CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT HEARS FROM IRISH MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

The Conference on Disarmament this afternoon heard from the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, who laid out Ireland’s vision of the way forward in a number of disarmament areas, including the upcoming Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Review Conference, and in the Conference on Disarmament itself.

Mr. Martin commented that they had seen high and low points on the road to implementation of the NPT. Regrettably, since the 1995 NPT Review Conference, progress had not been made on the Middle East resolution, and many of the 13 Practical Steps towards nuclear disarmament had not been implemented. A starting point this year had therefore to be a clear re-statement of purpose. There had to be a thorough review of the Treaty’s implementation. A balanced, consensual and forward-looking package of decisions should be agreed with concrete steps for the way ahead. The 2010 outcome should make it crystal clear that they were on an irreversible path to achieve the aims set out so clearly over 40 years ago. Today, they also faced very serious and different proliferation risks, particularly from Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Those had to be tackled seriously and the issue of withdrawal from the Treaty also had to be addressed.

Turning to the work of the Conference, Mr. Martin said the negotiation of a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other explosive devices (FMCT) was long overdue and that negotiations on an FMCT should begin in this body at the earliest opportunity. To be meaningful, such a treaty should include a verification mechanism and cover existing stocks. It was hoped that a resolution to the current impasse could be found, so that the Conference could proceed with the work that it was here to do.

Iran said that their peaceful nuclear activities were in accordance with their rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Regrettably, the statement made by the Foreign Minister was not in line with reality. Though they welcomed the presence of dignitaries, delegations should avoid the politicization of the work of the Conference by raising issues that were not part of its mandate.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea said Mr. Martin’s statement had given the false impression that it was the only country that had violated the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Their withdrawal from the Non-Proliferation Treaty had been a legitimate self-defence measure to protect the interest and security of the country.

The next public plenary of the Conference on Disarmament will be Wednesday, 3 March at 3 p.m., when it is scheduled to hear from the Romanian Secretary of State, Mr. Bogdan Aurescu.

Statements

MICHEAL MARTIN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland, said that one of his proudest moments as Minister for Foreign Affairs had been the Dublin Diplomatic Conference, which had adopted the Convention on Cluster Munitions in May 2008. It had been the result of 15 months of intensive partnership of Governments, international organizations and civil society towards a common humanitarian goal. The Convention had now been ratified by 30 States and signed by 104, and would enter into force on 1 August 2010. The first meeting of States Parties would take place later this year in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. That would open a new phase of work where the focus had to be on implementation of the Convention and working towards its universal adoption.

This week also marked the anniversary of another proud moment in Irish and international history, Mr. Martin observed, with the fortieth anniversary of the entry into force of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), next Friday, 5 March. In 1958, his predecessor, Frank Aiken had introduced the first of a series of United Nations resolutions calling for prevention of the further dissemination of nuclear weapons and had worked tirelessly for a treaty on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Unfortunately, significant unfinished business remained. The international community had to strengthen efforts to prevent further proliferation of nuclear weapons and had to stop the risk of those weapons falling into the hands of terrorists. They had seen high and low points on the road to implementation of the NPT. Regrettably, since the 1995 NPT Review Conference, progress had not been made on the Middle East resolution, and many of the 13 Practical Steps towards nuclear disarmament had not been implemented. The 2005 NPT Review Conference had broken down because there had been a lack of political will from a few key States. A starting point this year had therefore to be a clear re-statement of purpose. There had to be a thorough review of the Treaty’s implementation. A balanced, consensual and forward-looking package of decisions should be agreed with concrete steps for the way ahead. The 2010 outcome should make it crystal clear that they were on an irreversible path to achieve the aims set out so clearly over 40 years ago. Today, they also faced very serious and different proliferation risks, particularly from Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Those had to be tackled seriously and the issue of withdrawal from the Treaty also had to be addressed.

The Conference on Disarmament had made an outstanding contribution in the area of arms control and disarmament and therefore Mr. Martin was deeply disappointed that it had not managed to engage in substantive work for almost 15 years. The negotiation of a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other explosive devices (FMCT) was long overdue; negotiations on an FMCT should begin in this body at the earliest opportunity. To be meaningful, such a treaty should include a verification mechanism and cover existing stocks. An FMCT would limit the expansion of existing nuclear arsenals, and serve as a key element in a phased programme for their total elimination. It was hoped that a resolution to the current impasse could be found, so that the Conference could proceed with the work that it was here to do.

There were also challenging and evolving trends in the field of conventional disarmament. Ireland was devoting attention to the overarching concept of armed violence and its impact on human security, sustainable development and implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. In that regard, Mr. Martin hoped that there would be a successful outcome to the fourth Biennial Meeting of States on the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons this June in New York. Ireland was also firmly committed to the development of a binding and comprehensive global treaty on the trade of arms, covering all weapons and ammunition.

MOHAMMED TAGHI HOSSEINI (Iran) said that he wanted to reply to the comments made by the Irish Foreign Minister and that he wished to reiterate that Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities were in accordance with the rights of his country under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Regrettably, the statement made by the Foreign Minister was not in line with reality. Though they welcomed the presence of dignitaries in the Conference on Disarmament, he requested delegations to avoid the politicization of the work of the Conference by raising issues that were not part of its mandate.

JON YONG RYONG (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) said that his delegation regretted the references made to his country in the Irish Minister for Foreign Affair’s statement. He had singled out the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and his statement had given the false impression that it was the only country which had violated the Non-Proliferation Treaty. He had also jumped to the conclusion that the current complicated situation in the Korean Peninsula was solely due the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea’s withdrawal from the NPT had been a legitimate self-defence measure to protect the interest and security of the country. The United States had named the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as part of the “Axis of Evil”, and had made it the target of possible pre-emptive nuclear strikes. Those that had resorted to nuclear blackmail were now attempting to portray the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as an unlawful state, Mr. Ryong said. If anyone wanted a peaceful resolution of the situation in the Korean Peninsula, they should urge the United States to take part in dialogue to settle the nuclear issue. Ireland should take full responsibility for having described the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as the sole violator of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.


For use of the information media; not an official record

DC10/012E