Major powers recognise Mongolia as nuclear weapons free

Mongolia, jammed between nuclear arms giants Russia and China, on Monday secured a unique pledge from the major powers not to breach its self-declared nuclear weapons-free zone. The UN ambassadors for Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and original nuclear weapons powers - signed a declaration after marathon talks.
Mongolia declared itself free of nuclear weapons 20 years ago but, because it is landlocked between Russia and China, could not join a regional bloc free of weapons. The major UN powers in turn did not want to recognise a one-country nuclear weapons free zone so complex talks were held on the statement signed Monday. The UN powers signed a declaration promising "to respect the nuclear weapon free status of Mongolia and not to contribute to any act that would violate it," Britain's UN ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said.