A month’s negotiations have concluded at the United Nations among the 189 signatory nations to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), with participants’ reaching the first agreement in a decade on next steps to strengthen the goals of the NPT and move toward a nuclear-free world.

The new accord includes the establishment by 2012 of a Middle Eastern nuclear-free zone as well as countries suspected or confirmed to have nuclear weapons agreeing to sign and abide by the treaty, and for keeping nuclear programs open to inspection.

Delegates from the five participating states at the conference who possess nuclear weapons also agreed to a timetable for negotiating the disarmament of their own weapons.

US President Barack Obama welcomed the progress, stating “The NPT must be at the center of our global efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons around the world, while pursuing the ultimate goal of a world without them.”  

Our applause, Your Excellencies, all participating countries and United Nations, for these harmonious steps towards a more peaceful and humane world.

We look forward to the day soon when all funding for weapons goes instead toward improving the wellbeing of people across the planet.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10185256.stm
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/29/world/middleeast/29nuke.html
http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/May
/20100528230427ptellivremos0.3599163.html?CP.rss=true#ixzz0pM6ySiTL