Press release – Tobias Pflüger (MEP) – Brussels, 11th October 2006

Condemning North Korea's recent nuclear tests for intensifying global instability and putting millions of people at risk, GUE/NGL German MEP Tobias Pflüger said that the tests illustrated the cynicism of a regime that would "rather invest in nuclear weapons than feed its people" and exposed the hypocrisy of the EU in its interpretation of the International Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

"The way the world deals with the fact that North Korea is now the 9th nuclear power on the planet will be crucial" said Pflüger, dismissing the calls for military strikes as "dangerous sabre-rattling" and calling for the crisis to be solved through negotiation.

Pflüger expressed concern about the possible impact of sanctions on the North Korean people and went on to highlight the danger and threats posed by all nuclear weapons in the world.

"All of these weapons should be destroyed without exception. North Korea's recent tests have exposed the double standards of the EU and the west in general as regards Article 6 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty*. There is simply no such thing as a good nuclear weapon."

*Article 6 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty says:

"Each of the Parties to the Treaty undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control."