Applicant state for Nuclear Suppliers Group shall be a signatory to NPT: Chinese official

The applicant state for the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) shall be a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), an official of the Chinese Foreign Ministry has said.

Wang Qun, director-general of the Department of Arms Control of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told reporters here Thursday that concerning the eligibility of new members of the NSG, there are several criteria covering a wide spectrum, but being a NPT member "is a must."

Wang made the remarks on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group held here Thursday.

"This is a rule not set by China, but reaffirmed by the international community," the Chinese Foreign Ministry official stressed.

NPT represents the cornerstone of the entire non-proliferation regime, Wang said, adding that if exceptions are allowed here or there on the question of NPT, the international non-proliferation will be collapsed altogether.

He noted that in the absence of NPT as political and legal basis, it would be inconceivable to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, let alone to seek to address the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsular.

While it's easy to adopt double standards, the consequence can be enormous, Wang said. Endit