Dozens of world leaders will meet in Washington next week for a historic summit on nuclear security, where US President Barack Obama hopes they can reach an agreement on preventing atomic bombs from falling into the hands of terrorists. While the focus of the gathering will not be on specific countries, discussions on Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs, as well as potential new UN sanctions against Tehran, are expected to be addressed in Obama's meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao and other leaders, as well as in the speeches of Israeli and other participants. Hu's decision to attend the summit is seen as a significant achievement for Obama, as it demonstrates China's commitment to maintaining strong Sino-US relations despite tensions on other issues. A preliminary communique outlining a US proposal to secure all vulnerable nuclear material within four years has been circulated to attending countries, although it is expected to undergo revisions before being officially adopted at the conclusion of the April 12-13 meeting. Analysts and Western diplomats believe that the summit meeting in Washington, one of the largest since World War Two, holds significant importance beyond its official agenda. According to Ian Kearns from the British American Security Information Council, nuclear security is often viewed as a technical issue only concerning those worried about nuclear terrorism. However, if leaders at the summit handle it correctly, they could make nuclear power safer for combating climate change, strengthen non-proliferation efforts, and increase international confidence in nuclear disarmament. Attendees at the summit include leaders such as China's Hu, Russia's Medvedev, France's Sarkozy, and Germany's Merkel, as well as representatives from India, Pakistan, and Israel, all of whom have nuclear capabilities. Iran and North Korea will not be invited to the meeting, as they are both excluded due to their involvement in nuclear weapons programs. Pakistan, on the other hand, will be included as it has pledged to improve its internal safeguards against nuclear proliferation. Disgraced Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan played a significant role in providing atomic technology to Iran, North Korea, and Libya. The goal of securing nuclear materials worldwide within four years could greatly enhance global security, according to Joe Cirincione, a professor at Georgetown University and head of the Ploughshares Fund anti-nuclear arms group. "He stated that if they carry out this plan, it could effectively prevent nuclear terrorism by blocking radicals from obtaining the one part of the bomb they cannot create themselves," said Cirincione. He also wants to ensure that the final communique is more than just a brief press release, with concrete targets and deadlines in the action plan, key nations committing to securing their weapons material within four years, and states agreeing to reconvene in two years to evaluate progress. The summit aims to bring together various countries with nuclear programs to collect dangerous atomic material from vulnerable sites globally, a task that Russia and the US have been tackling with the help of the UN atomic watchdog for some time. Success at the summit could demonstrate a strong message to the world that the international community is unified in enhancing nuclear security, with the US leading the charge. Recently, the White House announced a new policy limiting US use of nuclear weapons and issuing a firm warning to Iran and North Korea as potential targets. The Nuclear Posture Review, which reversed the stance of the former US administration, stated that Washington would not create any new atomic weapons. Analysts believe that the US nuclear policy, along with the recent treaty between Obama and Medvedev to reduce their nuclear arsenals, and a successful nuclear summit, could pave the way for a productive meeting of NPT signatories in New York next month to revamp the decades-old arms pact. The NPT has faced challenges due to North Korea's withdrawal, Iran's pursuit of nuclear technology for potential weapon development, and criticism from developing nations about the lack of progress on disarmament by major nuclear powers. Talks about imposing new UN sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program will be the main topic at a meeting in New York this Thursday involving envoys from the US, UK, France, Germany, China, and Russia. UN diplomats are prepared to discuss Iran during the summit if President Obama desires.