Sunday Morning News

U.N. Looks to Take Steps Toward Nuclear-Free World

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KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: At the United Nations, the world's five main nuclear powers have pledged to eliminate their nuclear arsenals. The historic agreement was reached yesterday after long debate. As CNN's Brian Nelson reports, there was a key element missing from the pact.

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UNIDENTIFIED U.N. OFFICIAL: May I take it that the conference wishes to adopt its final document by consensus? It is so decided.

BRIAN NELSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): But it wasn't easy. Negotiations to set an arms agenda for the next five years were held up by a dispute between the United States and Iraq over Baghdad's weapons program. Eventually, they worked out a compromise.

ROBERT GRAY, U.S. DELEGATE TO U.N.: This is the common ground on which our future dialogue must rest. Together we crafted and important consensus document and together we will discuss and debate the continued implementation of the treaty.

NELSON: United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says he is convinced that the pledge "marks a significant step forward in humanity's pursuit of a more peaceful world, a world free of nuclear dangers." But critics call the pledge a baby step toward disarmament and some experts say the agreement is all rhetoric and mostly symbolic since it sets no timetable for elimination of nuclear stockpiles. Also, some other countries, most notably Israel, Cuba, India and Pakistan, did not sign on.

The document also urges the U.S. and Russia to implement the Start II arms limitation agreement. Russian law makers signed that treaty last month. In the U.S., the Senate has already ratified Start II but needs to approve certain attached protocols before it can take effect.

After all night deliberations, negotiators reached agreement, ending the conference on the non-proliferation treaty or NPT.

GRAY: Let us together recommit to the fundamental goals of the NPT, to use nuclear techniques to build prosperity for our peoples in a world ever, made ever more secure with each step under this treaty toward the total elimination of nuclear weapons. NELSON: Even though the agreement gave no timetable for that total elimination, delegates said it will take years to achieve a nuclear-free world.

Brian Nelson, CNN.

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