthAmerica: The United States presented yesterday a draft global treaty to ban production of nuclear bomb-making fissile material, although it would leave existing stockpiles untouched.
The title of the new United States global treaty is self-explanatory:
âThe 2006 Treaty for Suckers and Other Fools.â
**********
REUTERS â May 19, 2006
âUS presents draft treaty to ban bomb-making nuclear materialâ
Stephanie Nebehay
GENEVA â The US yesterday presented a draft global treaty to ban production of nuclear bomb-making fissile material, although it would leave existing stockpiles untouched.
Stephen Rademaker, acting assistant secretary in the US bureau of international security and nonproliferation, outlined the proposal in a speech to the Conference on Disarmament, which is backed by the United Nations.
The conference has been deadlocked for years over the issue but the search for a breakthrough has intensified because of mounting international concern over Iran and North Koreaâs nuclear programmes.
âThe treaty text we are putting forward contains the essential provisions that would comprise a successful, legally binding fissile material cut off treaty,â Rade-maker told the Geneva forum.
âOur draft treaty has a straightforward scope. Once in force it would ban the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons,â he said.
Production of fissile material for nonexplosive purposes, such as for naval propulsion, would not be prohibited.
The 65-member state forum is holding a special session to try to kickstart negotiations to prevent production of highly enriched uranium and plutonium.
It is unclear whether yesterdayâs proposal will be enough to start substantive negotiations and end wrangling over the scope of the talks.
Negotiations, the next step in global nuclear disarmament, began briefly in 1998.
However, they quickly broke down due to arguments including the scope of a future treaty and whether it should cover existing stocks and have a verification regime to check against cheating.
Developing countries want the talks widened to include total nuclear disarmament. China and others have also been pressing for parallel negotiations to prevent an arms race in outer space, something which the US has been resisting.
Rademaker accused Iran of failing to co-operate with an investigation by the International Atomic Energy Agency into its nuclear programme. He also bluntly warned North Korea against transferring or testing nuclear weapons.
.
May 19, 2006
SouthAmerica: The United States presented yesterday a draft global treaty to ban production of nuclear bomb-making fissile material, although it would leave existing stockpiles untouched.
The title of the new United States global treaty is self-explanatory:
âThe 2006 Treaty for Suckers and Other Fools.â
**********
REUTERS â May 19, 2006
âUS presents draft treaty to ban bomb-making nuclear materialâ
Stephanie Nebehay
GENEVA â The US yesterday presented a draft global treaty to ban production of nuclear bomb-making fissile material, although it would leave existing stockpiles untouched.
Stephen Rademaker, acting assistant secretary in the US bureau of international security and nonproliferation, outlined the proposal in a speech to the Conference on Disarmament, which is backed by the United Nations.
The conference has been deadlocked for years over the issue but the search for a breakthrough has intensified because of mounting international concern over Iran and North Koreaâs nuclear programmes.
âThe treaty text we are putting forward contains the essential provisions that would comprise a successful, legally binding fissile material cut off treaty,â Rade-maker told the Geneva forum.
âOur draft treaty has a straightforward scope. Once in force it would ban the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons,â he said.
Production of fissile material for nonexplosive purposes, such as for naval propulsion, would not be prohibited.
The 65-member state forum is holding a special session to try to kickstart negotiations to prevent production of highly enriched uranium and plutonium.
It is unclear whether yesterdayâs proposal will be enough to start substantive negotiations and end wrangling over the scope of the talks.
Negotiations, the next step in global nuclear disarmament, began briefly in 1998.
However, they quickly broke down due to arguments including the scope of a future treaty and whether it should cover existing stocks and have a verification regime to check against cheating.
Developing countries want the talks widened to include total nuclear disarmament. China and others have also been pressing for parallel negotiations to prevent an arms race in outer space, something which the US has been resisting.
Rademaker accused Iran of failing to co-operate with an investigation by the International Atomic Energy Agency into its nuclear programme. He also bluntly warned North Korea against transferring or testing nuclear weapons.
.
