Translate

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Steps needed to control illicit trafficking of nuclear material

Rasheed Khalid
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Islamabad

Original article


Hahn Choong-hee, spokesperson for the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit, South Korean Foreign Office, has said that preventing the spread and use of nuclear weapons is fundamental to the security of nations and to the peace in the world.

He was addressing a roundtable discussion on ‘Aspects of nuclear safety, security and safeguards’ with special reference to Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul organised by the International Strategic Studies (CISS) in collaboration with South Korean Embassy here on Thursday. Former ambassador Ali Sarwar Naqvi, executive director of the CISS, conducted the proceedings.

Hahn said that the summit in Washington held in 2010, and upcoming event in South Korean capital in March next are trends to specify and address urgent global issue of nuclear terrorism. He said that international measures are required to control illicit trafficking and misuse of nuclear material and facilities by non-state actors.

He said that Seoul Nuclear Security Summit is an opportunity for important global attention and focus on this critical security issue. The goals will be to accentuate the global reach of proliferation threats, the broadly shared obligation to respond, the positive steps taken to reduce nuclear dangers and the essential role of the Security Council in addressing growing and pressing nuclear threats, he said.

Dr Zafar Nawaz Jaspal from Quaid-i-Azam University said that nuclear security threat is global in nature. Admittedly, he said, rhetorical consensus exists but practicality is missing. Thus, nuclear security necessitates responsible national actions and sustained and effective international cooperation, he said.

On the issue of negative propaganda about Pakistan’s nuclear programme, he said that Pakistani security observers need to constitute a counter narrative to share the realistic facts about their nuclear programme, which is essential for the country’s defence.

He said that the threat from non-nuclear state is much bigger than nuclear states, which have security culture and are aware of nuclear dangers. He said that isotopes are dangerous for safety and security of a non-nuclear state using nuclear option for peaceful purposes due to the lack of nuclear security culture. Indeed, one needs to carefully examine why many analysts had pessimistic approach towards Pakistan’s nuclear programme, he observed. An objective response to irrational inquires certainly can counter the baseless propaganda, he said.

Additional Secretary (UN & EC), Munawwar Saeed Bhatti, said that safeguards, safety and security are important in their own right and must be pursued independent of each other. He said that in Pakistan our focus had been on inculcating a culture of safety and security at all levels.

For this Pakistan had a well-established programme for the application of nuclear technology for power generation, health, agriculture and industry. He said that Pakistan has a 4-decade long experience of safe operation of nuclear power plants. He said that being a fossil fuel deficient country, Pakistan would continue to rely on nuclear energy and enhance its share in the national energy mix.

No comments: