nuclear-news

Existence of nuclear weapons poses an increasing danger

“There are no right hands for wrong weapons,”

UN chief Ban Ki-moon warns nuclear weapons, terrorists a rising threat, Santa Cruz Sentinel,  Monterey: Ban Ki-moon says disarmament efforts off track

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told a crowd of about 200 invitation-only guests at the Monterey Institute of International Studies that nuclear disarmament progress “is off track.”

“Delay comes with a much higher price tag,” he said. “The longer we delay, the greater the risk that these weapons will be used … and even terrorists may acquire these nuclear bombs.”

Ban, 68, said all nations with nuclear weapons need to make disarmament and arms control a priority.

“There are no right hands for wrong weapons,” he said.

The secretary-general said nuclear-capable member states must come up with a “bold set of measures” to increase transparency of its nuclear arsenal.

Ban criticized President Barack Obama for not signing the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty, which bans all nuclear explosions by military and civilians.

“We were assured by President Obama when he was elected that the U.S. would ratify this CTBT,” he said. “But somehow, it has not happened.”

The treaty has been signed by 44 countries since it was introduced in 1994, the U.N.’s website says.

Ban also said U.N. member states should reduce the money they spend on military and use it for education, fighting global warming and other issues.

“The profits of the arms industry are built on the suffering of ordinary people,” he said.He said

there were reasons for alarm in Iran and North Korea.

The U.N. chief said he visited Iran last August and was not convinced its nuclear program was peaceful. He also said North Korea’s successful rocket launch in December “exacerbated global concern of its pursuit of nuclear weapons.”

Ban said he supported Obama’s proposal for stricter U.S. gun laws, despite saying it was a “domestic issue.”

He said it is almost impossible to run into a private citizen in South Korea with a gun, “so there are many things that I cannot understand.”

“I welcome President Obama’s announcement,” he said. “… I hope this will be helpful and I hope Congress will support his proposal.”…..http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_22403759/ban-ki-moon-warns-nuclear-armed-terrorists-monterey

January 21, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general