FED: International UN conference talking about nuclear weapons

AAP General News (Australia)
04-24-2000
FED: International UN conference talking about nuclear weapons

SYDNEY, April 24 AAP - Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer will be among representatives
of 187 countries in New York this week to discuss worldwide nuclear non-proliferation.

Former American President Jimmy Carter and Archbishop Desmond Tutu are among the signatories
to an international appeal to be presented at the 6th Non-Proliferation Treaty Review
Conference, being held at United Nations headquarters in New York.

Mr Downer will address delegates at the conference tomorrow (Tuesday, April 25).

Sydney's Friends of the Earth spokesman, John Hallam, said it was absolutely vital
Mr Downer showed leadership and made a strong statement in favour of the elimination of
nuclear weapons.

The international appeal to be presented to the conference calls for negotiators to
achieve a veritable international treaty for the phased elimination of all nuclear weapons.

The statement also calls for taking nuclear weapons off "hair-trigger" alert, ratifying
the Comprehensive Treaty Ban, maintaining the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, declaring
policies of No First Use of nuclear weapons and reallocating funds now spent on nuclear
weapons to meeting human needs.

The president of the American-based Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, David Krieger, said
some of the world's greatest leaders and human rights voices were among the appeal's signatories.

"The appeal expresses deep concern that the nuclear-weapon states have not done more
to fulfill their longstanding obligations to achieve nuclear disarmament," he said.

Other signatories include East Timorese freedom fighter and Nobel Peace Laureate Jose
Ramos-Horta, the Dalai Lama, CNN founder Ted Turner, former South African president F.W.

de Klerk and Queen Noor of Jordan.

Thirty-three of the signatories are Nobel laureates, including 14 Nobel Peace laureates.

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KEYWORD: NUCLEAR DOWNER

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