News

In her statement for the Nuclear disarmament cluster of the UN General Assembly First Committee on Disarmament and International Security, Lithuanian Permanent Representative amb. Raimonda Murmokaitė stressed that it is important to focus not on differences but on the common ground by identifying concrete and practical “building blocks” for sustainable progress.

Statement by the Republic of Lithuania

Thematic discussion on Nuclear Weapons

17 October 2013, New York

Mr. Chairman,

As this is the first time Lithuania takes the floor during this session of the First Committee, let me congratulate you on your election and offer full support of my delegation.

Lithuania associates itself with the statement made earlier by the European Union. Let me now touch upon several matters of particular importance to my delegation.

Lithuania stands committed to the NPT as the essential foundation for the achievement of nuclear disarmament, as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and as the basis for the development of the peaceful uses of nuclear technology for those who choose to do so. 

Lithuania reiterates its enduring commitment to the goal of general and complete disarmament and the world free of nuclear weapons. Until we reach this goal, effective measures related to nuclear arms control and further disarmament, especially reduction of the global stockpile of nuclear weapons, remain of greatest importance.

In relation to this, Lithuania, as a non-Nuclear Weapon State, considers confidence building measures, reciprocal transparency and effective verification as an integral and essential part of the nuclear arms control and disarmament process. Those measures should apply both to strategic and nonstrategic nuclear weapons. Yet, nonstrategic nuclear weapons should be a priority since they are not regulated by existing reduction treaties.

We are also fully aware that many States differ in their opinions on the means or sequencing in achieving the goal of nuclear weapons free world. We believe that the international community should focus not on differences but on the common ground by identifying concrete and practical “building blocks” for sustainable process to this end. It is essential to avoid fragmentation of the international community. This process must be multilateral and as inclusive as possible and in particular involving states possessing nuclear weapons.

We agree with the attitude that an involvement could be built through demonstrated implementation of concrete disarmament measures by all states possessing nuclear weapons, as well as on-going commitment to non-proliferation by all non-nuclear-weapon states.

International community has already a number of multilateral “building blocks” in support of achieving and maintaining a world without nuclear weapons. These include the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards system, the Partial Test Ban Treaty, the Outer Space Treaty, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Sea Bed Arms Control Treaty, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, as well as the multilateral disarmament machinery. There is space for more “building blocks”. The next logical step in this direction is the adoption of the treaty to ban the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices (FMCT). 

In this respect the CTBT is key. Lithuania calls upon all States Parties that have not done so, especially upon the annex 2 States, to sign and ratify the treaty without further delay and without conditions.

Let me now turn to nuclear non-proliferation which together with nuclear disarmament should be regarded as two sides of the same coin.

The international non-proliferation regime, based on the NPT obligations, the IAEA verification and safeguards system, has prevented significant spread of nuclear weapons; however, it has not prevented proliferation completely. We should further seek to strengthen the NPT regime, since it is confronted with a series of challenges, not only from states but also from non-state actors.

Nuclear terrorism represents the most serious threat to international security since the risk of non-state actors getting access to nuclear materials or radioactive sources is not diminishing. For that reason, national and international nuclear security measures must be in place, in order to secure nuclear materials and counter illicit nuclear trafficking and nuclear terrorism.

In this respect Lithuania resolutely implements our commitments undertaken at the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit. In 2012 we have established a national Nuclear Security Center of Excellence that serves as capacity building and training venue for our national institutions responsible for the prevention, detection, response and investigation of nuclear and radiological smuggling. As of now the center has already organized a great number of workshops and seminars for more than 200 participants. Next month it will hold an outreach event to a dozen experts from Georgia. All this could not be done without substantial and very valuable support from our partners: the US, JAPAN, IAEA and others.

Let me conclude by stressing that Lithuania will continue to be actively involved in working together with interested partners in order to strengthen international co-operation to advance nuclear security in the region and worldwide.

I thank you.