DATE=6/9/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233582
TITLE=SAF / NUCLEAR (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=JOHANNESBURG
 
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  EIGHT COUNTRIES -- INCLUDING BRAZIL, IRELAND AND SOUTH 
AFRICA -- HAVE ISSUED AN URGENT APPEAL FOR THE SPEEDY AND TOTAL 
ELIMINATION OF ALL NUCLEAR WEAPONS.  V-O-A JOHANNESBURG 
CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA REPORTS.

TEXT:  A JOINT DECLARATION RELEASED BY THE EIGHT COUNTRIES SAYS 
THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE GLOBAL NUCLEAR PREDICAMENT HAS BEEN 
UNDERSCORED BY THE RECENT NUCLEAR TESTS CARRIED OUT BY INDIA AND 
PAKISTAN.  IT CALLS ON THE WORLD'S CURRENT NUCLEAR POWERS AND ALL
THOSE COUNTRIES WITH NUCLEAR CAPABILITY TO AGREE TO WHAT THE 
DOCUMENT CALLS THE "SPEEDY, FINAL AND TOTAL ELIMINATION" OF ALL 
SUCH WEAPONS.

THE EIGHT COUNTRIES ISSUING THE APPEAL ARE BRAZIL, EGYPT, 
IRELAND, MEXICO, NEW ZEALAND, SLOVENIA, SOUTH AFRICA AND SWEDEN. 
THEY SAY THEY CAN  NO  LONGER REMAIN COMPLACENT OVER THE 
PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS AS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 
PREPARES TO ENTER THE THIRD MILLENNIUM.

THE EIGHT SAY THE ONLY FOOLPROOF DEFENSE TO THE THREAT OF NUCLEAR
WEAPONS IS THEIR TOTAL ELIMINATION AND THE ASSURANCE THAT  NO  
SUCH WEAPONS WILL EVER BE PRODUCED AGAIN.  THEY CALL ON THE 
WORLD'S NUCLEAR STATES TO START WORK IMMEDIATELY ON THE PRACTICAL
STEPS AND NEGOTIATIONS REQUIRED FOR A TOTAL WEAPONS BAN.

THEY SAY THE KINDS OF PRACTICAL STEPS THAT COULD BE TAKEN QUICKLY
TO EASE NUCLEAR TENSIONS INCLUDE TAKING ALL NUCLEAR WEAPONS OFF 
ALERT STATUS AND DE-ACTIVATING THEM TO PREVENT INADVERTENT, 
ACCIDENTAL OR UNAUTHORIZED LAUNCHES.

THEY ALSO CALL ON ALL STATES TO ADHERE TO THE NUCLEAR 
NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY AS WELL AS THE COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR 
TEST BAN ACCORD.  

                       // REST OPTIONAL //

IN ANNOUNCING SOUTH AFRICA'S SUPPORT FOR THE DECLARATION TUESDAY,
DEPUTY FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER AZIZ PAHAD CALLED NUCLEAR 
DISARMAMENT A PRIORITY ISSUE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.   
SOUTH AFRICA DEVELOPED AND MANUFACTURED NUCLEAR WEAPONS DURING 
THE APARTHEID ERA BUT SUBSEQUENTLY SAID IT HAD DISMANTLED THEM.  
(SIGNED)

NEB/ALEX/KL/JO

09-Jun-98 9:23 AM EDT (1323 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.