
DATE=5/8/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-231920
TITLE=NUCLEAR TREATY (L-ONLY UPDATE)
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
// ADDS DETAILS / INFO TO INTRO OF CR-2-231909 //
INTRO: DELEGATES AT AN INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION
CONFERENCE HAVE ADOPTED A RESOLUTION TO SPEED UP EFFORTS TO
ELIMINATE NUCLEAR WEAPONS. THE SESSION ENDED IN GENEVA (THIS
WEEK) WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STRENGTHENING THE 1970
INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT -- WHICH COMES UNDER
REVIEW IN THE YEAR 2000. LISA SCHLEIN REPORTS.
TEXT: CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN EUGENIUSZ WYZNER CALLS THE AGREEMENT
TO ACCELERATE NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT IMPORTANT AND A RECOGNITION BY
ALL 186 STATES WHICH SIGNED THE TREATY OF THE DANGERS POSED BY
NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
///WYZNER ACT///
IF THERE IS ANY SINGLE THREAT TO THE SURVIVAL OF MANKIND
THAT IS REALLY (THE) NUMBER-ONE THREAT, I THINK IT IS
THE THREAT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. AND THAT IS WHY I THINK
THIS IS AN OVERRIDING ISSUE.
///END ACT///
OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS, THE UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA HAVE CUT
THEIR STOCKPILES OF 70-THOUSAND NUCLEAR WEAPONS BY HALF. BUT
UNDER THE NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY, THE FIVE DECLARED NUCLEAR
POWERS ARE OBLIGED TO WORK TOWARD THE ELIMINATION OF ALL THEIR
NUCLEAR WEAPONS. INDIA AND PAKISTAN SAY THEY WON'T SIGN THE
TREATY BECAUSE NUCLEAR STATES HAVE NOT LIVED UP TO THIS PROMISE.
AMBASSADOR WYZNER SAYS HE HOPES THE CONFERENCE DECISION TO
SERIOUSLY NEGOTIATE AN END TO NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL PERSUADE
INDIA, PAKISTAN AND TWO OTHER TREATY HOLD-OUTS, ISRAEL AND CUBA,
TO SIGN THE TREATY.
WITH THE END OF THE COLD WAR, CONTROL HAS BECOME LAX OVER URANIUM
AND PLUTONIUM -- MATERIALS USED IN MAKING NUCLEAR BOMBS. MR.
WYZNER SAYS THE GENEVA CONFERENCE HAS ALSO MADE HEADWAY ON
SAFEGUARDING THESE NUCLEAR MATERIALS WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW
TO COMBAT ILLICIT TRAFFICKING.
///SECOND WYZNER ACT///
PRACTICALLY ALL STATES OF THE WORLD AT THIS POINT ARE
INVOLVED, EITHER AS TARGET STATES TO BE PROVIDED THIS
ILLICIT MATERIAL OR THE STATES THROUGH WHOSE TERRITORY
THE TRAFFIC GOES ON.
///END ACT///
AMBASSADOR WYZNER CALLS THIS A GLOBAL PROBLEM WHICH HAS TO BE
HANDLED ON A GLOBAL BASIS. HE SAYS THE DANGER OF POTENTIALLY
LETHAL NUCLEAR MATERIALS FALLING INTO THE HANDS OF TERRORISTS AND
ROGUE STATES IS IMMINENT AND MUST BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS.
(SIGNED)
NEB/LS/PCF/JO
08-May-98 3:05 PM EDT (1905 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.