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Movement Seen on NPT Review Conference Agenda
There appeared to be movement yesterday in finalizing an agenda for the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty review conference in New York, a week after the monthlong session began (see GSN, May 6). Egypt on Friday prevented a last-minute agreement on the agenda because it wanted language inserted that focused on the nuclear powers’ disarmament commitments, according to the Associated Press. Conference President Sergio Duarte attempted to forge a compromise over the weekend. “It seems we are continuing the consultations in a favorable mood,” Duarte said yesterday, adding that he hoped an agenda could be agreed upon today. Egypt’s concerns, which are echoed by other Nonaligned Movement nations, would be addressed in a separate statement from the group after the agenda is adopted, according to one Nonaligned Movement delegate (Associated Press, May 9). Lack of U.S. respect for treaties and international law is eroding support for U.S. efforts to curtail North Korea’s and Iran’s nuclear programs, former chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix said yesterday. “There is a feeling the common edifice of the international community is being dismantled,” Blix said on the sidelines of the NPT conference. While there is “a great deal of concern” about North Korea and Iran among the non-nuclear weapons states, Blix said “that feeling of concern is somewhat muted by the feeling that the United States in particular, and perhaps some other nuclear weapons states, are not taking the common bargain as seriously as they had committed themselves to do in the past.” “Why are you complaining about (North Korea) breaching the [Nuclear Nonproliferation] treaty if treaties are not binding?” Blix asked rhetorically. Blix pointed to Bush administration proposals to build a new generation of nuclear weapons and some speculation that Washington would consider reviving nuclear testing as issues that undermine faith in international law. He also cited statements by U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton, the Bush administration’s nominee for U.N. ambassador, as undermining treaties and international law (Charles Hanley, Associated Press/Sacramento Union, May 10).
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