KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he had agreed to work with United States President Barack Obama to strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).The prime minister said Malaysia was committed to collaborating with international partners to prevent illicit trafficking of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery.
“Similarly, we agreed to strongly emphasise to Iran that it does not have the right to develop nuclear weapons capability and that any nuclear programme should be used for peaceful purposes only,” Najib said in the posting in his 1Malaysia blog which he wrote from Washington.
Najib met Obama at the Walter E Washington Convention Centre on Monday against the backdrop of the two-day Nuclear Security Summit and both discussed a wide range of issues, including nuclear nonproliferation.
The NPT, which came into force on March 5 1970, is a treaty to limit the spread or proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Currently, 189 nations, including Malaysia, are party to the treaty.
The parties to the treaty encompass nations which have signed and ratified or acceded to the international agreement limiting the spread of nuclear weapons.
On nuclear nonproliferation, Najib said Obama welcomed Malaysia’s Strategic Trade Bill 2010, passed recently by parliament.
“Five years in the making, the law is testament to Malaysia’s nonproliferation efforts and aims to curb the illicit trafficking of weapons of mass destruction,” Najib said.
Among other things, the Strategic Trade Act provides control over activities that will or may facilitate the design, development and production of WMD, including nuclear weapon components.
Najib also recalled that the last time he and the US leader engaged in conversation, which was in late June 2009, they discussed the global financial crisis, North Korea and Iran, and nuclear proliferation in a 20-minute phone call.
“Then, President Obama, to my delight, lauded Malaysia as an example of a modern, progressive Muslim country that is able to manage a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. “(And) in our one-to-one this morning, we talked for twice as long.
“Our cordial conversation covered matters as diverse as Afghanistan and Iran, human trafficking, the New Economic Model and non-proliferation,” Najib said.
On trade and investment, he said he discussed the New Economic Model, which was unveiled at the end of last month.
“…and both the President and I recognised the need to deepen economic ties between both countries.
“We also acknowledged our mutual interest and links in education, technology and entrepreneurship.”
He said his meeting with Obama pointed to closer cooperation between Kuala Lumpur and Washington in the months ahead and he was heartened by this progress in bilateral relations.
“There is much that can be achieved from working together, from strengthening regional peace and stability to improving the economic prospects of both countries,” Najib added. — Bernama