12 February 2004	Thursday	20 Zilhaj 1424

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

WASHINGTON, Feb 11: US President George Bush called on Wednesday for new international efforts to combat the spread of nuclear and other weapons technology , warning that the potential of attacks using weapons of mass destruction was the greatest threat before humanity today.

In a speech at the National Defence University at Fort McNair here, the US president said the Sept 11 attacks showed that the United States must prepare to fight terrorists who were willing to use chemical, biological or nuclear weapons as a first resort.

"We saw the great harm that a stateless network could inflict upon our country. Killers armed with boxcutters, mace and 19 airline tickets," Mr Bush added.

"Those attacks also raised the prospect of even worse dangers, of other weapons in the hand of other men. The greatest threat before humanity today is the possibility of secret and sudden attack with chemical or biological or radiological or nuclear weapons."

Mr Bush focused on two sources of the spread of weapons of mass destruction - rogue nations, and black market operatives motivated by "greed, or fanaticism or both."

"The former dictator of Iraq possessed and used weapons of mass destruction against his own people. For 12 years he defied the will of the international community," he said. "He refused to disarm or account for his illegal weapons and programmes. He doubted our resolve to enforce our word, and now he sits in a prison cell while his country moves towards a democratic future."

In making his case, Mr Bush talked about US intelligence concerning a nuclear black market that Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan ran out of Pakistan. The US has said the network established by Dr Khan sold secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea.

The US president detailed what the United States knew about how Dr Khan provided materials to so-called 'rogue nations' and how the operation was financed.

The focus of the speech was to draw attention to how the Pakistani scientist managed to avoid international protocols and agreements designed to block the spread of nuclear weapons technology.

Citing what he called the mounting evidence of a nuclear black market in Pakistan, Mr Bush said it was a proof that today's proliferation safeguards were woefully inadequate.

The US president called for tougher focus on the issue by the UN Security Council and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the nuclear watchdog of the United Nations.

Mr Bush also urged nations to restrict the sale of nuclear technology to countries that do not agree to vigorous international inspections to ensure their nuclear programmes were for peaceful purposes.

The address also placed a heavy burden on the Nuclear Suppliers Group - the roughly 40 nations that provide most of the world's nuclear technology - urging them to refuse to sell designs and equipment to any country not already capable of making nuclear fuel.

President Bush's remarks were also meant to prod Pakistan to finish the job of dismantling the black market weapons network. The president also emphasized the need to strengthen missile defence, intelligence and coordination between nations.

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).