NAM: Malaysia asks super powers to stop Nuclear Proliferation

Malaysia: Stop powers' N. proliferation
Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:10:53
The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Rais Yatim, says the proliferation of nuclear weapons by major powers threaten global peace and security.

Yatim called on the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to seriously tackle with the issue of stockpiling the nuclear weapons by the super powers because 'it is posing numerous challenges to the world'.

"Unfortunately we are witness to the production of the weapons by certain countries, so we should, as members of the NAM group, make efforts to stop this trend and instead pave the ground for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”

The Malaysian top diplomat made the remarks during the 15th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) conference in Tehran where Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad complained about the nonexistence of an influential international organization to ensure the nuclear disarmament of big powers.

“Although the regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Non proliferation Treaty (NPT) stress the disarmament of nuclear weapons in certain countries, still the major powers are exempt from the rules,” Ahmadinejad noted.

"While big powers continue with the proliferation of nuclear weapons, they readily condemn the peaceful nuclear programs of other countries.” He added.

Five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- the US, Russia, France, Britain and China-- as well as India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel possess such weapons.

DB/FH/DT