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India moves resolution on de-alerting N-forces

For the first time in UN history, India has introduced a resolution on de-alerting nuclear forces and adoption of no first use policies by calling for urgent steps to reduce the risks of unintentional and accidental use of nuclear weapons and a review of nuclear doctrines.

The resolution, moved by additional secretary in the external affairs ministry Dalip Lahiri, urges member states to provide the UN secretary general information on the measures undertaken towards implementation of this resolution or efforts undertaken by them to promote the objectives envisaged in the resolution.

The resolution underlines that until nuclear weapons cease to exist, it was imperative on the part of nuclear weapon states to adopt measures that assure non-nuclear weapons states against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.

Official sources in New Delhi said a vote on the resolution was expected by the end of this week but the response of several important countries was, surprisingly, far from positive. However, no country had yet openly opposed the resolution.

The sources said whatever the outcome of the vote, it would serve to highlight the dangers mankind faced from nuclear accidents.

The resolution said the hair-trigger alert of nuclear weapons carries unacceptable risks of unintentional or accidental use of nuclear weapons which will have catastrophic consequences for all mankind.

It regretted that limited steps relating to de-targetting have been taken by the nuclear weapon states to address this concern and that further steps were necessary to contribute to the improvement in the international climate for negotiations leading to the elimination of nuclear weapons.

The resolution stressed that reduction of tensions brought about by a change in nuclear doctrines would positively impact on international peace and security and improve the conditions for the further reduction and the elimination of nuclear weapons.

It reiterated the highest priority accorded to nuclear disarmament in the final document of the tenth special session of the UN General Assembly and by the international community.

Moving the resolution, Lahiri said the benefit of de-alerting would be immediately to bring other nuclear-armed countries into the dialogue on reducing nuclear dangers. ''Whatever one may think of the refusal of the UK, France and China to participate in numerical reductions till the US and Russian arsenals are brought below a certain threshold, it would be very difficult for them to refuse to participate in discussions on steps to reduce nuclear dangers through de-alerting etc,'' he added.

He said: ''What is clear is that these matters are of legitimate concern to the international community as a whole and that nuclear weapons states cannot claim the right to discuss these issues in a cabal of their own, when the consequences of nuclear accidents flowing from their nuclear doctrines could have disastrous effects on all the people of the world.''

UNI

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