Thu 6 May 2010
UN Nuclear Non-Prolif Conference (NPT)
Posted by USA / Jeff under Balkers
[2] Comments
Secretary Clinton delivers remarks at the Review Conference of the
Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty at the United Nations – length 20:23
Secretary Clinton press conference – length 14:38
What Say You?
How effective can the NPT be for curbing the spread of nuclear weapons worldwide?
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Thanks Jeff. Hillary clearly was unable to wash her hair that day… ;^)
The conference goes on all month at the U.N. – here is a link for daily updates;
http://www.state.gov/t/isn/npt/c30167.htm
For editorial balance here is the speech earlier the same day (3 May 2010) by Iranian leader Ahmadinejad. This is what Hillary refered to when criticizing Iran as a non-compliant signatory;
Of course it is anybody’s guess whether the NPT can fully do it’s job. But you’ve got to try for full compliance, and it does strive for that at least. The main positive to assist that endeavour is that it states clearly the rights held by each signatory for peaceful nuclear development. Which of course is nuclear reactors for electricity. It relies on inspection regimes for those states with both the technological ability and perhaps will, to take it beyond reactors to weapons.
Which is precisely where the rows begin of course. Some would be more comfortable trying to keep the entire technology bottled up for the nuclearised states of the present, but it’s simply not a realistic option. The formal recognition of the rights of states to build reactors is essential to obtaining the 189 nations now aboard.