Beijing: China today (June 29, 2004) said it was not in favour of welcoming India and Pakistan into the five-member exclusive nuclear club and hoped the international community would stick to principles of Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty as well as the spirit of the UN Security Council resolution passed soon after the South Asian nuclear tests of May 1998.

"The international community should stick to the spirit and principles enshrined in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as well as the consensus reached in the UN Security Council resolution 1172," Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister, Shen Guofang, told in Beijing.

"In our region, we have seen many wars and conflicts, which have been either due to historical reasons or mutual non-confidence. So we believe that peace and development should be the main principles and policies for the countries in this region," he said.

Shen said this when asked to comment on New Delhi and Islamabad's quest to be recognised as nuclear powers along with Britain, China, France, the Untied States and Russia.

Shen also gave a similar response when asked for China's reaction to External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh's statement that India, Pakistan and China should have a "common nuclear doctrine."

"On principle, we oppose the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Our consistent position is for a comprehensive ban and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. The NPT and as well as the UNSC resolution 1172 should be our guiding principle," Shen said.