US president Barack Obama has underlined his administration’s commitment to strengthen the NPT regime and seek the Congressional approval of the CTBT, ahead of a key nuclear summit here next month.
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the US president and his secretary of state Hillary Clinton reaffirmed their resolve to lead the world’s effort to renew and revitalise the landmark NPT agreement.
They also underlined the administration's determination to seek the Congressional ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
World leaders from across the globe, including prime minister Manmohan Singh, are expected to participate in the April 12-13 nuclear summit convened by Obama here.
"At this spring’s treaty review conference and beyond, we will continue to work with allies and partners to strengthen the NPT and to enforce the rights and responsibilities of every nation, because the world cannot afford additional proliferation or regional arms races," he said.
The president said the threat of global nuclear war has passed, but the danger of nuclear proliferation endures, making the basic bargain of the NPT more important than ever.
"Nations with nuclear weapons will move toward disarmament, nations without nuclear weapons will forsake them, and all nations have an 'inalienable right' to peaceful nuclear energy," Obama said in a statement issued to mark the 40th anniversary of NPT, which came into force on March 5, 1970.
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