Paris: Multilateral approach to ballistic missiles

Washington’s growing unilateralism is balanced by a new approach – a multilateral discussion between 73 countries in France on how to achieve equilibrium in the question of ballistic missiles.

The 73 countries, including Russia and America, intend to draw up a “code of conduct” which is not legally binding, but rather politically so, regarding proliferation of ballistic missiles.

The French Foreign Ministry’s Director of Political Issues, Gerard Errera, declared that “The multilateral approach is the way which will allow us to instil confidence and to disarm the regional tension”.

The “Code of conduct” was drawn up by France and the 73 countries are debating the issue. Among those present are, apart from Russia and the USA, Libya, Iran, Pakistan, India and Israel. Syria and North Korea were absent.

Monsieur Errera added that “For some countries, the decision to take part in this meeting was difficult, but their presence shows that there is a collective will to establish an open dialogue”.

The Code of conduct which is being debated in Paris will not be a treaty, but rather a step forward in that it establishes a threshold of collective confidence in the international community, the players trusting each other and deciding together what Humankind must do to live a better collective life on a common planet.

The final text is expected to approach the issue of proliferation and tests. All countries signing the Code are expected to provide information every year as to their numbers of ballistic missiles and are expected to provide information in advance of missile testing.

This informal document could evolve into a more formal declaration in The Hague this autumn.

The countries of the world begin to feel a common cause and a collective responsibility. This was the ideal of the Communist parties, and continues to be. It is nice to see that the rest of the world is finally seeing the light of the cause and is agreeing with the ideals it formerly considered as hostile.

Emilie ACQUITAINE PRAVDA.Ru PARIS FRANCE