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PM tells Big Five to stop sermonising, eliminate N-weapons

Prime Minister A B Vajpyee today called upon the five nuclear powers to prepare a programme "for destruction of nuclear weapons, instead of sermonising others to desist from conducting atomic tests".

It was necessary to ensure elimination of such weapons not only in the region, but throughout the world, Vajpayee said while addressing a delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party workers led by Vijay Goel, member of Parliament from Chandni Chowk.

The prime minister said even United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan had acknowledged the need for nuclear disarmament. The need of the hour was to act, rather than stopping at proposals.

Reiterating India's decision on unilateral moratorium on nuclear tests, he said the explosions at Pokhran were aimed at ensuring the security of the nation in the face of accumulation of atomic weapons in the region posing a threat to the country.

The scientists had been specifically told to limit the scope of the tests to the extent of defending the sovereignty of the country. These were not for aggression, Vajpayee asserted.

Without naming Pakistan, he said tension was sought to be created along the border after India's nuclear tests but it did not succeed.

Several countries had conducted a series of nuclear tests since 1974 when India went in for its first atomic explosion, the prime minister observed.

UNI

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