Vajpayee's stand on CTBT causes concern

Vajpayee's stand on CTBT causes concern
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NAGPUR, FEBRUARY 15: Romesh Chandra, Chairman of the World Peace Council has expressed deep concern over the recent statement by Prime Minister A B Vajpayee that the country `is not in a hurry to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)'.

Terming the statement as `alarming', the campaigner of world peace said that this indicates a major shift in the policy of the Government, which earlier flatly refused to sign the CTBT. This, coupled with the recent statement of some senior leaders that USA seems to lean towards India, calls for concern, as it indicates that the country might be succumbing to pressure from US. He clarified that he is completely against the country signing CTBT in present form, as it was discriminating. He said that the decision of not making nuclear arms should be uniform for all nations.

Chandra was participating in a press conference organised by Nagpur Union of Working Journalists (NUWJ). The octogenarian campaigner, a freedom fighter, lashed down heavily upon the role played byUS in world politics, specially in issues related to international terrorism and war.

Chandra said that the UN has been unable to contain international terrorism simply owing to the dominance of US upon it. Saying that the entire machinery of the UN is being violated by a single country, that is US, he warned that this is the most dangerous situation for the entire world.

However, he refused to concede that on this background the UN has become redundant. ``Although it is not able to fulfill its role completely, the forum could still be and is being used for some other beneficial purposes,'. It was the pressure on the non-aligned countries on the UN that has prevented the bombing of Cuba, Chandra asserted.

He said that India should never fall for any tactics played by the US as it would never be interested in welfare of India. ``It is not leaning towards India, it is leaning towards those who want to sell India at its hand,'' he cautioned. Clearly stating that he was firmly against making of any kind ofnuclear weapons, anywhere in the world, Chandra said that however the decision of not making weapons should come from all concerned countries.

Speaking about the solution to the Indo-Pak conflict, he said that the solution definitely is not to hand over the matter to the US. On the positive side, bilateral talks, arranged through pressure from citizens of both the country will be the best way to find solution to the problem. However, before such bilateral talks are started, Pakistan should at least declare that it would desist from infiltrating into Indian territory. Asked whether the peace campaign has gained something, as violence round the globe continues unabated, Chandra said that we are nearer to peace than ever. He said that we have achieved something worthwhile through the campaign, that it spirit and determination to find peace.

Shirish Borkar, general secretary of NUWJ made the introductory remarks and proposed the vote of thanks. Shankarrao Mahakalkar and Arun Kumar, vice-presidents were alsopresent on the occasion.