News



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
.