5-05-07, 9:02 am

VIENNA, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Countries should abide by the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) obligations during the course of peaceful use of nuclear energy, a Chinese official said here on Tuesday.

Zhang Yan, director general of the Department of Arms Control and Disarmament of the Chinese Foreign Ministry made the remarks as head of the Chinese delegation at the General Debate in the First Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2010 NPT Review Conference.

Zhang said that the peaceful use of nuclear energy is one of the important goals of the NPT. Each country is entitled to peaceful use of nuclear energy as long as it earnestly fulfills its obligations under the NPT.

China opposes using non-proliferation as a pretext for restricting and depriving non-nuclear-weapon states of the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy. Such practices go against the purposes and objectives of the NPT and are inconsistent with the principle of the balance between rights and obligations, Zhang said.

During the course of peaceful use of nuclear energy, all countries should abide by their non-proliferation obligations, which will enhance mutual trust and create a sound external environment for international cooperation in nuclear energy, he said.

Zhang said correct understanding and appropriate handling of the relationship between non-proliferation and peaceful use can make a practical contribution in resolving nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula and in Iran, as well as other countries and regions.

Peaceful use of nuclear energy and non-proliferation should not go against each other, rather they should be complementary and mutually supportive. Double standards and selective practice should be discarded in handling the relations between the two, Zhang added.

From Xinhua