Russian President Vladimir Putin became the first world leader on Wednesday to sign an international convention on combating nuclear terrorism.
The 15-page pact, a Russian initiative, codifies definitions for trafficking in controlled nuclear materials and calls on participating states to adapt national laws to tighten controls on unsanctioned use of such materials.
A senior Russian official said about 40 countries were expected to accede to the convention on Wednesday alone, the first day of a three-day United Nations summit.
The preamble of the document states that signatory countries recognise the right of any state to develop and maintain peaceful nuclear-energy programmes.
That question is sensitive at the UN summit as the United States presses a drive to halt a nuclear programme in Iran, which Tehran says is for civilian purposes but Washington suspects is a cover for atomic-weapons development.
Russia is the main foreign contractor in the development of Iran’s nuclear programme and has defended Tehran’s right to develop atomic energy while saying any move to build nuclear weapons would be unacceptable.
Putin was scheduled to meet one-on-one at the UN with Iran’s new President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. — AFP
