"The non-proliferation treaty cannot be complied with a la carte," the foreign ministers of Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and Sweden said in a commentary published in the International Herald Tribune.

"In 2000, the nuclear powers made an unequivocal undertaking to eliminate their nuclear arsenals," the ministers noted, lamenting: "Since then, however, very little progress has been made."

"Instead of destroying their nuclear warheads, the United States and Russia store them," the ministers deplored.

"Instead of working toward the entry into force of the nuclear test-ban treaty, the United States, which was the first country to sign the treaty, has withdrawn its support. And China delays its ratification process year after year.

"Some even entertain the notion that nuclear weapons may be used pre-emptively against non-nuclear weapons states," the ministers continued in the commentary, entitled "Non-proliferation and disarmament go hand in hand".

The seven officials urged all nations party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to "comply with their commitments" and called for the treaty to "be made universal".

They called for the nuclear test-ban treaty to come into force, and said restraints should be imposed on India, Pakistan and Israel.

Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States are the five internationally recognized nuclear states. The same countries are also the five permanent members of the UN Security Council with veto power.

India and Pakistan both have nuclear weapons. Israel refuses to confirm it has a nuclear arsenal but is estimated to possess some 200 warheads. None of the three states has signed the NPT.

The international community has expressed mounting concern that Iran and North Korea are developing nuclear weapons technology.

Brazil's Celso Amorim, Egypt's Ahmed Abul Gheit, Ireland's Brian Cowen, Mexico's Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista, New Zealand's Phil Goff, South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Sweden's Laila Freivalds signed the commentary.

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