India attaches highest priority to nuclear disarmament, Krishna tells UN

United Nations, Sep 27 (ANI): India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today said that India attaches the highest priority to the goal of nuclear disarmament.

Speaking during the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly here, Krishna said: "India attaches the highest priority to nuclear disarmament and stands committed to safeguarding international peace and security.

Krishna said that India also supported a world free of nuclear weapons, but maintained that there should be an international accord to achieve this goal.

"The international order cannot be discriminatory. States must fulfil the obligations they have undertaken," he said.

Stressing on the need for expanding the Security Council, he said, "It must be accepted that the Security Council must be strengthened and made more representative by expanding its permanent and non-permanent membership."

Krishna also reiterated India's proposal mentioned in the Rajiv Gandhi Action Plan, which calls for removal of all nuclear weapons within a specific time frame.

"We remained committed to a unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing," he said.

Krishna's statement came in the wake of an UNSC resolution seeking all non NPT signatories to join the treaty. (ANI)