HIGH-LEVEL FISSILE MATERIAL CUT-OFF TREATY (FMCT) EXPERT PREPARATORY GROUP CONCLUDES ITS FIRST SESSION

GENEVA, 11 August 2017 (Office for Disarmament Affairs) -- The high-level fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT) expert preparatory group concluded today its first session, which started on 31 July 2017.

The group, which was established by General Assembly resolution 71/259 of 23 December 2016, is tasked to consider and make recommendations on substantial elements of a future non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, on the basis of CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein. The high-level FMCT expert preparatory group is also tasked to examine, with a view to making possible recommendations, the report of the Group of Governmental Experts (A/70/81) mandated pursuant to resolution 67/53, as well as the views submitted by Member States as contained in documents A/68/154 and Add.1 and A/71/140/Rev.1 and Add.1.

Concluding the work of the first session, Ms. Heidi Hulan of Canada, Chair of the high-level fissile material cut-off treaty expert preparatory group, said: "‎A treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons remains a fundamental priority for the international community and people around the world. Together, I am confident that this group can and will make a real contribution towards the realization of this goal. I thank the members of the group for their goodwill and constructive engagement -- and I look forward to the next session and further progress."

The second session of the preparatory group is scheduled to take place in 2018 in Geneva.

Twenty-five States were invited by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to participate in the Group, on the basis of the principle of equitable geographical representation: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Egypt, Estonia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Senegal, South Africa, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States.

For further information, please contact the Office for Disarmament Affairs, e-mail: unoda-geneva@unog.ch. Web site: https://unog.ch/fmct




For use of the information media; not an official record

DC17/025E