Belgium calls on India, Pakistan, Israel to join NPT

UNITED NATIONS - Belgium has called on India, Pakistan and Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and to bring their nuclear posture “fully in line” with the treaty.

Werner Bauwens, head of the Belgian delegation to the NPT Review Conference being held here, also called on other countries Thursday to “remain indefinitely committed” to the treaty.

“We call on India, Pakistan and Israel to join the NPT and to bring their nuclear posture fully in line with this treaty which has a truly universal vocation,” Bauwens was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

“We also call on all state parties to remain indefinitely committed to the treaty,” he said.

Bauwens said Belgium’s strategy is an “effective multilateral approach to security”, that includes disarmament and non-proliferation, which provides the best way to maintain international peace and security.

Calling on Iran and North Korea to comply with the provisions of the NPT, Bauwens said their failure to do so threatens to undermine the international non-proliferation regime.