By IANS,
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday stressed the need for a meaningful dialogue among all nations possessing nuclear weapons to build trust and confidence.
“Measures to reduce nuclear dangers arising from accidental or unauthorized use of nuclear weapons, increasing restraints on the use of nuclear weapons and de-alerting of nuclear weapons are essential steps”, the prime minister said.
Singh said this in his message to the participants of the Global Zero Summit and extended his support for the endeavours for a world free of nuclear weapons.
“The goal of nuclear disarmament can be achieved by a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed multilateral framework that is global and non-discriminatory. Progressive steps are needed for the de-legitimization of nuclear weapons,” Singh said in his message.
Referring to the initiative taken by former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi for a world free of nuclear weapons, Prime Minister Singh said, “India has been steadfast in its support for global, non-discriminatory, verifiable nuclear disarmament.
“Prime minister Rajiv Gandhi presented a visionary Action Plan for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free and Non-Violent World Order. This Action Plan sets out a roadmap for achieving nuclear disarmament in a time-bound, universal, non-discriminatory, phased and verifiable manner,” the message read.
He noted that the Global Zero Action Plan is based on similar principle and like India, it has supported the global elimination of nuclear weapons in a time-bound framework.
The prime minister said that the campaign for a nuclear weapon free world could be taken forward by forging a renewed consensus on non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament.
“Public awareness and support is vital to generate and sustain an irreversible momentum until we reach our cherished goal of a world without nuclear weapons,” Manmohan Singh said, adding that transforming this vision into reality is a task worthy of the distinguished participants of the Global Zero Campaign.