Aus may ask India, Pak to join newly formed anti-nukes comm

Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, Jun 10 (PTI) Australia, in a bid to play a
leading role in getting a global ban on nuclear weapons, may
ask the non-NPT signatory nations like India, Pakistan to join
its newly set up nuclear disarmament commission.
"Australia, being the world's biggest uranium supplier
with a track record of its engagement over a range of nuclear
issues, is well-equipped to play some kind of leadership role
here," Gareth Evans, who will co-chair Prime Minister Kevin
Rudd's newly formed nuclear disarmament commission said
Tuesday.
"It is a big issue, the world wants something done and
the truth of the matter is we have not yet got the kind of
momentum we need as an international community to get
something done," he said, adding if this can contribute only
in a small way to generating that momentum, it will be
worthwhile.
Rudd Monday picked Evans to be Australia's head of
the Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Commission,
which he hopes will coordinate international talks ahead of a
review of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2010.
The initiative came after Rudd's visit to the shrine
dedicated to the victims of the 1945 Hiroshima atomic bombing
in Japan.
Although the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a
process of disarmament around it already existed, the new
commission would boost disarmament efforts, ABC quoted the
former foreign minister as saying.
"It could bring in nations that are not party to the
treaty or not abiding by its rules, including India, Pakistan,
Israel and North Korea," he added.
It was time the world moved beyond stopping the spread
of nuclear weapons, and on to outlawing “these awful weapons�
for good, Evans said.
Terming nuclear weapons one of the world's biggest
problems, Evans said "it was time the world moved beyond
stopping the spread of nuclear weapons, and on to outlawing
'these awful weapons' for good."
The new body will be co-chaired with Japan. Rudd will
discuss the initiative with Japanese leaders later this week
and hopes other countries will support it.
Meanwhile, critics have raised questions on why Australia
was taking on such an ambitious role.
Denying that the new anti-nukes push had happened
overnight, Evans said it was a Labor election commitment, and
he had discussed the new commission with Rudd in January.
"Out there in the international community there is a
real anxiety about this issue, it's right up there with
climate change, it's right up there with the continuing
concern about terrorism," he said.
Evans said it might be time for a whole new treaty and
framework on nuclear disarmament to replace the NPT.
"The NPT process has been limping, has been fragile for
many years now," he said.
The NPT, which allows some countries to have nuclear
weapons, was perceived as discriminatory, Evans said.