UNITED NATIONS. Nov 10: India voted against part of a draft resolution that called upon all states to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). particularly those states operating unsafeguarded nuclear facilities, reports IANS.

"India's long-standing views, on the NPT are well-known.’" Savitri Kunadi. India's Ambassador to the Disarmament Conference in Geneva, told the First Committee which approved the draft. Kunadi said she was obliged to vote against the sixth preambular paragraph.

The paragraph recalled the decision of the 1995 Conference of the Parties to the NPT to call upon all states not yet party to the treaty to accede to it at the earliest date. The paragraph was approved by a vote of 141 in favour, two against, including India and Israel, and two abstentions, including Pakistan.

The General Assembly draft resolution on the setting up of a Middle East Nuclear Weapons Free Zone noted that Israel remained the only state in the region which has not been party

to the NPT.

Israel said that the text was the only one to single out a member state. While it dealt with an important issue, it did not address the realities of its region.

"Many nuclear related developments had occurred in recent years, such as the sombre experience gained by the U.N. inspection team on the disposal of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction as well as other activities undertaken by some countries in the region." the representative said.

He said that draft's co-spon-sors were not really promoting its alleged specific puipose. The representative said that other drafts on crucial issues were presented in a restrained manner and avoided singling out any one state. 'When it came to Israel, such restraint was ignored." he said.

The United States alluded to the nuclear tests by India and Pakistan while voting against the draft resolution which noted that Israel remained the only state in the Middle East not party to the NPT.