THE PERMANENT MISSION OF
SOUTH AFRICA
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
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INTERVENTION ST THE SOUTH AFRICAN DELEGATION
TO THE FIRST PREPARATORY COMMITTEE MEETING
FOR THE YEAR 2000 REVIEW CONFERENCE or
THE TREATY ON THE NON-PROLIFERATION OF
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
(NPT) NUCLEAR WEAPONS, DISARMAMENT,
INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY,
AND SECURITY ASSURANCES
NEW YORK, 9 APRIL 1997
Mr. Chairperson,
The cluster of issues which you have identified for our
consideration in the first part of substantive consideration of the
operation of the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT}, taking
into account the decisions and the resolution adopted at the 1995
Review and Extension Conference (NPTREC) covers the
following broad issues :
non-proliferation of nuclear
weapons, disarmament,
international peace and security,
and. security assurances.
The statement delivered in the general debate by
Ambassador K.J. Jele yesterday contained a comprehensive
analysis of South Africa's views on these issues. I therefore wish
to use this opportunity to highlight the issues which he addressed
in order that they might also be taken into account in this context
of our work. In making my comments I will be following the
headings contained in the "Principles and Objectives".
Universality
The States parties to the NPT should redouble their efforts to
achieve the universality of the NPT because the non- proliferation
of nuclear weapons and nuclear disarmament are one of the
cornerstones of international peace and security. Those countries
which have not adhered to the Treaty, those which still aspire to
nuclear weapons and those which still wish to maintain the
nuclear weapons option, must be brought to realize this.
"Non-Proliferation
This PrepCom and the year 2000 Review Conference should
continue to promote the full implementation of the non-
proliferation obligations of the nuclear-weapon States (Article 1)
and of the non-nuclear-weapon States (Article 2). The States
parties of the NPT should continue to take active measures to
prevent the proliferation of the nuclear weapons and the
technologies, material and equipment which are used to produce
these weapons, without hampering the peaceful uses of nuclear
energy especially by developing countries.
As was stated yesterday, my delegation also wishes to place
on record our concern about the non-proliferation implications of
the plans for the expansion of NATO and the proposals which
have been made for a dialogue in Europe on the future role of
nuclear deterrence in the context of the European Defence Policy.
Of particular concern here is that the planned expansion of NATO
would entail an increase in the number of non-nuclear-weapon
States which participate in nuclear training, planning and
decision-making and which have an element of nuclear deterrence
in their defence policies.
Nuclear Disarmament
The significant developments in the area of nuclear
disarmament which have occurred since 1995 should be
recognised in any product which is developed by this PrepCom.
These include:
1. The accomplishment of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-
Ban Treaty (CTBT) as was called for in the Preamble of the NPT
and in paragraph 4 (a) of the "Principles and Objectives". It
should be recommended to the year 2000 Review Conference that
this paragraph of the "Principles and Objectives" should be
recorded as one of the goals of the NPT States parties which has
been accomplished. Paragraph 4 (a) could possibly be replaced by
a call on the States parties of the NPT to work for the CTBT 's
early entry into force and for its signature and ratification by all
the members of the NPT.
The Advisory Opinion delivered by the International Court
of Justice on 8 July 1996 on the Legality of the Treaty or use of
Nuclear Weapons, which stipulates that "(t)here exists an
obligation ton the nuclear- weapon States) to pursue in good faith
and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear
disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective control".
This Advisory Opinion is of direct relevance to Article VI of the
NPT and the provisions of the "Principles sad Objectives" as
contained in paragraph" 3 and 4 (c).
The Advisory Opinion of the ICJ has been reinforced by the
statements which were made in December 1996 by retired senior
military officers, including from the nuclear-weapon States, which
called for the step-by-step reduction of nuclear weapons and the
nuclear threat with the ultimate objective of the complete
elimination of nuclear weapons from all nations.
3. The commitment made at the Helsinki Summit by Presidents
Clinton and Yeltsin to the implementation of the START II Treaty
and their very detailed agreement on the negotiations for a
START III Treaty should be welcomed. The nuclear weapon
States should, however, be called upon to continue in the
"determined pursuit ... of systematic and progressive efforts to
reduce nuclear weapons globally" and "... to pursue in good faith
and bring to e conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear
disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective control".
The other nuclear-weapon States should be called upon to Join in
the process of structured and verified nuclear disarmament.
4. This PrepCom should strongly renew the call of the
"Principles and Objectives" for the Conference on Disarmament
to commence immediately negotiations on a non-discriminatory
and universally applicable convention banning the production of
fissile material for nuclear weapons or other explosive devices in
accordance with the Shannon Report and the Mandate contained
therein. All States parties who are members of the Conference
should work actively to achieve this goal.
5. This PrepCom should call on the Conference on
Disarmament to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to deliberate and
agree upon the practical stops and negotiations required for a
programme of systematic and progressive efforts to totally
eliminate nuclear weapons. It is important that a structured
mechanism should be established, utilising the existing expertise
in the Conference on Disarmament, which can identify the nuclear
disarmament agenda of the future and the steps which should be
taken to reduce the nuclear threat once the current
agenda/programme has been completed.
Nuclear-weapon-free zones
The PrepCom should also welcome the considerable
progress in the establishment of nuclear-weapon free zones since
the 1995 Conference, and especially the establishment of the
zones created by the Treaties of Pelindaba and Bangkok. The
Committee should furthermore renew its call for the establishment
of further nuclear-weapon-free zones, especially in regions where
they do not exist such as the Middle East and South Asia.
The PrepCom should furthermore give recognition to the
fact that all States within the Southern Hemisphere and Antarctica
are now covered by nuclear-weapon-free zones and that the
Southern Hemisphere is itself therefore in effect a
nuclear-weapon-free zone. The work which has been initiated and
endorsed by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
and Uzbekistan to create a nuclear-weapon-free zone in central
Asia should be recognised and encouraged.
Security assurances
This PrepCom should decide to take up the work on security
assurances envisaged in the "Principles and Objectives-, with a
view to completing this work before the year 2000 so as to make a
recommendation to the Review Conference. As we said yesterday,
the negotiation of legally binding security assurances under the
NPT umbrella, as opposed to some other forum, would provide a
significant benefit to the Treaty parties and would be seen as an
incentive to those who remain outside the NPT. Security
assurances rightfully belong to those who have given up the
nuclear weapon option as opposed to those who are still keeping
their options open. They would strengthen the nuclear
non-proliferation regime and confirm the role of the NPT and its
indefinite extension.
Mr Chairperson,
Our delegation wishes to put forward the following views on
how the product which should be developed at this PrepCom
should be recorded. The possible format of a product following
Agenda it-m 6 is:
In the substantive and procedural part of the report/part of
the report, we should include areas where there is a possibility of
achieving a consensus. Issues which could be included are
universality, nuclear-weapon-free zones, etc. The general debate
has evidenced a large degree of agreement on these issues. In the
recommendations to the next PrepCom part of the report we
should propose issues which we believe should be taken up at the
next PrepCom. South Africa would propose that it should be
recommended to the second PrepCom that time should be made
available to consider Security Assurances. In the general debate
there was considerable debate on this issue with widespread
support for continued work.
Draft recommendations to the Review Conference should be
included in the last part of the report. This part should contain a
listing of the proposals supported at this PrepCom. At this time it
may be a little early to achieve a consensus on this part of the
report: it should rather form the initial basis of a rolling text which
would be developed and finalised on the basis of consensus at the
future PrepComs.
Mr Chairperson, I thank you.