51.  It might also discourage potential nuclear states like North Korea or Iran from pursuing the bomb.

52.  Japanese officials said Friday the prime minister promised to work at preventing tensions between the two nuclear states from escalating.

53.  Last month both countries detonated nuclear devices and declared themselves nuclear states.

54.  Moscow says the United States is exaggerating the threat from minor nuclear states.

55.  Now the government has indicated that India was prepared to reopen talks on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, but this time as a nuclear state.

56.  Nuclear states, for most of the time they have had nuclear power as borne out by history, have also sought to impose their will on other states.

57.  Of those, the only nuclear states to have done so are France and Britain.

58.  On Monday, the government indicated that India was prepared to reopen talks on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, but this time as a nuclear state.

59.  Sharif has been under pressure from right wing Islamic parties to declare Pakistan a nuclear state.

60.  She also urged Russia to ratify the START II pact so the two nuclear states can begin negotiations on START III as soon as possible.