Hunger is a bigger concern for many people than the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and the world should keep such security risks in perspective, former chief UN weapons inspector Dr Hans Blix said today.
Dr Blix led the UN search for alleged Iraqi biological, chemical and ballistic arsenals until it was cut short by the U.S-led invasion of the country last year.
He has criticised Washington and London for going to war without the express approval of the UN Security Council and has said the two probably knew then that they were exaggerating the threat posed by Iraq in making their case for war.
"One might get the impression from governments and media in the U.S. and Europe that the risk that reckless groups and governments might acquire weapons of mass destruction is the greatest problem facing our world today," Dr Blix said in a speech to Vienna's Diplomatic Academy.
Dr Blix quoted British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair as saying that that risk was an "existential issue", but said there were other equally pressing problems.
"Let us not forget, however, that to hundreds of millions of people around the world, the big existential issue is hunger, and also that wherever you live on this planet, the risk of global warming and other environmental threats are existential" Dr Blix said.
Dr Blix was head of the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1981 to 1997 and later chief of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) until 2003.
The United States and Britain say Iraq revived its WMD programmes after UN inspectors first fled in December 1998, their main justification for the war. However, no caches of banned weapons have been found in Iraq.
"Don't let us lose the sense of proportion... Let's remember even now that there are other huge issues and that we have to be able to look simultaneously at several big issues in the world," he said.