Malaysia
Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Address: 313 East d 3rd Street New York, NY 10017 7
Tel: 21 986- 6310
Fax: 212- 490- 8576
STATEMENT BY
MR. AHMAD JAZRI MOHD JOHAR
REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA TO THE PREPARATORY
COMMITTEE FOR THE 2000 REVIEW CONFERENCE
OF THE STATES PARTIES TO THE TREATY ON
THE NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
TUESDAY, 8 APRIL 1997
Mr. Chairman,
On behalf of the Malaysian Delegation, allow me to extend
to you our warm congratulations on your assumption of the
chairmanship of the first session of the Preparatory
Committee for the 2000 Review Conference of the Parties
to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
We are confident given your vast experience you will be
able to steer the work of this Committee towards a
successful outcome for the preparatory process for the 2000
NPT Review Conference.
2. My delegation would like to underline the importance of
this session of the Preparatory Committee as it will
obviously set a tone for future sessions and the Review
Conference itself. This session offers a unique opportunity
for the States Parties to the NPT to advance the cause of
global nuclear disarmament',
Mr. Chairman,
3. As we embark on the beginning for another review process
of the NPT, we certainly look forward for further
breakthroughs in our- efforts to strengthen nuclear
disarmament and non-proliferation regimes. However, al
new beginning does not start from nothing. In this regard,
we must also take stock of the performance of all NPT
States Parties in fulfilling their obligations as set out in tie
Preamble and Article VI of the Treaty. At the same time,
we must take into account the commitments and
responsibilities undertaken by the States Parties during the
1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference, and ask
ourself how much have those commitments and
responsibilities been carried out. Based on this premise, my
delegation fully supports those who have echoed the need
for this session of the Preparatory Committee to make
substantive progress in the coming days.
4. The Malaysian delegation has placed confidence in the
NPT, albeit its apparent weaknesses. as a global instrument
to check nuclear proliferation both horizontally as well as
vertically. Like any other non-nuclear weapon States
Parties to this Treaty, we bad foresworn in good faith any
intention to develop and produce nuclear weapons.
Together with other South East Asian countries we have
negotiated and concluded a treaty which would prohibit the
stationing of nuclear weapons in any form in the territories
of South East Asia. As widely known, similar nuclear
weapon free zones have been established in the South
Pacific, Africa, Antarctica, Latin America and the
Caribbean We would certainly welcome efforts to establish
further such zones in other parts of the world.
5. While nuclear weapon free zones are important as a means
to check nuclear proliferation, they cannot substitute for the
primary goal that is, the global elimination of nuclear
weapons. While these weapons exist anywhere, they
threaten the security of the entire world. On this point, my
delegation welcome the recent statement 61 retired
generals and admirals that the continuing existence of
nuclear weapons creates insecurity nor security.
Furthermore, total elimination of nuclear weapons is the
only Insurance bond. and guarantee against the threat of
them being used in the future.
6. We acknowledge the important breakthroughs in the
nuclear disarmament negotiations involving all or some of
the nuclear weapon states. We arc encouraged by the
on-going efforts in the direction of nuclear arms reduction,
such as the recent announcement made in Helsinki by
President Clinton and President Yeltsin that the United
States and the Russian Federation plan to reduce their
nuclear stockpile. However, we regret that these pledges
do not go far enough and certainly fall far short of the
expectation of non-nuclear weapon states. The nuclear
weapon states have set no timeframe for the complete
elimination of their nuclear arsenals, and will not, as they
have made clear, enter into negotiations on such an
objective.
Mr. Chairman,
7. My delegation also hopes that the NPT review process will
also seriously consider the efforts that could be made to
bring those few countries that remain outside of the Treaty
into the NPT regime so as to realise its much-desired
universality. My delegation warmly welcomes the
adherence of eight more states to the Treaty as you noted
in your opening remarks yesterday. In this regard, my
delegation wishes to underscore she special role of the
nuclear weapon states vis-a-vis the NPT as the fulfillment
of their part of the "bargain" would be a critical factor in
bringing about the universality of the Treaty. This includes
the fulfillment of their commitments and obligations on
inter-alia the questions of security assurances, fissile
material cut-off, and timetable for complete nuclear
disarmament.
Mr. Chairman
8. During the 51st session of the UN General Assembly
Malaysia introduced, on behalf of the co-sponsors, a
Resolution pertaining to the advisory opinion of the
International Court of Justice issued on 8 July 1996 on the
legality of the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. The
adoption of Resolution A51/45M by a large majority of
non-nuclear weapon states was testimony to the serious
concern, indeed frustration, of the international community
over the lack of genuine seriousness and the extremely
slow pace in negotiations on nuclear disarmament leading
to the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons. The
Resolution reinforced the unanimous opinion of the World
Court which stressed that States Parties to the NPT have
legal obligation not only to pursue "negotiation leading to
nuclear disarmament in all its aspects", in accordance with
Article VI of the NPT, but also to "bring to a conclusion
such negotiations.
9. Resolution 51/45M also called upon all states to
immediately by commencing multilateral negotiations in
1997 leading to an early nuclear weapon convention
prohibiting the development, production, testing,
deployment, stockpiling, transfer, threat or use of nuclear
weapons and providing for their elimination We are
heartened to be joined in the call for such negotiations by
the European Parliament in their resolution of March 13,
1997 which welcomed Resolution 51/45M and which calls
for all states to support such negotiations. This is an
unambiguous message for all states parties to the NPT, in
particular for the nuclear weapon states.
Mr. Chairman,
10. My delegation looks forward to a fruitful discussion ahead
of us, and we will endeavor to contribute in e discussion in
this Preparatory Committee.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman.