9 October 20069 October 2006
Commenting on the North Korean recent nuclear test, Panos Trigazis, Political
Secretariat Member responsible for Foreign Policy and International Relations,
made the following statement: The Left is for the total banning of all nuclear tests and the abolition of all nuclear weapons - a position that is not negotiable.. Nuclear weapons are not defensive weapons but weapons of destruction and we are emphatically against their acquisition, by any country whatsoever. We, therefore, condemn unequivocally North Korea’s nuclear tests.
On the other hand, we also denounce the hypocrisy of the nuclear powers, especially that of the USA, which violate themselves the Treaty for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons while at the same time they demand other countries to respect it. In addition, the Bush government has recently used the threat of nuclear proliferation as an excuse for its illegal and barbarous war against Iraq. It should also be pointed out that it was the US government which caused , a year ago, the failure of the UN Conference for the renewal and enhancement of the Non Proliferation Treaty.
We believe that the North Korea’s nuclear test must not lead the Korean Peninsule to a new, dangerous crisis. Dialogue must continue. At the same time, it is imperative to continue an intense and coordinated struggle on a universal level for the non proliferation of nuclear weapons while promoting steps towards total nuclear disarmament aiming at a world free from the nuclear nightmare.
The UN should immediately launch a new initiative for the resumption of the negotiations that will turn the Non Proliferation Treaty into a more powerful and more easily applicable tool. Our country should contribute in this direction.”