Disarmament body takes a step toward negotiations on new nuclear arms treaty

Disarmament body steps toward nuclear talks

GENEVA — The 65-nation Conference on Disarmament has taken a step toward negotiating a new nuclear arms control treaty after a dozen years of deadlock.

Diplomats in Geneva welcomed the adoption of a “program of work” as a breakthrough for the conference. The body has been stalemated since it wrote the nuclear test ban treaty in 1996.

The program foresees talks on halting the nuclear arms race.

It indicates a top candidate for a new treaty is one to ban production of so-called “fissile materials” — highly enriched uranium and plutonium — needed to create atomic weapons.

Algerian Ambassador Idriss Jazairy pushed for the approval as chairman of the conference.

On Friday he credited the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China for their support.