U.S. seeks RI support on nuclear treaty<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): U. S. President Bill Clinton sent a special
\nenvoy to Indonesia this week to muster support for an indefinite
\nextension of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), a move
\nJakarta is reluctant to accept.<\/p>\n
\"I think it was a good exchange of views and they understand
\nour position better, we understand their's better,\" Thomas
\nGraham, the envoy, said of his talks here yesterday.<\/p>\n
Graham is Clinton's special representative for arms control,
\nnon-proliferation and disarmament issues.<\/p>\n
\"I wouldn't say that there had been great progress, I didn't
\nexpect that when I came here,\" Graham replied when asked by The
\nJakarta Post of his meetings with Indonesian officials.<\/p>\n
He has already met with the foreign ministry's director of
\npolitical affairs Izhar Ibrahim and the Non-Aligned Movement's
\n(NAM) chief executive assistant Nana Sutresna.<\/p>\n
His visit is part of a world tour to garner support for the
\nextension of the Non-Proliferation Treaty at the upcoming April
\n12 to May 12 conference in New York.<\/p>\n
Led by the U.S., the nuclear weapon owning countries such as
\nBritain and France are calling for an indefinite extension of the
\ntreaty. However, a handful of countries -- Iraq, North Korea and
\nIran among them -- are opposed to such a proposal.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas just three-
\nweeks ago told the Post that he found it \"difficult\" to accept an
\nindefinite extension.<\/p>\n
But Graham said yesterday that the Indonesian government \"has
\nnot definitely made up its mind and does not yet have a final
\nposition\".<\/p>\n
Early this week, Izhar, at a hearing with the House of
\nRepresentatives, said that Indonesia's reluctance to support an
\nindefinite extension was based on the absence of a compulsory NPT
\ndeadline requiring nuclear-owning countries to eliminate their
\nstockpile.<\/p>\n
Graham counters by arguing that since 1988 the United States
\nhas destroyed 90 percent of its tactical nuclear weapons and 60
\npercent of its overall nuclear stockpile.<\/p>\n
He said there are now between 70 to 75 countries supporting
\nthe NPT extension and many more will soon announce their official
\nsupport.<\/p>\n
With 171 signatories to the NPT, a minimum of 86 votes is
\nnecessary for an indefinite extension.<\/p>\n
Support<\/p>\n
When asked of the importance of Indonesia's support, Graham
\nunderlined Indonesia's role as chair of the 111-nation NAM. \"I'm
\nnot saying it's a make-or-break situation but it's very
\nimportant, that's why I'm here\" he said.<\/p>\n
If the NPT fails to get the necessary votes for an indefinite
\nextension this year, the chances of it ever being adopted again
\nare slim.<\/p>\n
Graham explained that if only a 10-year extension was agreed
\nupon, an indefinite extension of the treaty would be almost
\nimpossible and would only be possible through an amendment.<\/p>\n
\"The treaty would have to be amended and this would have to be
\napproved by all 171 parliaments, an impossibility in our
\njudgment,\" he warned.<\/p>\n
He argued that the nuclear weapon countries could only
\ncontinue disarming if they had the security of knowing that other
\ncountries would not start developing nuclear arms. \"They need a
\npermanent NPT in which to base this disarmament,\" he said.(mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-seeks-ri-support-on-nuclear-treaty-1447893297",
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