This year, deep concerns about terrorism were the focus, as leaders grappled with the notion that the next Paris or Brussels could involve an attack with a nuclear weapon or dirty bomb.
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US President Barack Obama has warned that extremist “madmen” from the Islamic State would not hesitate to launch a catastrophic nuclear attack if they had the means, at a global summit in Washington.
Q: When it comes to nuclear smuggling and facilities’ safety … what countries are most vulnerable?
Over 50 nations are represented at the summit, with North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme dominating the discussion.
But he did say that because of the Russian’s leader’s emphasis on building up his military, there was unlikely to be any further deals for reducing the two countries’ vast nuclear weapons stockpiles during what is left of the Obama presidency.
Alex Wong/Getty Images Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron listens during a plenary session of the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit. Obama held up the nuclear agreement with Iran as an example of progress that can be made when countries unite behind strong diplomacy.
Mr Key is on his way home after attending the fourth and final Nuclear Security Summit meeting in Washington DC. Central Europe and Southeast Asia are on track to be free of them later this year.
Despite these gains, Obama said the Indian subcontinent and the Korean peninsula were areas where more could be done to combat proliferation.
“It has prevented the possibilities of a nuclear escalation and conflict”.
IS has already used chemical weapons in Syria. And if they ever got hold of a nuclear weapon or nuclear material, we have no doubt they’d use it.
In his remarks, Obama commended the “significant progress” achieved in improving nuclear security around the world since the first NSS in 2010, which, he said, has made it harder for terrorists to acquire nuclear material.
“As a effect, sanctions related to their nuclear program have been brought down”, Obama said, but he noted Iran’s unhappiness that easing sanctions haven’t resulted in a rush of worldwide investment.
“This is a success of diplomacy that hopefully we will be able to copy in the future”, he said.
Obama said he expects the treaty to enter into force in the coming weeks.
Today he stands as a president on his way out, trying to complete as much of his agenda as possible while Republican front runner Donald Trump garners attention with unorthodox calls for South Korea and Japan to be nuclear armed.
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President Barack Obama admitted that “civilians were killed that shouldn’t have been” in past U.S. drone strikes, but added they were now “very cautious” about striking where women or children are present.
