More needs to be done to prevent non-state actors from obtaining nuclear materials, world leaders said in a communiqué after the summit.
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Speaking at his final nuclear security summit, Obama warned of “madmen” that could inflict damage on hundreds of thousands of innocent people using plutonium the size of an apple.
Obama said about 2,000 tons of nuclear materials are stored around the world at civilian and military facilities, some of them not properly secured.
Mr Obama said the world faced a persistent and evolving threat of nuclear terrorism despite progress in reducing such risks. Obama noted that the police had discovered several hours of video the terror cell had covertly filmed of a senior manager of a Belgian nuclear plant.
102 countries have now ratified an amendment to a nuclear security treaty to tighten protections around theft and smuggling. The Islamic State has used chemical weapons, including mustard gas, in Syria and Iraq and is believed still to have stocks in the inventory, and al Qaeda continues to seek nuclear material.
Russian President Vladimir Putin boycotted the summit.
Obama added, “And we don’t want somebody in the Oval Office who doesn’t recognize how important that is”.
US President Barack Obama said that global efforts to improve nuclear security have removed from circulation material equivalent to 150 nuclear weapons, safeguarding it from extremists. It’s harder for terrorists to get it. And as Commander in Chief, I want you to know that we’re going to keep doing everything in our power to keep our nation safe and strong and free.
But even if Iran is complying with the letter of the law, Obama said, businesses will still be leery if Tehran doesn’t also reflect the spirit of the agreement. “The nuclear part of it is something we are working on with other countries so when it comes to tracking the movement of material through Singapore, we have been doing our part”.
Today he stands as a president on his way out, trying to complete as much of his agenda as possible, while Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump garners attention with calls for South Korea and Japan to be nuclear armed.
Stressing for worldwide cooperation for countering nuclear and radiological terrorism, the communique said it included sharing of information in accordance with States’ national laws and procedures.
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President Barack Obama says he has been troubled by Turkey’s repression of the press and democratic debate under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
