Non-Proliferation Treaty in danger of collapse: Report

NEW YORK -- The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty faces disintegration, a report submitted to the United Nations says.

The report, commissioned by Japan and written by the Tokyo Forum, a group of nuclear weapons experts, says unless the international community takes effective action the NPT treaty will fall apart as its leading signators move to violate the agreement.

"We are at a very dangerous turning point," said Yasushi Akashi, co-chairman of the forum and a former top-ranking U.N. official. "Either we'll be able to strengthen the non-nuclear proliferation regime or we'll face the danger of revalued nuclear weapons spreading in many parts of the world."

Akashi said Russia is reevaluating its nuclear arms policy and India and Pakistan defied international warnings and detonated nuclear bombs He called on the United States to take the lead in renewing focus on weapons curbs.

"The onus is on the United States and Russia, more particularly on the United States," he said. "They have more nuclear weapons than they need these nuclear weapons are on a hair-trigger alert status."

The report also called on China, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. The CTBT has been signed by 152 nations but ratified by only 41, including nuclear powers Britain and France. The treaty will enter into force after 44 nations have signed it.

The Chinese delegate disassociated himself with some of the conclusions of the report.The report was commissioned by Japan, the only country ever to have suffered a nuclear attack.