World News Tensions high at NPT conference

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UNITED NATIONS (AP) - For the seventh time since it took force in 1970, the world's nations gathered May 2 to reassess the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT).

The delegations from almost 190 governments began their NPT review at a moment of growing nuclear fear and mistrust in the world.

North Korea, which declared its withdrawal from the treaty in 2003 and claims to have built nuclear bombs, said it was giving up negotiating over its weapons program with the United States, and launched a nuclear missile test into the Sea of Japan on May 1.

Iran said it will restart operations related to its disputed uranium enrichment program, which Washington contends is a cover for nuclear weapons plans.

Many other governments, on the other hand, complain the United States and other powers are moving too slowly toward scrapping their nuclear arms under the NPT.

The treaty, reviewed every five years, obliges 183 states to forswear nuclear arms in exchange for a pledge by five nuclear powers - the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China - to move toward nuclear disarmament.

Three other nuclear-armed states - Israel, India and Pakistan - remain outside the treaty.

対立高まる NPT 会議

核不拡散条約(NPT)再検討会議が2日、ニューヨークの国連本部で開幕した。

Shukan ST: May 13, 2005

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