US campaign nuclear use

US campaign to boost broader peaceful nuclear use
The United States announced Monday a campaign to raise 100 million dollars over five years to help developing countries gain better access to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
The State Department said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will announce the campaign in her speech before delegates at the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference at the United Nations.

"The United States has pledged 50 million dollars to this effort and will work with others to meet the 100 million dollar target by the opening of the next NPT Review Conference," it said in a statement.


The funds are earmarked for projects sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to help meet energy demand and be used for humanitarian purposes, such as boosting cancer treatment and fighting infectious diseases.

It will also be aimed at boosting "food and water security, and at the development of infrastructure for the safe, secure use of civil nuclear power," it said.

"These efforts will be aimed to assist developing countries," it said.

The NPT is built on a bargain. Nuclear weapons states pledged to move towards disarmament. Other states foreswore the bomb in return for unfettered access to peaceful nuclear energy, such as generating electricity.

Clinton, the statement said, will also announce that the United States will seek US Senate advice and consent to ratification of several protocols to the Africa Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba) and the South Pacific Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Rarotonga).

"These treaties complement the NPT and enhance the international non-proliferation regime by prohibiting the development or testing of nuclear weapons within their respective geographic zones," it added.

"The United States is not eligible to be a party to either of these treaties, but it is eligible to join treaty protocols open for signature by the nuclear weapons states," it said.

"These protocols include a pledge not to test nuclear weapons within the zones and legally-binding assurances not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against treaty parties," according to the statement.