Washington, April 08: President Barack Obama on Tuesday unveiled his much awaited new nuclear policy saying nuclear terrorism poses the gravest threat to global security and the US would use atomic weapons only “in extreme circumstances” to defend national interests or allies.
Noting that the international security environment has changed dramatically since the end of the Cold War, the Nuclear Posture Review Report said that nuclear proliferation poses another major threat and the NPT remains the corner stone of the non-proliferation regime.
“Today’s most immediate and extreme danger is nuclear terrorism. Al-Qaeda and their extremist allies are seeking nuclear weapons. We must assume they would use such weapons if they managed to obtain them,” the 72-page report said.
“The vulnerability to theft or seizure of vast stocks of such nuclear materials around the world, and the availability of sensitive equipment and technologies in the nuclear black market, create a serious risk that terrorists may acquire what they need to build a nuclear weapon,”it said.
Though the threat of global nuclear war has become remote, the risk of nuclear attack has increased, it said, adding US would use the atomic weapons only “in extreme circumstances” to defend itself and its allies.
“The United States wishes to stress that it would only consider the use of nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances to defend the vital interests of the United States or its allies and partners,” the report said.
“To date, the international community has made progress toward achieving a global “lock down” of nuclear weapons, materials, and associated technology, but much more work needs to be done,” it said.
The report comes just ahead of the much publicised Nuclear Security Summit convened by President Obama here which would be attend by leaders from over 40 countries including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
In addition, the US and the international community have improving but currently insufficient capabilities to detect, interdict, and defeat efforts to covertly deliver nuclear materials or weapons and if an attack occurs, to respond to minimize casualties and economic impact as well as to attribute the source of the attack and take strong action, the report said.
Noting that other pressing threat is nuclear proliferation; it said additional countries especially those at odds with the US, its allies and partners, and the broader international community may acquire nuclear weapons.
In pursuit of their nuclear ambitions, North Korea and Iran have violated nonproliferation obligations, defied directives of the United Nations Security Council, pursued missile delivery capabilities, and resisted international efforts to resolve through diplomatic means the crises they have created, the report said.
The Obama Administration alleged that their illicit supply of arms and sensitive material and technologies has heightened global proliferation risks and regional tensions.
Their provocative behaviour has increased instability in their regions.
Continued non-compliance with non proliferation norms by these and other countries would seriously weaken the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), with adverse security implications for the United States and the international community at large, it said.
Referring to Israel, the report said some US allies are increasingly anxious about changes in the security environment, including nuclear and missile proliferation, and desire reassurance that the United States will remain committed to their security.
“A failure of reassurance could lead to a decision by one or more non-nuclear states to seek nuclear deterrents of their own, an outcome which could contribute to an unraveling of the NPT regime and to a greater likelihood of nuclear weapon use,” it said.
“Despite these challenges, the NPT remains a cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime and has served the international community well over the past four decades. Its fundamental bargain is still sound: all parties have a right to peaceful nuclear power; states without nuclear weapons forsake them and those with nuclear weapons work towards disarmament,” it said.
“However, with clear evidence of non compliance with the NPT, the non-proliferation regime urgently requires strengthening. Further, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the international body charged with applying safeguards to ensure that nuclear facilities and materials are used only for peaceful purposes, currently lacks sufficient resources and authorities necessary to carry out its mission effectively,” it added.
—Agencies