Global warming more dangerous than nuclear weapons: Blix

by Paul Schemm
AFP

Former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix warned that global warming was a greater threat than weapons of mass destruction, and advocated promoting peaceful nuclear technology around the world.

"The threat against the global environment and global warming are a greater threat than weapons of mass destruction," he told journalists on the final day of a visit to Egypt promoting his commission's report on reducing weapons of mass destruction worldwide.

"It is of utmost imperative that the whole world reduces the emission of greenhouse gases," Blix said. "Nuclear power can give the world enormous amounts of electricity without giving any greenhouse gases."

Blix gained prominence as the UN inspector who maintained ahead of the US-led invasion in 2003 that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction.

After leaving the United Nations, he was commissioned in 2003 by the Swedish government to lead a 14-member international commission to study how to end the presence of weapons of mass destruction in the world.

His remarks on Thursday came as the nuclear temperature in the Middle East was rising over Iran's decision to continuing enriching uranium in its own nuclear programme -- a move the US fears will result in the development of nuclear weapons.

(Continued here.)