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Cambodia Asks Nuclear States to Join Regional Treaty


Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (R) waves a gavel after taking over the ASEAN chairmanship from Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during the handover ceremony at the closing session of ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Nusa Dua, Bali Novemb
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (R) waves a gavel after taking over the ASEAN chairmanship from Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during the handover ceremony at the closing session of ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Nusa Dua, Bali Novemb

In its new role as this year’s head of Asean, Cambodia sent a letter Friday the world’s five nuclear powers requesting they sign onto a treaty to keep Southeast Asia free of nuclear weapons.

The letter was delivered to China, France, Russia, the UK and the United States.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said by signing onto the treaty, the five states would be strengthening an international non-proliferation treaty.

Independent political analyst Lao Monghay said the Asean policy was modeled off a US policy to prevent nuclear weapon proliferation from states such as North Korea and Iran.

“It would be a success for Cambodia and the Asean countries if the Asean zone were to be free from nuclear weapons,” he said. “This is a good thing, particularly in the context of the strategy of the world’s nuclear powers right now.”

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