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Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Pakistan lambasts world powers’ nuclear duplicity
* Pak envoy to UN says not withstanding end of Cold War for over two decades, aspirations for peace dividend, just international order continue to remain elusive
UNITED NATIONS: Drawing the United Nations’ attention to perils of major powers’ contradictory, discriminatory and vague approach to nuclear and security issues, Pakistan has called for transparent and uniform application of policies towards goals of non-proliferation, disarmament and sustainable peace.
“A multitude of disputes and conflicts are lingering. The pursuit of doctrines and policies of containment, balance of power, unilateralism and pre-emption by global and regional powers, have combined to make the world a much more dangerous and unstable place than ever before,” Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Abdullah Hussain Haroon, warned. He was making a statement at the 2011 Substantive Session of the United Nations Disarmament Commission.
Underscoring some of the security challenges in the current world scenario, the envoy noted that not withstanding the end of the Cold War for over two decades, aspirations for a peace dividend and a just international order continue to remain elusive.
“This situation has also posed several challenges both to the disarmament and non-proliferation regime as well as to its multilateral deliberative and negotiating platforms.”
In the area of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, there are several negative developments, Haroon said and pointed out that most of the nuclear weapons states do not appear ready to foreswear nuclear weapons.
“In fact, some nuclear weapon states are seeking to develop new nuclear weapons, contravening their commitments and increasing the danger of the use of nuclear weapons; contrary to their rhetorical commitment to nuclear disarmament. Some nuclear weapon states are resisting commencement of negotiations on nuclear disarmament in the Conference on Disarmament,” said Haroon.
In a reference to world powers granting an exceptional nuclear technology deal to India, the ambassador took swipe at the “blatant violations of national and international non-proliferation obligations by major states as manifested by their support for NSG waiver to one non-NPT state”.
The ambassador lambasted the pursuit of “selectivity, exceptionalism, discrimination and double standards by major powers in the area of non-proliferation, for commercial and strategic considerations”.
Ambassador Haroon observed that asymmetries between the major powers and smaller states are getting accentuated through (i) development of ABM systems at tactical, theatre and, soon at the strategic level, (ii) steady militarisation of Outer Space often in the guise of peaceful development; in fact space technologies are being integrated into strategic doctrines, and (iii) build-up of conventional forces by major powers. Then there is erosion of nuclear security assurances to non-nuclear weapon states.
“Nuclear disarmament is the fundamental subject around which all other security issues revolve. Multilateral deliberations on important platforms such as this commission offer the ideal mechanism to address the threats posed to international security and stability by nuclear weapons.”
Some powerful countries assert that the global environment today is more favourable for progress towards nuclear disarmament and make tall claims about their own commitment to nuclear zero but are opposed to the Conference on Disarmament engaging in negotiations on this issue, he remarked.
“Such double standards are inexplicable. Total elimination of nuclear weapons is the only guarantee to secure durable peace and security for all,” he emphasised.
“The most effective and credible way to promote security and stability, both regionally and globally, is through the pursuit of transparent, irreversible and verifiable nuclear disarmament. A large majority of UN member states and the International Court of Justice have long called for negotiations on nuclear disarmament by nuclear weapons states.”
Continuing, the permanent representative said nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation are two sides of the same coin.
“Nuclear non-proliferation gains its legitimacy as a goal because it is meant to facilitate the larger aim of nuclear disarmament. The goals of non-proliferation cannot be advanced while powerful states continue to possess nuclear weapons indefinitely. NPT was not meant to divide the world perpetually into states that possess nuclear weapons and that do not,” the envoy said. In recent years, the international community has focused much of its attention on advancing the goals of non-proliferation. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk