KUNA :: NATIONS BEGIN TO REVIEW NUKE TREATY 23/04/2000 Print NATIONS BEGIN TO REVIEW NUKE TREATY Date : 23/04/2000 NATIONS BEGIN TO REVIEW NUKE TREATY UNITED NATIONS, APRIL 23 (KUNA) -- REPRESENTATIVES OF MORE THAN 180 NATIONS GATHER HERE ON MONDAY FOR A FOUR-WEEK DIALOGUE TO REVIEW THE NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION TREATY (NPT) IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF FRUSTRATION OF NON-NUCLEAR STATES OVER THE LACK FOR PROGRESS. THIRTY YEARS AFTER THE TREATY WAS SIGNED, NATIONS THAT DISAVOWED NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE CRITICAL OF THE UNITED STATES, RUSSIA, BRITAIN, FRANCE AND CHINA FOR THEIR LACK OF COMMITMENT TO NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT. THE TREATY BASICALLY LIMITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS TO THOSE FIVE STATES THAT HAD PROCLAIMED THEM AT THE TIME. THE OTHERS HAD TO PROMISE NOT TO ACQUIRE THEM. AT THE LAST REVIEW CONFERENCE FIVE YEARS AGO, THE MORE THAN 170 MEMBERS AGREED TO EXTEND THE TREATY IN PERPETUITY FOLLOWING SOMETIMES BITTER DEBATE BETWEEN THE FIVE DECLARED NUCLEAR STATES, ALL OF WHOM FAVORED INDEFINITE EXTENSION, AND THE "HAVE NOT"-NATIONS. THEY ARGUED THAT THE TREATY HAD ALLOWED A SMALL NUMBER OF COUNTRIES TO HAVE A MONOPOLY OVER NUCLEAR ARMS AND THAT THESE NATIONS WERE NOT PROVIDING NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY FOR PEACEFUL USES. U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MADELAINE ALBRIGHT WILL BE AMONG THE FIRST SPEAKERS MONDAY AND IS LIKELY TO DEFEND WASHINGTON'S RECORD. (MORE) WP.AJ KUNA 232114 Apr 00NNNN