DATE=4/20/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N NUKE CONFERENCE PREVIEW (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261571
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO: A major United Nations conference to review the 
1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty opens Monday and 
a top U-N official is expressing hope that nuclear 
weapons issues will again be made a world priority. V-
O-A Correspondent Breck Ardery reports from the United 
Nations.


TEXT: The review conference, held every five years, 
will run for four weeks and will include speeches by 
20 foreign ministers including Igor Ivanov of Russia 
and Madeleine Albright of the United States.

U-N Undersecretary for Disarmament Affairs Jayantha 
Dhanapala (Jie-an-tha Donna-palla), who is organizing 
the conference, says he hopes it will re-focus world 
attention on the continued dangers of nuclear weapons. 

Mr. Dhanapala believes nuclear disarmament is a major 
concern, especially among non-nuclear weapons nations.

            /// FIRST DHANAPALA ACT ///

      There is widespread feeling among non-nuclear 
      weapons states that the record as far as nuclear 
      disarmament is concerned requires much more 
      progress than has actually been recorded.

            /// END ACT ///

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has been signed 
by 187 nations and is the most widely supported 
nuclear weapons agreement in the world. Only four 
nations - Cuba, India, Israel, and Pakistan - have not 
formally endorsed the treaty. Mr. Dhanapala says the 
fact that both India and Pakistan have tested nuclear 
weapons since the last non-proliferation conference 
should mean that those tests will be widely discussed.

Mr. Dhanapala says decisions at the Nuclear Non-
Proliferation Conference are expected to be reached by 
consensus.

            /// SECOND DHANAPALA ACT///

      Although the rules of procedure permit voting, 
      that has never been resorted to. I think 
      resorting to voting would be an indication of a 
      weakening of the treaty and some kind of 
      division in the ranks of the treaty parties. 
      That should be avoided as much as possible.

            /// END ACT ///

The U-N official says he hopes that, in addition to 
reviewing developments in the last five years, the 
conference will develop a program of action to further 
contain nuclear weapons over the next five years. 
(Signed)   

NEB/UN/BA/LSF/gm



20-Apr-2000 16:19 PM EDT (20-Apr-2000 2019 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.