The US and Britain asked the UN Security Council to approve a resolution that would ban the transfer of weapons of mass destruction to terrorists and others acting without state authority. The complicated five-page draft, under discussion among the major council powers over the last four months, would compel nations to adopt and enforce laws prohibiting a ‘‘non-state actor’’ from acquiring weapons of mass destruction.It was introduced by the US on Wednesday and co-sponsored by Britain after being promoted by US President George W. Bush in a speech to the UN General Assembly last September. France, Russia and China support the draft.The measure would require all 191 UN members to ‘‘adopt and enforce appropriate effective laws’’ to prevent ‘‘any non-state actor’’ from being able to ‘‘manufacture, acquire, possess, develop, transport or use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their means of delivery.’’The document invokes Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, a provision that makes the resolution mandatory. Chapter 7 allows sanctions and military force but in this case neither applies. It calls on governments to penalise those helping terrorists obtain weapons, but does not provide any sanctions if the states do not comply. Instead US officials said they relied mainly on ‘‘name and shame’’ pressures on errant nations.China insisted the original draft drop a provision on the interdiction of suspected shipments of unconventional weapons. But US Officials said that an existing Proliferation Security Initiative, which so far involves 15 countries, provides legal power to board ships. The new draft defines a ‘‘non-state actor’’ as an individual or entity not acting under the lawful authority of any state in conducting the banned activities.Under that definition, a target would be A.Q. Khan, the Pakistani scientist who smuggled nuclear secrets to North Korea, Iran and Libya.Pakistan, a council member, said it had to seek instructions first, diplomats reported. — (Reuters)
