Nations’ nuclear disarmament too slow

THE failure of major nuclear powers to speedily reduce their arsenals of 27,000 warheads is creating an environment of cynicism among the non-nuclear weapons states, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog has warned.

Mohammed El Baradei, who last month won the Nobel Peace Prize along with the International Atomic Energy Agency he heads, said there has been little progress toward a post-Cold War world that was no longer dependent on nuclear weapons.

In remarks prepared for a non-proliferation conference, he said: “Confidence in disarmament commitments would be measurably enhanced if nuclear weapons states were to take action toward reducing the strategic role currently given to nuclear weapons.”

The United States and Russia possess the overwhelming majority of nuclear weapons.

While they are reducing their arsenals, they show no interest in abandoning them entirely.

Other states with nuclear weapons are Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan and, according to most experts, Israel.

Under the 1970 nuclear non-proliferation treaty, the US, Britain, France, China and Russia promise to eventually disarm.

The other three states have not signed the pact.

Mr El Baradei said the IAEA has no mechanism to monitor compliance with nuclear disarmament commitments and “operates on a shoestring budget” despite its responsibilities.

“For the IAEA to be fully effective, the national governments we serve must provide a level of support commensurate with the challenges we face.”

He called for urgent action to establish a mechanism so IAEA members can systemically share information on the export of sensitive nuclear material and to improved controls over activities involving uranium enrichment and plutonium separation.

Meanwhile, the European Union is studying a call by Iran to resume negotiations over its nuclear programme but still insists it must suspend uranium processing, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said yesterday.

Iran moved to defuse tensions over its nuclear programme on Sunday, saying it had let UN inspectors visit a military complex, and calling in a letter to Britain, Germany and France for a revival of EU talks on the issue.

“The Iranians are under an obligation to respond positively to the resolution of the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency ... and we look to them to do that,” he told reporters.