Obama wins support for goal of ridding world of nuclear weapons

UNITED NATIONS — The UN Security Council on Thursday endorsed U.S. President Barack Obama's ambitious goal of ridding the world of nuclear weapons, as they met for a rare summit of the organization's most powerful body.

Although Canada is not a council member, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon attended the meeting and gave Canada's support for the goal of nuclear disarmament.

The meeting came ahead of a busy year on the world nuclear file, a point that is noted in the Canadian statement.

The resolution put to the meeting pledges the council to "seek a safer world for all and to create the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons."

Canada's statement says the move is an "important step in setting the course for the critical meetings that will follow."

A "nuclear security" summit is planned for April in Washington, followed in May by a review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Canada says it is committed to "enhancing the effectiveness" of the non-proliferation treaty, to which 189 countries are party.

The treaty obliges signatories beyond the five "declared" nuclear powers to forsake the development of nuclear weapons, but guarantees the right to harness nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, such as in the generation of energy.

It also says the five "declared" nuclear powers — the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia — should work towards nuclear disarmament.

The Security Council is currently in a standoff with Iran over the Islamic republic's nuclear program, saying Tehran is not in compliance with its treaty obligations. Meanwhile, North Korea, which has conducted two nuclear tests, pulled out of the treaty.

The Canadian statement also says "Canada strongly supports the resolution's language on the Nuclear Security Summit and the need to prevent nuclear terrorism."