Annan urges action against spread of nuclear arms

[struggle4progress]

Thu February 24, 2005 7:50 AM GMT+05:30
By Evelyn Leopold

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned on Wednesday that the treaty to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons was being challenged and urged governments to accept short-notice intrusive inspections.

Among the examples he gave was the need for nuclear disarmament, the threat of terrorists acquiring weapons of mass destruction, and the slow pace of a pact that would allow more robust inspections. <snip>

He noted that in May there would be a five-year review conference of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, or NPT, the cornerstone of arms reduction accords agreed 35 years ago. <snip>

Under the treaty, only five countries -- the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China -- are permitted to have nuclear arms and move towards disarmament. The other 182 nations have to renounce nuclear weapons for good. <snip>

http://www.reuters.co.in/locales/c_newsArticle.jsp?type=worldNews&localeKey=en_IN&storyID=7720423

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