Nukes no more

THE South Pacific region will now be outof bounds for countries wanting toconduct nuclear tests. At long lastFrance, the UK and the us (with Russiaand China) finally affixed their signatures, on March 25, to the I I -year oldTreaty of Rarotongo, which seeks to bannuclear weapons from the region, at theFijian capital of Suva.

The treaty covers 30 million sq kmof ocean and several tiny islands whichare home to nearly 26 million people. Itbans the testing, storage and deployment of nuclear weapons in the zone.Considered for long a 'nuclear playground' by nations wanting to displaytheir supremacy, the region will now bepeaceful. The South Pacific Forum,which represents the region's 16nations, has approved of France's agreement on the ban. France had recentlyraised the ire of these and other nationsby conducting six nuclear tests in theSouth Pacific. Said Julius Chan, PrimeMinister of Papua New Guinea andForum chairperson, that the accord"marks the end of a tense and uncertainperiod when the region was a testingground, and in certain respects, a battleground for nuclear testing by thenuclear powers".