President Yudhoyono Wants Anti Nuke Protocol Signed

Nusa Dua (Antara Bali) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked nuclear weapon states to immediately sign the protocol of Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ).

In his opening address of the 19th ASEAN Summit at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC), President Yudhoyono said: "We have to take advantage of  this precious momentum to have the the SEANWFZ protocol signed as soon as possible."  

The SEANWFZ includes a protocol under which the five nuclear-weapon states recognized by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), namely China, the United States, France, Russia and the United Kingdom undertake to respect the Treaty and do not contribute to a violation of it by State parties.

None of the nuclear-weapon states have signed this protocol.

Therefore President Yudhoyono said ASEAN should take the opportunity to encourage an agreement in the form of signing the protocol.

According to Yudhoyono, the delegates of the nuclear weapon states had agreed on a framework of cooperation on the nuclear weapons free zone in Southeast Asia.

The president said that the agreement of the nuclear weapon states was a form of progress of the efforts to reach peace and stability in the region.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Ministry's Director General for ASEAN Cooperation Djauhari Oratmangun said there has been an agreement and therefore there would no longer be an inter-delegation negotiation.(**)