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NPT has failed non-nuclear countries, says Mottaki

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, April 15, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki Thursday criticised the failure of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), saying that the experience of the last 40 years has shown that the expectations of non-nuclear countries had been “misplaced.”

“Rather than stopping the spread of nuclear weapons, the failure of certain governments to comply with key treaty articles has instead generated some 35,000 new nuclear warheads, has introduced the illegal concept of nuclear sharing, and has deprived other states of their inalienable rights,” Mottaki said.

“The defiance of the nuclear weapon states in flouting the treaty is a matter of serious concern. The UK's decision, for example, to renew and develop the Trident programme is in full contravention of article VI of the treaty,” he said.

The criticism comes ahead of the NPT review conference in New York next month, which the Iranian foreign minister said was a meeting with a “real opportunity for a safer world provided it addresses some serious deficiencies.”

“The treaty was forged forty years ago around three pillars: nuclear disarmament, the peaceful use of nuclear energy and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. What has happened to these pillars? The answer is disappointing,” he said.

“Thanks to the discriminatory and selective attitude of some nuclear armed states the balance between these three pillars has been ignored. As a result of constant propaganda by those who believe that might is right, the truth has been sacrificed.”

In an article for the Independent newspaper, Mottaki also criticised the “unconditional backing” of some nuclear-armed states for Israel that allows a situation that is “beyond international law.”

“Israel's clandestine but unfettered development of nuclear weapons and its refusal to join the NPT poses a serious threat to the security of the Middle East and beyond,” he warned.

In contrast, the Iranian foreign minister said there was “no justification” for the UN Security Council to act against his country. “Despite the false claims of the US and other Western governments, the peaceful nature of my country's nuclear programme has been confirmed by various IAEA reports,” he said.

He also challenged whether the “unlawful referral” of the Iranian nuclear issue to the Security Council and the adoption of “illegal” resolutions does anything to strengthen peace and security, or augments the credibility of international mechanisms such as the NPT, the IAEA and even the Security Council itself?

“Does it enhance the confidence of developing nations that they can establish their rights through these institutions and mechanisms? Does it increase trust in multilateralism? Does it lower unilateralist tendencies?” he further asked.

Mottaki lamented that while non-nuclear countries long accepted the “unfairness implicit” of the NPT, ” they believed it would bring about the widest possible exchange of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, disarmament, and the eventual elimination of all nuclear weapons.”

He proposed practical steps to help restore the original balance within the NPT and save its credibility, saying firstly that the treaty's provisions should be “implemented fully and in a non-discriminatory way.”

“Universal adherence could be achieved by adding incentives for those who sign up and pressure placed on those who remain outside. Nuclear armed states must formally renounce nuclear weapons and agree on a fixed timetable for their total elimination,” the minister said.

He also suggested that nothing in the provisions should affect the rights of all parties to develop research and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes including the fuel cycle and enrichment for nuclear power plants.

“All parties should have the right to participate in the fullest possible exchange of equipment, materials and technological information on nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. And all illegal sanctions and limitations should be removed,” he said.

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End News / IRNA / News Code 1057382