August 10, 2008	Sunday	Sha’aban 7, 1429

TOKYO, Aug 9: Nagasaki on Saturday called upon North Korea to fully abandon nuclear weapons, while urging India to sign nuclear treaties, as the Japanese city marked 63 years since it was flattened by an atomic bomb.

Thousands of people observed a minute’s silence at 11:02am (0202 GMT), the time the city was hit by the world’s second and last nuclear attack on August 9, 1945, killing more than 70,000 people.

“As the victim of nuclear bombs, our country has a duty and responsibility for taking the initiative to eliminate nuclear weapons,” Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue told the ceremony.

He called for abolishing nuclear weapons, saying the United States and Russia should take the lead.

“We also demand that the United Nations and international society do not ignore the nuclear weapons of North Korea, Pakistan and Israel, as well as the suspicions of nuclear development by Iran, but take stern measures against these countries.”

Taue also urged India to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty amid growing concerns over its atomic deal with the United States.

“India, whose nuclear cooperation with the United States is a cause of concern, should be strongly urged to join the NPT and CTBT,” Taue said.

India has been under international pressure over a controversial nuclear deal in which the United States will provide the energy-starved nation with civilian nuclear fuel and technology.

Japan is a key member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group of 45 nations, which controls trade in nuclear fuel, material and technology to make sure they are used only for civilian purposes.

India needs a waiver from the group and ratification by the US Congress before the deal can go through.—Agencies