EU STATEMENT DELIVERED BY LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AT HIGH LEVEL MEETING ON NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
Updated 2013-09-26
EU Statement delivered by
His Excellency Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Mr. Linas Linkevičius
UNGA 68 – High-level meeting on Nuclear Disarmament
United Nations, New York
26 September 2013
Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.
The following countries align themselves with this declaration: Turkey[1], the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia[2], Montenegro2, Iceland[3], Serbia2, Albania2, Bosnia and Herzegovina2,Ukraine, theRepublic ofMoldova andGeorgia.
I welcome this opportunity to express the views of the European Union on nuclear disarmament at this high level meeting.
Mr. Chairman,
The EU continues to contribute actively to global efforts to seek a safer world for all and to create the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons in accordance with the goals of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This Treaty remains the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime, the essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament in accordance with its article VI and an important element in the further development of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. With the adoption by consensus of the forward-looking 2010 Action Plan across the three pillars of the Treaty, States Parties reaffirmed their shared commitment to comply with their obligations and to fulfill the goals of the NPT and towards its universal accession. Ensuring the implementation of the Action Plan is a collective responsibility: the European Union calls on all States Parties to implement, without delay and in a balanced manner, all actions designed to strengthen the three pillars of the Treaty.
The EU remains committed to the pursuit of nuclear disarmament, in accordance with Article VI of the NPT. We underline the need for concrete progress in nuclear disarmament and arms control processes, especially through an overall reduction in the global stockpile of nuclear weapons, in accordance with Article VI of the NPT. We welcome the considerable reductions made so far taking into account the special responsibility of the states that possess the largest arsenals.
The EU welcomes the increased transparency shown by some nuclear weapon States (NWS), in particular the two EU Member States, on the nuclear weapons they possess, and encourages continued efforts by all NWS in this respect. In light of the indications of progress, the EU encourages theUnited Statesand theRussian Federationto implement the New START Treaty and to seek further reductions in their nuclear arsenals, including strategic, non-strategic, deployed and non-deployed weapons. We also encourage them to include non-strategic nuclear weapons in the next round of their bilateral nuclear arms reduction, while agreeing on the importance of further transparency and confidence-building measures in order to advance the nuclear disarmament process.
The EU encourages the five nuclear weapon States to continue their meetings, such as that held in London in 2009 and those in Paris in 2011, in Washington in 2012 and in Geneva in April 2013 on the implementation of the commitments they made at the 2010 NPT Review Conference on all three pillars of the NPT including confidence building, transparency, verification and discussions on reporting.
The EU recognizes the legitimate interest of non-nuclear-weapon States in receiving unequivocal and legally binding security assurances from nuclear-weapons States. It recalls UN Security Council Resolution 984 in this regard. The EU remains committed to promoting further consideration of security assurances and welcomes the respective adjustments in the nuclear postures of some nuclear weapon states.
We continue to attach great importance to the development of internationally recognized nuclear weapon free zones, established on the basis of agreements freely arrived at among States of the regions concerned, in line with the guidelines set out by the UN Disarmament Commission in 1999. The EU continues to support the outcome on theMiddle Eastof the 2010 NPT Review Conference and remains fully committed to the objective of establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. We hope that the conference on the establishment of such a zone will be convened as soon as possible this year. The EU offered support with regard to the implementation of the Pelindaba Treaty and the establishment and work of the African Commission of Nuclear Energy (AFCONE).
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is of crucial importance to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and remains a top priority for the EU. Recent events in the DPRK demonstrate clearly the urgent need for this Treaty’s entry into force as early as possible. We reaffirm our strong support for its rapid entry into force and we will continue to promote it through our diplomatic and financial engagement. Pending its entry into force, we expect all States, including the DPRK to abide by a moratorium on nuclear test explosions and to refrain from any action contrary to the provisions, object and purpose of the Treaty. We are looking forward to the Article XIV Conference on facilitating the entry into force of the CTBT to take place tomorrow.
The EU remains committed to treaty-based nuclear disarmament and arms control and stresses the need to renew multilateral efforts and revitalize multilateral negotiating bodies, in particular the Conference on Disarmament. We express our hope that the informal working group established under CD/1956/Rev.1 will lead to concrete and tangible results.
For the EU, the immediate commencement and early conclusion of the negotiation in the Conference on Disarmament of a Treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, on the basis of document CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein, remains a clear priority This is urgent and important as an essential step to seek a safer world for all and to create the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons, in accordance with the goals of the NPT. Pending negotiations and the entry into force of the treaty, the European Union calls on all States concerned to declare and uphold an immediate moratorium on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
Mr. Chairman,
The international community continues to be faced with major proliferation challenges by the DPRK,IranandSyria: these must be addressed in a resolute way in order to maintain the credibility and effectiveness of the NPT regime. In this context, the EU underlines the primary responsibility of the UN Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security, including in cases of non-compliance.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
His Excellency Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Mr. Linas Linkevičius
UNGA 68 – High-level meeting on Nuclear Disarmament
United Nations, New York
26 September 2013
Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.
