Carter slams Bush on N-proliferation

Former US president slams the administration for its track record on controlling nuclear weapons, saying US is setting a terrible example for rest of the world.

Former US president Jimmy Carter has slammed the Bush administration for its track record on controlling nuclear weapons, saying America is setting a "terrible" example for the rest of the world.

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"We're not setting a good example in controlling nuclear weapons. Under this administration, since George W Bush came into office, every single nuclear arms control agreement that was negotiated by me and Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson, George W Bush (sic), by every other president including President Ford, has been rejected by this administration," Carter said at a campaign event of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, in Georgia.

"So, we stand here, as the most powerful country in the world, setting a terrible example for the rest of the world in not controlling our own nuclear situation. And we can't very well demand that others control them as well," he added.

"And, indirectly at least, this also applies to Iran and to North Korea. I don't have any doubt that if the US was in the forefront of controlling nuclear weapons, of abiding with the Non-Proliferation Treaty, we would be much more effective in controlling those threats to international peace that's coming from the rogue countries that are now developing nuclear weapons," Carter maintained.

"We need to set the example, which we haven't. I hope the next president will do so," he said.