20 August 2004	Friday	03 Rajab 1425

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DURBAN, Aug 19: Pakistan called on members of the Non-Aligned Movement on Thursday to oppose attempts of assigning responsibilities of non-proliferation to the United Nations Security Council and said both disarmament and non- proliferation should be promoted through universally negotiated treaty regimes.

Speaking at the NAM's ministerial Conference, Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar also underlined the need for collective actions to find solutions to common problems of humanity.

"We must resist efforts by some states to assign the responsibilities for non-proliferation to the (UN) Security Council where those states, which seek to perpetuate the monopoly of nuclear weapons, also wield the power of the veto," he added.

Mr Khokhar underlined that both disarmament and non- proliferation must be promoted through universally negotiated treaty regimes, taking into account the security interests of all states.

The foreign secretary said Pakistan agreed to the adoption of resolution 1540 by the Security Council only because it was designed to fill a gap in international rules to prevent the acquisition of WMDs by terrorists or other non-state actors.

"We view this as temporary arrangement," he said. Mr Khokhar urged the Movement to call for negotiations to conclude a non-discriminatory and universal treaty on the threat of WMD proliferation by non-state actors and create an equitable universal regime that should replace these temporary arrangements assumed by the Security Council under the resolution.

"We must resist efforts to enlarge the scope of the Council's authority to embrace the entire fold of non- proliferation," he added. Mr Khokhar said NAM has always pleaded the cause of arms control and disarmament, especially in supporting the principle of equal security for all states, big or small.

"The movement remains concerned over the widening of asymmetry in military capabilities at the global and regional levels." He warned that such a trend could become a new and dangerous source of conflict and tension in the world.

"We are convinced that a strong and vibrant UN is in the vital interest of all countries and peoples," he observed and said international efforts must now focus on making it more effective. However, he added, UN reform should not come at the cost of UN principles. -APP

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