UN asked to be proactive in controlling WMD

Accra, Nov. 9, GNA- The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, on Thursday asked UN member States to be proactive in the control and movement of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) to make global peace and stability a reality.

He expressed the need for the implementation of legislations that would ban the manufacturing of WMD to facilitate development. Alhaji Mahama was speaking at a meeting with Mr. Nobuaki Tanaka, UN Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs at the Osu Castle. Alhaji Mahama said although some countries in the developed countries were proliferating WMD, Ghana remained committed to all UN ideals and resolutions to reverse the trend.

He said it was only through peace and security that the developing countries could nurture their development objectives, adding that this dream had inspired Ghana to play pacific roles n war- torn countries in the West African Sub-Region.

Mr Tanaka is in Ghana to attend a two-day seminar on the implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolution 1540 (2004), which seeks to impose binding obligations on all states to take measures to prevent the proliferation of WMD, particularly for terrorist purposes.

He said the Accra seminar, which was the second after China would be followed by a similar event in Peru.

Mr Tanaka said the UN was committed to assist African states to deal with the problem of small arms proliferation through the enactment of laws that would make the activity criminal.

He said proliferation of small arms was a major security concern globally and expressed regret that the Beijing seminar could not resolve the problem.

Mr Tanaka said the international environment on WMD was not favourable, citing the Iran and North Korea nuclear stand-off. He said peace was an indivisible issue, adding 93Whether we like it or not, terrorists can move into any country without consent.=94