[JURIST] As the monthlong UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament [UN website] comes to a close this Friday, the US is being criticized for its stance on nuclear development and deployment. One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the US would never limit its options during a time of war. According to observers, the meetings have been bogged down with disputes over the agenda and a continuing feud between US and Iranian officials over Tehran's nuclear goals. The Bush administration has also been criticized for renouncing the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty [text]. Though the US, Britain, France, China, and Russia are making progress on a joint statement, diplomats were pessimistic about the conference agreeing to any consensus final statement. Reuters has more.