21/12/2001
UN Regrets US Abandonment of ABM Treaty

The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, last week formally noted with regret the decision of the United States to withdraw unilaterally from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, according to UN sources

The Secretary-General's position is that the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems has served for many years as a cornerstone for maintaining global peace and security and strategic stability. He is concerned the annulation of the treaty might provoke an arms race, especially in the missile area, and further undermine disarmament and non-proliferation regimes.

A UN spokesman said that the Secretary-General "calls upon all states to explore new binding and irreversible initiatives to avert such unwelcome effects."