(August 5, 1998, The Chugoku Shimbun)

An international symposium called "For the elimination of nuclear weapons now, what should we do?" (sponsored in part by Hiroshima), was held at the Hiroshima International Conference Center in City's Naka-Ward. Diplomats from India and Pakistan which conducted nuclear tests recently, also participated.

Approximately 600 people participated. Yasushi Akashi, head of the newly opened Hiroshima Peace Institute gave a lecture before the symposium.

Akashi noted the importance of enacting a "passive security treaty" which assures nuclear states won't attack and threat non-nuclear states with nuclear weapons. He was also enthusiastic regarding a "constructive security treaty" that nuclear states assure the security of non-nuclear states. He proposed a new for international control of nuclear weapons. That is asking the UN's Security Council to take a role to assure the security of non-nuclear states instead of depending on the nuclear umbrella of a particular nuclear state. The minister of India to Japan, Hon. Jaishankar criticized the Big 5 nuclear state's monopoly system of nuclear weapons and justified India's nuclear tests. On the other hand, the counselor of Pakistan to Japan, Hon. Abdullah said that Pakistan had no other choice, "Unlike India's incendiary act, Pakistan did it for self-defense purposes."