World leaders call for better nuclear security
Source: Agencies |
March 28, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
World leaders in Seoul for a two-day nuclear security summit released a statement yesterday reaffirming the need to work harder to ensure a "safer world for all."
In a communique long on general commitments but short on specifics, the 58 delegates reiterated a joint call to "secure all vulnerable nuclear material in four years" and backed the "essential role" of the International Atomic Energy Agency in "facilitating international cooperation."
"Nuclear terrorism continues to be one of the most challenging threats to international security," the communique said. "Defeating this threat requires strong national measures and international cooperation given its potential global, political, economic, social and psychological consequences."
The leaders of China, South Korea and the United States issued stark warnings about the threat of nuclear terrorism during the summit's final day.
In his opening comments, Chinese President Hu Jintao called for leaders to "commit to eliminating nuclear proliferation and the roots of nuclear terrorism."
He said that the common goal of universal nuclear security can be achieved only with concerted effort of all countries.
US President Barack Obama urged leaders to secure nuclear material to prevent terrorists from committing genocide.
"It would not take much, just a handful or so of these materials, to kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people and that's not an exaggeration. That's the reality that we face," Obama told the meeting, a follow-up to a summit he hosted in Washington in 2010.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said nuclear proliferation and terrorism "are becoming grave threats" to international peace. "There is no border in terrorism," he said.
Following last year's earthquake and tsunami disaster, where three reactors melted down, Japan hopes to stress the threat that natural disasters pose to nuclear security, in addition to man-made events such as terrorism.
In a communique long on general commitments but short on specifics, the 58 delegates reiterated a joint call to "secure all vulnerable nuclear material in four years" and backed the "essential role" of the International Atomic Energy Agency in "facilitating international cooperation."
"Nuclear terrorism continues to be one of the most challenging threats to international security," the communique said. "Defeating this threat requires strong national measures and international cooperation given its potential global, political, economic, social and psychological consequences."
The leaders of China, South Korea and the United States issued stark warnings about the threat of nuclear terrorism during the summit's final day.
In his opening comments, Chinese President Hu Jintao called for leaders to "commit to eliminating nuclear proliferation and the roots of nuclear terrorism."
He said that the common goal of universal nuclear security can be achieved only with concerted effort of all countries.
US President Barack Obama urged leaders to secure nuclear material to prevent terrorists from committing genocide.
"It would not take much, just a handful or so of these materials, to kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people and that's not an exaggeration. That's the reality that we face," Obama told the meeting, a follow-up to a summit he hosted in Washington in 2010.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said nuclear proliferation and terrorism "are becoming grave threats" to international peace. "There is no border in terrorism," he said.
Following last year's earthquake and tsunami disaster, where three reactors melted down, Japan hopes to stress the threat that natural disasters pose to nuclear security, in addition to man-made events such as terrorism.
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