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Global forum launched to pursue nuclear arms abolition+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) PARIS, Dec. 10_(Kyodo) _ A global forum of politicians, military specialists, economists and experts in other fields adopted an action plan seeking the complete abolition of nuclear weapons Tuesday as they met in Paris to mark the launch of the drive, meeting participants said. The Global Zero forum's inaugural meeting attended by some 100 people called for a world summit in January 2010 to bring together as many as 500 leaders from political, military, economic and other circles from around the globe to pursue the goal. Among the originators of the forum are former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi. The action plan urges phased nuclear disarmament measures leading to total abolition. According to a survey conducted by the forum in 21 countries, the support rate for total abolition is 69 percent in Russia, 77 percent in the United States, 83 percent in China, 86 percent in France and 81 percent in Britain -- surpassing the majority of those polled all in the five nuclear powers. Copyright ? 2008 Kyodo News International, Inc. |