Global warming more dangerous than nuclear weapons: Blix

[Pastor Dale Morgan]

*
Perilous Times

Global warming more dangerous than nuclear weapons: Blix*

CAIRO, Jan 25 (AFP) Jan 25, 2007

Former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix warned on Thursday that global
warming was a greater threat than weapons of mass destruction, and
advocated promoting peaceful nuclear technology around the world.

"The threat against the global environment and global warming are a
greater threat than weapons of mass destruction," he told journalists on
the final day of a visit to Egypt promoting his commission's report on
reducing weapons of mass destruction worldwide.

"It is of utmost imperative that the whole world reduces the emission of
greenhouse gases," Blix said. "Nuclear power can give the world enormous
amounts of electricity without giving any greenhouse gases."

Blix gained prominence as the UN inspector who maintained ahead of the
US-led invasion in 2003 that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction.

After leaving the United Nations, he was commissioned in 2003 by the
Swedish government to lead a 14-member international commission to study
how to end the presence of weapons of mass destruction in the world.

His remarks on Thursday came as the nuclear temperature in the Middle
East was rising over Iran's decision to continuing enriching uranium in
its own nuclear programme -- a move the US fears will result in the
development of nuclear weapons.

Last month both Egypt and Jordan also asserted their right to develop
peaceful nuclear technology, prompting fears of a regional nuclear arms
race.

"The (nuclear non proliferation) treaty is under strain, but I think it
is an exaggeration to say it is falling apart," Blix said, while
admitting that Iran obtaining nuclear weapons would create "a long-term
domino effect which would be very serious for this part of the world."

"The region would be much less tense if they didn't enrich their own
fuel," Blix said, while conceding that Iran had the right to do so to
support civilian nuclear technology. "But you don't need to exercise
every right."

Instead he urged Iran to buy enriched uranium, as most countries with
much large civilian nuclear programmes do, while calling for a system
that would ensure Iran did so.

Blix also dismissed the notion that the United States would use the
pretext of nuclear weapons to justify a strike on Iran, as it did
against Iraq in 2003.

"I think after Iraq and Lebanon, the US public are increasingly against
military measures," he said.

Blix singled out countries with nuclear weapons for not holding up their
side of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and not reducing their
weapons stocks or helping other countries develop civilian nuclear
technology.

"Disarmament has been dead for several years," he said, referring to the
lack of progress over the past decade at UN nuclear disarmament talks in
Geneva as well as in the UN General Assembly.

"Nuclear weapon states have not fulfilled their part of the bargain,"
Blix said, explaining that if Russia, the United States and other
countries eliminated their weapons, non-treaty adherents such as Israel,
India and Pakistan would gradually get rid of their own as well.