Gujral opposes selective de-nuclearisation

By K.K. Katyal

NEW DELHI, AUG. 29. The former Prime Minister, Mr. I.K. Gujral, has called upon the proponents of de-nuclearisation to additionally pay attention to ways to banish terrorism. His argument is simple: ``Even after sovereign nations have eliminated their nuclear stockpiles, can we be sure that some evil man of terror is not sitting on a nuclear warhead?'' And what is particularly dangerous is that ``the forces of terror do not play by the rules. By their nature they live beyond rules.''

In his address today to the international conference on ``21st century: nuclear weapon free'' at Almaty, in Kazakhstan, the details of which were available here, Mr. Gujral gave a new, topical dimension to the movement for ridding the world of nuclear arsenals. He made a strong case for a concerted campaign, without any loss of time - ``if we do not act today, it may be too late tomorrow because the forces of terror are spiralling too constantly and in multiple forms''. India, he said, had suffered a great deal from terrorism and it would not like others to undergo this pain.

While supporting the concept of a nuclear-free 21st century and applauding the Kazakhstan President, Mr. Nazerbayev's initiative in choosing this as the theme for the international conference, Mr. Gujral opposed selective de-nuclearisation. ``We, in India, have for long been lending voice and weight for complete disarmament. Our engagement, from the beginning, in all the larger causes of the world affairs, has been to seek an equitable order and removal of asymmetries between the development and developing nations.''

Elaborating this point, he referred to the inequitable nature of globalisation and drew attention to the arbitrary nature of the measures taken under the existing regimes, lacking in balance of obligations. ``We must dismantle iniquitous order and have regimes which are universal and non-discriminatory. The existence of all weapons of mass destruction is incompatible with civilised norms,'' he said.

Mr. Gujral conceded a gradual improvement of security environment at the international level but said that conflicts, with local and regional roots, continued to pose a direct threat to societies and the end of the cold war had unleashed several new forces, to deal with which, an adequate strategy and diplomacy had yet to be found. According to him, the ``menace of terrorism and violence is beginning to dictate the national agendas of some countries and may remain on the forefront of our security concerns in the 21st century.''

The current trends, in his view, ``also indicate a spurt of new ideologies emerging in the form of ethno-nationalism and religio- political extremism. They carry the seed of extremism, exclusion of minorities, fragmentation of states and destabilisation. These tendencies become more dangerous especially when they are sought to be imposed through violent means.''

Afghanistan was a glaring example where such tendencies ruptured societies, resulting in a perpetual state of instability and conflict, he said.

In India, Central Asia was regarded as an extended neighbourhood, said Mr. Gujral, while suggesting closer cooperation and engagement between the two regions.

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