The following countries align themselves with this declaration: Turkey[1], the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia[2], Montenegro2, Iceland[3], Serbia2, Albania2, Bosnia and Herzegovina2,Ukraine, theRepublic ofMoldova andGeorgia.
I welcome this opportunity to express the views of the European Union on nuclear disarmament at this high level meeting.
Mr. Chairman,
The EU continues to contribute actively to global efforts to seek a safer world for all and to create the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons in accordance with the goals of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This Treaty remains the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime, the essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament in accordance with its article VI and an important element in the further development of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. With the adoption by consensus of the forward-looking 2010 Action Plan across the three pillars of the Treaty, States Parties reaffirmed their shared commitment to comply with their obligations and to fulfill the goals of the NPT and towards its universal accession. Ensuring the implementation of the Action Plan is a collective responsibility: the European Union calls on all States Parties to implement, without delay and in a balanced manner, all actions designed to strengthen the three pillars of the Treaty.
The EU remains committed to the pursuit of nuclear disarmament, in accordance with Article VI of the NPT. We underline the need for concrete progress in nuclear disarmament and arms control processes, especially through an overall reduction in the global stockpile of nuclear weapons, in accordance with Article VI of the NPT. We welcome the considerable reductions made so far taking into account the special responsibility of the states that possess the largest arsenals.
The EU welcomes the increased transparency shown by some nuclear weapon States (NWS), in particular the two EU Member States, on the nuclear weapons they possess, and encourages continued efforts by all NWS in this respect. In light of the indications of progress, the EU encourages theUnited Statesand theRussian Federationto implement the New START Treaty and to seek further reductions in their nuclear arsenals, including strategic, non-strategic, deployed and non-deployed weapons. We also encourage them to include non-strategic nuclear weapons in the next round of their bilateral nuclear arms reduction, while agreeing on the importance of further transparency and confidence-building measures in order to advance the nuclear disarmament process.
The EU encourages the five nuclear weapon States to continue their meetings, such as that held in London in 2009 and those in Paris in 2011, in Washington in 2012 and in Geneva in April 2013 on the implementation of the commitments they made at the 2010 NPT Review Conference on all three pillars of the NPT including confidence building, transparency, verification and discussions on reporting.
The EU recognizes the legitimate interest of non-nuclear-weapon States in receiving unequivocal and legally binding security assurances from nuclear-weapons States. It recalls UN Security Council Resolution 984 in this regard. The EU remains committed to promoting further consideration of security assurances and welcomes the respective adjustments in the nuclear postures of some nuclear weapon states.
We continue to attach great importance to the development of internationally recognized nuclear weapon free zones, established on the basis of agreements freely arrived at among States of the regions concerned, in line with the guidelines set out by the UN Disarmament Commission in 1999. The EU continues to support the outcome on theMiddle Eastof the 2010 NPT Review Conference and remains fully committed to the objective of establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. We hope that the conference on the establishment of such a zone will be convened as soon as possible this year. The EU offered support with regard to the implementation of the Pelindaba Treaty and the establishment and work of the African Commission of Nuclear Energy (AFCONE).
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is of crucial importance to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and remains a top priority for the EU. Recent events in the DPRK demonstrate clearly the urgent need for this Treaty’s entry into force as early as possible. We reaffirm our strong support for its rapid entry into force and we will continue to promote it through our diplomatic and financial engagement. Pending its entry into force, we expect all States, including the DPRK to abide by a moratorium on nuclear test explosions and to refrain from any action contrary to the provisions, object and purpose of the Treaty. We are looking forward to the Article XIV Conference on facilitating the entry into force of the CTBT to take place tomorrow.
The EU remains committed to treaty-based nuclear disarmament and arms control and stresses the need to renew multilateral efforts and revitalize multilateral negotiating bodies, in particular the Conference on Disarmament. We express our hope that the informal working group established under CD/1956/Rev.1 will lead to concrete and tangible results.
For the EU, the immediate commencement and early conclusion of the negotiation in the Conference on Disarmament of a Treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, on the basis of document CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein, remains a clear priority This is urgent and important as an essential step to seek a safer world for all and to create the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons, in accordance with the goals of the NPT. Pending negotiations and the entry into force of the treaty, the European Union calls on all States concerned to declare and uphold an immediate moratorium on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
Mr. Chairman,
The international community continues to be faced with major proliferation challenges by the DPRK,IranandSyria: these must be addressed in a resolute way in order to maintain the credibility and effectiveness of the NPT regime. In this context, the EU underlines the primary responsibility of the UN Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security, including in cases of non-compliance.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[1] Candidate country
[2] The Candidate countriesformer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,Montenegro andSerbia as well as potential candidate countriesAlbania andBosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
[3] Candidate Country Iceland continues to be a member of the EFTA and of the European Economic Area.
