Kuwait urges for missiles’ non-proliferation
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 25, (KUNA): Kuwait has called on super powers to avert escalation and engage in effective dialogue for a new pact limiting intermediate and short range missiles’ nonproliferation.
The Kuwaiti stance was expressed by Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, the country’s permanent representative to the UN, during a Security Council’s session on the super powers’ nuclear missiles treaty.
Kuwait dedicates profound concern for any measure intended to solidify global security and stability, he affirmed, regretting that the pact, hammered out during the Cold War era, has turned invalidated.
“Undoubtedly, this matter is worrisome for the pact had profound positive impact; where the two sides (Russia and the US) had dismantled 2,700 missile networks in 1991,” Ambassador AlOtaibi said.
Moreover, the treaty helped in alleviating global tension and led to maintaining security and peace, particularly in Europe.
Nations of the globe had eagerly anticipated limiting proliferation of medium and short range missiles, “however what has happened faded this hope,” he said. Collapse of this treaty may lead to aborting other nuclear accords and speeding up crumble of global security, the Kuwaiti envoy warned, re-emphasizing the necessity to rid the globe of these deadly arms.
Earlier this month, the US announced its formal withdrawal from the key nuclear treaty with Russia, raising fears of a new arms race. The IntermediateRange Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) was signed by the late US President Ronald Reagan and the ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987. It banned missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 km (310-3,400 miles).
Earlier this year, the US and Nato accused Russia of violating the pact by deploying a new type of cruise missile, which Moscow has denied.