THURSDAY, APRIL 14 KUALA LUMPUR- Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi attends Vaisakhi Day Hi Tea at Sentul Gurdwara Sahib, Sentul at 1015 (0215 GMT); KUALA LUMPUR- Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi officiates National Key Targets Seminar 2016 at Sasana Kijang Auditorium, Sasana Kijang at 1145 (0345 GMT)
WASHINGTON: All countries, regardless of whether they are members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), need to share information on the abuse of nuclear weapons, radiological materials and biochemical weapons.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was among the agreement made by the 53 countries attending the fourth Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) that concluded on Friday.
The conference was chaired by United States President Barack Obama, who has initiated efforts to ensure nuclear safety.
Ahmad Zahid said the sharing of such information could block the use of weapons and materials by irresponsible parties for mass destruction.
These concerns arise when there is information about radiological materials being stolen and sold on the black market, he told Malaysian journalists after attending the plenary session at the Walter E Washington Convention Centre here on Friday.
The two-day summit was attended by 53 countries and four international organisations, including the United Nations, IAEA and Interpol.
Earlier at the plenary session, Ahmad Zahid said there was a need to redouble efforts towards the ultimate goal of attaining general and complete disarmament of weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons.
He said although the NSS had intensified efforts to bring the issue of nuclear security to the forefront, the nuclear disarmament process should also be accelerated as nuclear weapons continued to pose one of the greatest dangers to mankind.
"We must also strengthen the capacity to maintain effective control and undertake pre-emptive actions to ensure nuclear security," he said.
Ahmad Zahid, who is Home Minister, said there was also a need to strengthen the capacity to maintain effective control and undertake pre-emptive actions to ensure nuclear security.
"We need to further enhance cooperation in capacity building, timely sharing of information and intelligence, and adopt best practises, in our common endeavour to secure nuclear materials and ensure that they do not fall into the wrong hands, that of non-state actors and terrorist organisations," he said. - Bernama
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