'US phasing out N-weapons will depend upon global security'

United Nations, Oct 9 (PTI) The U.S. is "committed" to the ultimate goal of nuclear disarmament but phasing out of the atomic weapons will depend upon the overall global security environment, it's representative told a U.N. committee.

Until that day comes, the U.S. would continue to
reduce its nuclear stockpile "as much as our security and that
of our allies permits," its delegate Christina Rocca told the
General Assembly's Disarmament and International Security
Committee Wednesday.

The U.S., she said, continues to work diligently in
the Conference on Disarmament to begin negotiations on a
fissile material cut-off treaty, in the belief that a ban on
production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons
would enhance global non-proliferation efforts.

It had introduced a draft treaty text in 2006 and
called upon all nations to join the U.S. in observing a
moratorium on the production of fissile material for those
purposes, Rocca said.

While reducing its nuclear stockpile, the U.S. had
introduced concrete changes to its national nuclear posture,
reducing reliance on nuclear weapons through a new framework
–- "The U.S. Nuclear Posture Review", she said.

That policy framework put less emphasis on the role
of nuclear forces as a means of deterrence and greater
emphasis on conventional capabilities and a robust industrial
base.

She said that the primary security challenge facing
the world stemmed from attempts by violent extremists and
"States of concern" to obtain weapons of mass destruction.

Some Governments had demonstrated a willingness to
transfer advanced weapons or sensitive weapon technologies to
other States or to support terrorist groups, Rocca said. Some
were conducting activities that gave rise to grave concerns
about their compliance with their obligations not to research,
develop, produce, stockpile or use chemical or biological
weapons.

Still others were modernising and expanding their
nuclear forces. Against this backdrop, it is prudent for the
United States to maintain its nuclear capabilities while, at
the same time, working closely with the international
community to combat proliferation by strengthening the
security of weapons of mass destruction (W.M.D.)-associated
materials and technologies," she said.

"Nuclear forces continue to represent a critical
deterrent capability, and extended deterrence is key to U.S.
alliances, both in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
(N.A.T.O.) and in Asia." Nevertheless, the United States
recognised that it could maintain those security commitments
while making significant reductions in its nuclear arsenal,
Rocca said.

The A.Q. Khan network, an especially dangerous
organisation because of its "black market" leaning, had been
identified and dismantled, and the information gained had been
used to help her country and others make better decisions
about safeguarding nuclear weapons and infrastructure in the
future, she added.

Turning to outer space, she reiterated her country's
opposition to space arms control proposals, stating that the
existing regime is sufficient. However, the U.S. is willing to
consider initiatives based on voluntary transparency and
confidence-building measures and has thus begun a
trans-Atlantic dialogue with the European Union (E.U.), she
said.

U.S. has been disappointed that agreement has not been
reached this year with Russia and China on the draft General
Assembly resolution to examine the feasibility of new
voluntary transparency and confidence-building measures, a
resolution "that removes what the U.S. believes is a false and
unacceptable linkage between expert assessments of pragmatic
transparency and confidence-building measures and efforts to
begin pointless negotiations on unverifiable space arms
control agreements." she added.

The nuclear landscape, Rocca said, was best served by
the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (N.P.T.), which she
called a foundation for non-proliferation. However, the Treaty
faced tremendous challenges, the greatest one being
non-compliance.

To address that problem, the U.S. had worked to combat
the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, encourage
States not in compliance with their non-proliferation
obligations to "come back into compliance", and strengthen
international non-proliferation, she added. PTI DS
PMR