Seoul Summit Ends With Vows To Avert Nuclear Terrorism Risk

[A chauhan]

Seoul, March 27 (Bernama) -- The two- day Seoul Nuclear Security Summit ended here Tuesday with consensus from world leaders to take strong actions against nuclear terrorism threat and further steps toward a safer world, Xinhua news agency reported.

The summit, which brought together more than 50 leaders and four representatives of international organisations, issued the Seoul Communique as the final document, promising to work for a better international nuclear security system, strengthen nuclear material management, battle illicit trafficking of nuclear materials and step up international cooperation and assistance.

The communique, emphasising on minimising civilian use of highly enriched uranium (HEU) that can be used to produce bombs, backs IAEA's essential role in international cooperation to achieve "shared goals of nuclear disarmament, nuclear proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy."

"We will work to ensure that the IAEA continues to have the appropriate structure, resources and expertise needed to support the implementation of nuclear security objectives," it said.

"These proposals, together with the Communique and Work Plan adopted at the Washington summit, will be of great significance for countries to carry out relevant work in the field of nuclear security," said Chinese delegation spokesman Qin Gang.

Chinese President Hu Jintao elaborated on China's position, efforts made and important measures taken in the field of nuclear security at Tuesday's morning session.

"China has attached great importance to building nuclear security capacity, earnestly honoured its international nuclear security obligations, engaged in extensive international nuclear security cooperation, and worked hard to ensure nuclear security during major public events," he said...

BERNAMA - Seoul Summit Ends With Vows To Avert Nuclear Terrorism Risk

 

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Obama seeks thaw with Pakistan at Seoul summit

By ANNE GEARAN, AP National Security Writer – 23 minutes ago

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Barack Obama, closing a nuclear security summit Tuesday, sought a thaw in the diplomatic chill with Pakistan, a critical but difficult U.S. partner whose nuclear weapons and historical links to terrorism make its arsenal among the world's most vulnerable.

"There have been times — I think we should be frank — in the last several months where those relations have experienced strains," Obama told Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Their meeting broke a four-month moratorium on direct top level contacts between the United States and Pakistan. Obama and Gilani were among more than 50 leaders who met here to reaffirm controls on nuclear material that might be bought or stolen by terrorists for a bomb. Obama headed back to Washington after the summit ended.

Pakistan is a key U.S. counterterrorism partner and its cooperation is essential for drawing down the American-led war in neighboring Afghanistan. Pakistan's nuclear weapons, developed outside the international standards endorsed by the United States, are a principal reason the U.S. struggles to promote a stable and friendly government there.

Ties with Pakistan deteriorated last year after the military raid that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, when the United States kept Pakistani officials in the dark about the operation. Relations ruptured further when U.S. forces killed 24 Pakistani forces in November in what the United States says was a case of mistaken identity. Pakistan broke off high-level ties with the U.S. following that incident and launched a debate about new terms of engagement with the U.S., including on the sensitive issue of CIA drone strikes on targets inside Pakistani borders.

Obama said the U.S. and Pakistan are seeking a balanced partnership that respects Pakistan's sovereignty "but also respects our concerns with respect to our national security and our needs to battle terrorists who have targeted us in the past."

for full article :- The Associated Press: Obama seeks thaw with Pakistan at Seoul summit

Seems that Terrorist country is again forgiven