The Hindu : Russia worried about Pakistani nuclear weapon safety

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 08, 2004

International

International

Russia worried about Pakistani nuclear weapon safety

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, FEB. 7. The Russian Defence Minister, Sergei Ivanov, expressed alarm over the safety of Pakistani nukes and voiced support for international pressure on Islamabad to join non-proliferation controls.

"The situation regarding Pakistan in the sphere of nuclear safety is evoking concern," the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Mr. Ivanov as saying.

"We have long been drawing international attention to the credible danger of proliferation of nuclear materials and weapon components from that country."

Speaking at an international security conference in Munich, Germany, Mr. Ivanov said it was only now that many countries had become aware of the high risk Pakistani nuclear technologies falling into the hands of nuclear-aspiring nations and terrorist organisations.

"For our part we fully support international efforts to make Pakistan sign up to non-proliferation regimes, first of all, to the NPT treaty as a non-nuclear state," Mr. Ivanov said.

The Russian Defence Minister called for closer cooperation between Russia and NATO in preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction and dealing with the growing threat of international terrorism.

"We are witnessing activisation of international terrorist structures, the relocation of Al-Qaeda outfits to the Middle East (West Asia)and a partial rebuilding of the Taliban combat potential in Afghanistan and Pakistan," Mr. Ivanov said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

Bush sets up intelligence enquiry panel

`3 involved in Moscow attack'

A.Q. Khan episode an internal matter: Pakistan

UPFA recognised as political party

Wisconsin crucial for Dean

Russia worried about Pakistani nuclear weapon safety

Awami League plans `tougher movement'

Anti-dumping: Dhaka takes Delhi to WTO