Due to serious differences of the attending parties at the 7th Deliberation
Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it had a hard time to reach
consensus on its agenda. It was only after making concessions by all parties
concerned, a common understanding is finally built on the evening of the 11th.
The actual reason for the delay of an agreed agenda lies in that there are wide
differences on such issues as nuclear disarmament, nonproliferation, peaceful
utilization of nuclear energy and security assurance under the new international
situations.
Firstly, the U.S., boasting the largest nuclear arsenal in the world,
wanted to discuss the nuclear issue of Iran and Korea Peninsular by availing
this opportunity and to reinforce the existing nonproliferation mechanism.
Nevertheless, the unilateral modus operandi of the U.S on the issue of nuclear
nonproliferation met with strong lash-out from all parties.
Secondly, Israel is the only country which has not signed the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty in the Middle East. The Arabian countries asked the U.S
to exert pressure on Israel, urging it to consent to the establishment of
nuclear free region in the Middle East. However, they failed to win over the
support of the U.S., fueling discontent among the Arabian countries.
Analysts pointed out that the dual standard practiced by the
U.S.---displayed by refusing to reduce nuclear weapon itself but asking other
countries to stop proliferating; not allowing Iran and the DPRK to possess
nuclear technology, but conniving its ally Israel to develop nuclear weapons---
has undercut the public credit of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
In addition, according to the provision of Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty, the member countries are entitled to developing nuclear technologies for
peaceful purpose, and yet there are fierce disputes in the interpretation of the
article.
It allows of no doubt that at present when the threat of global terrorism
is spreading and the security situation is becoming increasingly severe, the
international community must formulate a more effective nuclear nonproliferation
mechanism. Only by respecting each other, sincerely cooperating with each other
and doing a down-to-earth job in the spirit of unity and pragmatism, can we
actually reach somewhere in terms of nuclear nonproliferation.
By Xin Hua
(May 16, PLA Daily)