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THIRD SESSION OF THE PREPARATORY
COMMITTEE
FOR THE 2005 REVIEW CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE TREATY ON THE NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Distinguished delegates, 1. I wish to begin by thanking all State parties for electing me to serve as Chairman of this third session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2005 NPT Review Conference. This is a great honour for me and for Indonesia to contribute to the overall efforts to strengthen the NPT regime and, therefore, I will do my best to assist you in achieving a successful outcome of our deliberations. 2. I would like to extend, on behalf of the States Parties to the NPT as well as on my own behalf, our appreciation to Ambassador László Molnár of Hungary, Chairman of the second session of the Preparatory Committee, and Ambassador Henrik Salander of Sweden, Chairman of the first session, for their determined efforts to advance the preparatory process for the 2005 NPT Review Conference. Their outstanding professional experience and diplomatic skills have been crucial in building a solid basis for our work during the third session. Distinguished delegates, 3. The States parties to this Treaty recognized that in order to ensure progress in materializing the objectives and principles of the NPT, an effective review process is required. It should give more focus on the achievement of agreed standards established by the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference and the 2000 NPT Review Conference. The States parties also agreed that at its “third and, as appropriate, fourth sessions, the Preparatory Committee, taking into account the deliberations and results of its previous sessions, should make every effort to produce a consensus report containing recommendations to the Review Conference.” In addition, “The States parties agreed that the procedural arrangements for the Review Conference should be finalized at the last session of the Preparatory Committee.” Together, these mandates have established the working parameters for the Third Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2005 NPT Review Conference. 4. In this connection, I call upon all delegations to adhere closely to these terms of reference through the course of our deliberations. These mandates constitute as a multilateral framework for states parties to make solid preparation for a thorough review of the operation of the Treaty in 2005. As the Treaty governs states parties’ rights and obligations on non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful nuclear cooperation, the success of our efforts will depend in large part upon our ability to make a balance approach to these three pillars of the NPT the attention. 5. With respect to the pillar of non-proliferation,
we have all heard -- and some of us have voiced -- the concern that
the NPT is discriminatory because it divides its states parties into
two classes of States. The only effective way to refute this criticism
is through practical action in implementing all the 7. Another important issue in this regard relates to security assurances. As agreed at the 2000 NPT Review Conference, the Preparatory Committee must also make recommendations to next year’s Review Conference on legally-binding security assurances for non-nuclear-weapons States parties to the Treaty. This is an important issue that is relevant to the subject of nuclear disarmament. 8. The third pillar of the NPT is the
peaceful uses of nuclear energy in conformity with articles I and II
of the Treaty. As delegations consider this issue, they may wish to
address the crucial importance of assistance to developing countries,
concluding and bringing into force comprehensive IAEA safeguards agreements
-- reinforced by the Additional Protocol. The challenges of enhancing
physical security and nuclear safety will also shape future peaceful
uses of nuclear energy. Concerning the latter, I must note that today
is the 18th anniversary of the disaster at Chernobyl -- an event that
underscored the truly global implications of nuclear safety. 9. I am encouraged by the strong support of the international community for renewed efforts to eliminate the grave threats posed by nuclear weapons -- including threats from existing stockpiles, from the acquisition of such weapons by additional States, and from possible possession by non-state actors. Our efforts over the next two weeks of this session, therefore, must address not only our common threats, but also our common hopes and responsibilities -- as we also deepen our common commitment to eliminate these threats. 10. In this sense, the NPT is far more than the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime -- its benefits extend to the very roots of international peace and security. The Treaty contains a tacit recognition -- which the 2000 NPT Review Conference reaffirmed explicitly -- that “the total elimination of nuclear weapons is the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.” The Treaty also established and strengthened the global legal norm against the proliferation of such weapons, while offering a framework for international cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear technology. 11. These general themes – relating to the three pillars of the NPT, including specific themes of accountability, compliance, and universality -- by no means exhaust the list of key issues that will preoccupy our deliberations. We must also recognize that future support for the Treaty will depend significantly upon the level of understanding and support it enjoys among the public. Countless individuals from civil society and non-governmental organizations have attended previous sessions of the Preparatory Committee and Review Conferences -- they have brought new perspectives into the review process and have helped to deepen the public’s understanding of the importance of this treaty. I recall that 37 non-governmental organizations attended the second session of the Preparatory Committee, and that one meeting was devoted to 11 presentations by representatives of these groups. And it is my understanding that 69 NGOs have requested accreditation to the third session. Distinguished delegates, 12. Inspired by a common cause, and supported by an informed public, the States parties to the NPT together have the potential to make a great treaty even greater, by charting a course for improving its implementation, increasing its transparency, and exploring avenues to bring it to full universal membership. I now reaffirm my personal commitment to assist you in any way to strengthen all the pillars of this indispensable treaty. Please accept my best wishes throughout the deliberations that lie ahead. |