From the AP: Germany and other West European nations at the U.N. nonproliferation conference are calling for elimination of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in Europe — "leftovers from the Cold War" — as a way to advance global arms control.

"They no longer serve a military purpose and do not create security," German state minister Werner Hoyer told fellow delegates to the 189-nation session to review the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

Belgian disarmament official Werner Bauwens, speaking Thursday, the fourth day of the monthlong conference, urged the U.S. and Russia to launch negotiations "as soon as possible" to reduce their shorter-range nuclear weapons. …

Some European politicians say, however, they favor a unilateral withdrawal of the U.S. bombs if joint U.S.-Russian cuts aren’t negotiated. …

Addressing the conference this week, Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen and Norwegian delegate Gry Larsen also reiterated support for eliminating the Europe-based U.S. weapons as an example of their countries’ efforts at arms control.  (photo: Reuters)

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