Major shift in US policy on N-inspection

In a policy change, the US said it would drop and ‘‘oppose’’ its own demand for a verification regime as part of an international treaty aimed at banning nuclear material production.

The announcement came at the UN-sponsored Disarmament Conference to draft a Fissile Materials Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) in Geneva this week. The treaty, as drafted, would not affect existing stockpiles or production for non-weapon purposes, such as energy or medical research. ‘‘It was designed to reinforce the NPT and impose restraints on Pakistan, India and Israel, whose nuclear programmes operate beyond the NPT inspectors’ reach.’’ — PTI