Ukraine condemns India's N tests (05/17/98)

Ukraine condemns India's N tests

WASHINGTON - The following statement was issued on May 12 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and releaed in Washington by the Embassy of Ukraine.

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On May 11, India carried out three underground nuclear tests.

This event elicits deep concern in Ukraine as it violates the moratorium on nuclear testing that states of the world have observed for a long time.

Our state, whose people have suffered from terrible radioactive contamination, believes that no demands of security or defense, or the national interest of any state in the world can justify the carrying out of nuclear tests.

Ukraine, which voluntarily gave up the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world and declined to carry out nuclear tests, condemns this action by India that threatens existing international arrangements on nuclear weapons non-proliferation.

Ukraine calls upon the governments of India and other states of the world to cooperate more intensively in the sphere of peaceful use of nuclear energy and a complete nuclear weapons ban.