The Hindu : Front Page : India seeks fresh global focus on disarmament

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 15, 2007
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Front Page

India seeks fresh global focus on disarmament

Special Correspondent

Threat of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction: Pranab

We have adopted a comprehensive export control system
Challenge for the world is to eliminate poverty

NEW DELHI: Calling for a new approach to promote non-proliferation objectives, which must include disarmament, India on Wednesday said the global community’s current focus on supply side measures to check nuclear proliferation was misplaced.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new campus of the Foreign Service Institute, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee ranked the threat of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the possibility of their falling into the hands of terrorists as one of the most critical challenges facing the world. But, the issue could not be addressed merely by focusing on supply-side technology controls.

“The so-called A.Q. Khan network made a mockery of these controls. A new approach is required, which also prioritises disarmament. India has always pursued the objective of global disarmament, based on the principles of universality, non-discrimination and effective compliance.”

Given its record of “restraint and responsible behaviour,” Mr. Mukherjee was confident that India’s participation as a full partner in a new global consensus on non-proliferation would strengthen efforts in this area. “Conscious of our responsibilities, we have adopted a comprehensive export control system, harmonised with international best practices, and reiterated our traditional commitment to nuclear disarmament through a working paper submitted to the United Nations General Assembly,” he said.

No-first use agreement

According to him, a good beginning in this direction would be to formalise a no-first use agreement internationally as a step towards de-legitimising nuclear weapons. This approach was adopted in 1925 in the Geneva Protocol on chemical and biological weapons and ultimately led to their elimination. The challenge before the Indian Foreign Service is to not only leverage the country’s soft power to sustain the right external environment for India to pursue its national goals but also address the pitfalls of poverty, environmental degradation, constriction of political freedom and choice, growth of extremism and intolerance, international terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the risk of their falling into the hands of irresponsible actors, pandemics, energy security and climate change.

He said the primary challenge for the world should be the elimination of poverty and improvement in the living standards in the developing world. The industry in the developing world needed technology upgrades to become globally competitive. Agriculture faced the challenges of productivity and managing water resources. Access to predictable, affordable and environmentally sound energy resources had emerged as a major bottleneck. “A priority task of Indian diplomacy has to be the facilitation of the developmental process, promotion of trade and investment flows, securing predictable and affordable energy supplies and ensuring the widest possible access to technologies. While the primary development effort has to be national, we need to leverage international partnerships to the best possible effect,” Mr. Mukherjee said.

Calling for application of democratic principles to global governance, the Minister said India was looking for a pluralistic world order reflective of the diversity of today’s world that accommodates new players. The composition of the U.N. Security Council must come to terms with present reality and reflect future potential. “This premier institution of global governance needs to be democratised and India needs to find its rightful place in an expanded Council,” he said.

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