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Powell says no need to resume nuclear testing now
Washington, Aug 08: Secretary of State Colin Powell said a resumption of US nuclear testing cannot be ruled out forever, but there was no need to test now.
Washington, Aug 08: Secretary of State Colin Powell said a resumption of US nuclear testing cannot be ruled out forever, but there was no need to test now.
"The President has no intention of testing nuclear weapons," Powell said yesterday. "We have no need to."
"While the United States and other nuclear powers have a responsibility to keep their nuclear weapons stockpiles safe and reliable we see no need to test in order to do that at the moment," Powell said.
"We can't rule it out forever," he said. But, Powell added, "We have no plans to test and the topic is not likely to be discussed by President George W Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin at their meeting next month at Camp David. The United States has signed the international treaty to ban nuclear tests, but the senate refused to ratify it. Bush, like his predecessor, Bill Clinton, has imposed a voluntary moratorium on US tests.
Some Bush administration officials have suggested, however, that tests may be necessary if there is a decision to develop new US nuclear weapons.
Daryl Kimball, executive director of the private Arms Control Association, said, "It's useful that the secretary is reinforcing the current commitment to the test ban." Bureau Report
"While the United States and other nuclear powers have a responsibility to keep their nuclear weapons stockpiles safe and reliable we see no need to test in order to do that at the moment," Powell said.
"We can't rule it out forever," he said. But, Powell added, "We have no plans to test and the topic is not likely to be discussed by President George W Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin at their meeting next month at Camp David. The United States has signed the international treaty to ban nuclear tests, but the senate refused to ratify it. Bush, like his predecessor, Bill Clinton, has imposed a voluntary moratorium on US tests.
Some Bush administration officials have suggested, however, that tests may be necessary if there is a decision to develop new US nuclear weapons.
Daryl Kimball, executive director of the private Arms Control Association, said, "It's useful that the secretary is reinforcing the current commitment to the test ban." Bureau Report