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A8 world news
Monday 15 January 2018

NATO chief: UN convention won’t rid world of nuclear arms

conference in Sweden that told Swedish daily newspa-
ridding the world of nuclear per Dagens Nyheter earlier
weapons requires a period that Sweden, which is not a
of “painful disarmament” NATO member, could find
that the Treaty on the Prohi- its cooperative relationship
bition of Nuclear Weapons with the alliance weak-
cannot guarantee. ened if it endorses the U.N.
Stoltenberg stressed that convention.
NATO’s military deterrence The International Cam-
strategy relies on a com- paign to Abolish Nuclear
bination of conventional Weapons, or ICAN, has
weapons and nuclear been working to promote
weapons. If NATO mem- the U.N. convention. The
bers scrapped their nuclear NGO was awarded the
arsenals but countries such 2017 Nobel Peace Prize
as China and Russia kept for its efforts to draw atten-
theirs, the world would not tion to the humanitarian
be made safer, he said. consequences of nuclear
Stoltenberg’s message weapons and to achieve
was clearly directed to a treaty-based prohibition
the Swedish government, of such weapons. Pope
which is divided on wheth- Francis last week called on
er to sign the U.N. treaty. nations to work toward a
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg delivers a keynote speech at the Security Conference Swedish Foreign Minister binding nuclear weapons
“Folk och Forsvar” (People and Defense), in Salen, Sweden, on Sunday Jan. 14, 2018. Margot Wallstrom is among ban, and voiced his con-
(Henrik Montgomery / TT via AP) those supporting it. The cern over the tensions on
STOCKHOLM (AP) — NATO be achieved by imposing alliance’s top official said government is unlikely to the Korean peninsula. The
supports the idea of a world a ban through the United Sunday. Secretary General decide before the next Holy See was among the
without nuclear weapons, Nations convention on nu- Jens Stoltenberg said dur- parliamentary election in 122 nations that approved
but doesn’t believe it can clear weapons, the military ing a speech at a security September. The NATO chief the treaty last year.q

Czech president leads voting, but will face runoff election

By KAREL JANICEK However, with almost all man didn’t take part in any former left-leaning prime kia was split into the Czech
Associated Press ballots counted by the debates ahead of the first minister to power. As presi- Republic and Slovakia,
PRAGUE (AP) — Czech Pres- Czech Statistics Office, Ze- round of voting. dent, he has become a Vaclav Havel and Vaclav
ident Milos Zeman failed to man had 38.6 percent of “Mr. Drahos said that he strong anti-migrant voice Klaus, were elected by Par-
win re-election during the the vote, a commanding would like to meet me and major pro-Russian liament. Under the Czech
first round of a presidential lead over Drahos’ 26.6 per- face to face. I am happy voice in European Union Constitution, the president
election Saturday and will cent. A former diplomat, to oblige him,” the presi- politics. picks the prime minister af-
face a runoff in two weeks Pavel Fischer, was a dis- dent said. Election officials A chain smoker with a soft ter a general election, one
against the former head of tant third with 10.2 percent. said voter turnout was 61.9 spot for alcohol, he was of the office’s key respon-
the country’s Academy of Songwriter Michal Horacek percent in the preliminary one of the few European sibilities. The president also
Sciences. finished fourth with 9.2 per- election. Drahos called leaders to endorse Donald appoints members of the
Zeman and Jiri Drahos ad- cent, ahead of physician on all those “who want a Trump’s bid for the White Central Bank board and
vanced to a second round Marek Hilser, who had 8.8 change” to cast ballots in House. selects Constitutional Court
of voting because none of percent. The three pledged the runoff. “The final is still Drahos, 68, is seen as more judges with the approval of
the nine candidates seek- their support to Drahos in ahead of us, and that’s western-oriented and firmly Parliament’s upper house.
ing the Czech Republic’s the runoff. what matters,” Drahos said. supports the country’s EU Otherwise, the president
largely ceremonial presi- Zeman congratulated Dra- Zeman, 73, was elected in and NATO membership. has little executive power
dency received a majority hos and said he was ready 2013 during the country’s The previous two presidents since the country is run by
of votes in the first round to debate him before the first direct presidential vote, of the country created in a government chosen and
held Friday and Saturday. Jan. 26-Jan. 27 runoff. Ze- a victory that returned the 1993 when Czechoslova- led by the prime minister.q