Alatas opens UN backed disarmament conference

Alatas opens UN backed disarmament conference

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas opened a
conference on disarmament yesterday by calling on regional
nuclear powers to respect Southeast Asia's desire to remain free
of nuclear weapons and to support a landmark treaty signed last
year enforcing this.

Alatas said that the aim of the United Nations-sponsored
meeting was to "bring about the limitation and reduction of
armaments and to enhance security in our region."

About 50 participants representing 25 countries will discuss
nuclear disarmament, nuclear weapons-free zones and regional
confidence-building measures at the three day conference.

The UN Under Secretary-General for Disarmament, Jayantha
Dhanapala, said the conference came at an opportune time "to
review the current situation in the disarmament field and
identify priority areas to be addressed by the international
community."

Delegates included representatives from the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations -- Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- as
well as China, Japan, the United States and Russia. North and
South Korean rivals were also represented.

Alatas said a treaty in force since last march declaring
Southeast Asia a nuclear weapon free zone, "acknowledges the
right of other states to freedom of the high seas and innocent
passage and archipelagic passage."

"The protocol attached to the treaty is open for signature by
the nuclear-weapon states," he said, adding "their respect and
support for the protocol is indispensable to the effectiveness of
the zone."

Alatas was alluding to complex discussions going on for nearly
a year involving the United States. Washington has been holding
talks with Indonesia on the issue of the transit of U.S. nuclear
warships through its waters when crossing from the Pacific Ocean
to the Indian Ocean.

Meanwhile, Director General for Political Affairs Nugroho
Wisnumurti was quoted by Antara as saying that Asia Pacific
countries are potential victims of nuclear weapons. (swe)