U.S. behind deliberate murder of Qadhafi: Russia
- The U.S. is the main target of the Russian report, which also criticises the human rights record in Britain, Canada, Finland, the Baltic states and Georgia.
- “Old systemic problems of American society are growing more serious, including racial discrimination, xenophobia, overcrowded prisons, unjustified capital punishment, including the execution of innocent people, imperfect electoral system and corruption, ” said the report.
- The report was released as Moscow hardened its rhetoric against the U.S. on such issues as missile defence and interference in Russian internal affairs.
India asks Pakistan to join FMCT talks
- While emphasising restraint and responsibility in the management of nuclear weapons, India has expressed the hope that Pakistan would begin talks on joining the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) at the next Conference on Disarmament (CD) session
- Pakistan is the only hold out at the CD among 65 countries in substantial talks on the FMCT, a proposed pact that will ban the production of nuclear bomb making material.
- The issue came up at the sixth round of talks on nuclear and conventional confidence-building measures (CBMs) held in Islamabad
- India feels the FMCT could serve as a stepping stone for a more serious global push towards disarmament.
- Pakistan resisted India's request to publicly enunciate its nuclear doctrine, including assurances on no-first-use of nuclear weapons (which India has done) and strict civilian control over nuclear weapons. Pakistan said it does have a minimum credible deterrent, though it is not in the public domain.
- On the other hand, India did not accept Pakistan's suggestion for including nuclear safety and civil nuclear cooperation in the talks.