UK News
Scotland moves to rid itself of nuclear weapons
By Rich Bowden, M&C Staff Writer Oct 22, 2007, 12:25 GMT
A British Ministry of Defence handout file photo dated October 2005 - of a Trident Missile test firing off Cape Canaveral, Florida from HMS Vanguard. EPA/Lt. Stuart Antrobus/CROWN COPYRIGHT RESERVED EDITORIAL USE ONLY
(M&C) - Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has launched the party's campaign to rid the country of nuclear weapons by writing to the 189 countries signed up to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Mr Salmond has argued for a role for Scotland as an observer in nuclear deliberations and has stated his party's objections to the replacement for the British Trident nuclear deterrent which is currently based at HMNB Clyde at Faslane.
Outlining the Scottish National Party's (SNP) objections to the renewing of nuclear warheads, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon admitted that countries such as Zimbabwe and Iran had been contacted over the issue.
"It is not about trying to make common cause with any particular country."
"Given that Trident is based in Scotland, I think it is right that we make sure all of these countries know Scotland's view," she said.
Ms Sturgeon added that the majority of Scottish MPs and MSPs were opposed to nuclear weapons.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
I agree with Alastair. The idea of the so-called Nuclear Deterrent being independent is a farce anyway as the recent ill-advised invasion of Iraq has shown.
I don't know of any other country in the world that has a nuclear stockpile stored within 20 miles of its major city (Glasgow).Of course we don't hear of the secret WMD'S stored in underground tunnels in GLENBEG.
I Don't you've ever heard of the place ,look it up on a map.
That way its not much of a secret anymore.
I don't EXPECT you've ever heard of the place
Stupid move. al qaeda terrorists are going to invade and implement sharia law. What a bunch of Dhimmi's!
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Alastair McIntoshOct 22nd, 2007 - 14:33:04
I attended this morning's session hosted by the Scottish Government, and it was wonderful to see politicians concerned with setting a dignified example in the world rather than continuing to flex imperial muscle. This initiative is a major challenge to pro-nuclear forces within the UK. The more they dig in and challenge Scotland's political and moral legitimacy, the more they will expose their own illigitemacy. The time has come for the UK to wake up to the fact that devolution has brought constitutional change, and much of the driving force behind that has been, and is, the UK's reckless use of its authority in insisting upon holding WMDs on Scottish soil.
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