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167622
Sat, 03/12/2011 - 08:12
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http://m.oananews.org//node/167622
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State Duma ratifies treaty on nuclear arms free zone in Africa
MOSCOW, March 12 (Itar-Tass) -- The State Duma on Friday ratified,
with some reservations, Protocols I and II to the Treaty on the zone free from nuclear weapons in Africa.
The base document - also known as the Treaty of Pelindaba - was signed in 1996 to prohibit development, production, testing, acquisition or stockpiling of nuclear weapons in Africa or in the surrounding islands. The treaty formally entered into force in August 2009.
One protocol says that each party to it undertakes not to use nuclear explosive devices or threaten to use them against any party and any territory under the treaty on the zone free from nuclear weapons in Africa. Protocol II obliges the parties "not to test, maintain or encourage the testing of any nuclear explosive devices, and not to contribute to any act that constitutes a violation of the Treaty.
"The importance of the document to us stems from the fact we are
strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime, and reaffirm our
commitment to the obligations which Russia assumed when it signed the NPT.
Also, we contribute to strengthening the nonproliferation regime in the world," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the legislators on Friday. "Multilateral non-proliferation mechanisms acquire new dimensions."
"Russia signed the treaty with a number of reservations," recalled the diplomat. "They stipulate that we do not assume the obligation not to use nuclear weapons against states that are part of the zone free from nuclear weapons in Africa in situations where they have allied commitments to other nuclear states and may participate in military actions using nuclear weapons against Russia, or are members of the corresponding coalitions."
"In signing this treaty the reservation was made it does not apply to the U.S. base of Diego Garcia (an island of the Chagos Archipelago, the Indian Ocean)," the diplomat said. "This is an important reservation, which allows us to fully maintain our own security in hypothetical situations of the emergence crises or conflicts in which the potential use of nuclear weapons is possible."
with some reservations, Protocols I and II to the Treaty on the zone free from nuclear weapons in Africa.
The base document - also known as the Treaty of Pelindaba - was signed in 1996 to prohibit development, production, testing, acquisition or stockpiling of nuclear weapons in Africa or in the surrounding islands. The treaty formally entered into force in August 2009.
One protocol says that each party to it undertakes not to use nuclear explosive devices or threaten to use them against any party and any territory under the treaty on the zone free from nuclear weapons in Africa. Protocol II obliges the parties "not to test, maintain or encourage the testing of any nuclear explosive devices, and not to contribute to any act that constitutes a violation of the Treaty.
"The importance of the document to us stems from the fact we are
strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime, and reaffirm our
commitment to the obligations which Russia assumed when it signed the NPT.
Also, we contribute to strengthening the nonproliferation regime in the world," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the legislators on Friday. "Multilateral non-proliferation mechanisms acquire new dimensions."
"Russia signed the treaty with a number of reservations," recalled the diplomat. "They stipulate that we do not assume the obligation not to use nuclear weapons against states that are part of the zone free from nuclear weapons in Africa in situations where they have allied commitments to other nuclear states and may participate in military actions using nuclear weapons against Russia, or are members of the corresponding coalitions."
"In signing this treaty the reservation was made it does not apply to the U.S. base of Diego Garcia (an island of the Chagos Archipelago, the Indian Ocean)," the diplomat said. "This is an important reservation, which allows us to fully maintain our own security in hypothetical situations of the emergence crises or conflicts in which the potential use of nuclear weapons is possible."
