STATEMENT BY
THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

ON SECURITY ASSURANCES
AT THE SECOND SESSION OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE
FOR THE YEAR 2000 NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY (NPT)
REVIEW CONFERENCE

GENEVA, 6 MAY 1998

Mr Chairperson,

Thank you for giving me the floor.

At the 1997 meeting of this Preparatory Committee South Africa proposed that 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. At that time my delegation stated further that it was flexible on whether the mechanism which was established for this purpose undertook its deliberations during the intercessional period or if the work were dons during the remaining PrepComs before the year 2000. What was eventually agreed upon in a statement made by the Chairman of the meeting (NPT/CONF.2000/PC.I/31) was that time should be allocated at this session for the discussion on and the consideration of any proposals on security assurances for parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, without prejudice to the importance of other issues.

The issue at stake is the granting of legally binding security assurances to the non-nuclear-weapon States parties of the NPT, thereby fulfilling the undertaking which should be given to the States which have voluntarily given up the nuclear-weapons option by becoming parties to the Treaty. The arguments that declarations made by the nuclear-weapon States are sufficient or that these assurances should only be granted in the context of nuclear weapon- free; zones, are not valid. The primary undertaking not to aspire to nuclear-weapons has been made under the NPT: it is therefore in the context of or as a part of this Treaty that security assurances should also be given.

It is our view that the negotiation of legally binding security assurances within the NPT umbrella, as opposed to some other forum, would provide a significant benefit to the Treaty parties and would he 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 nonproliferation regime and confirm the role of the indefinitely extended NPT.

Mr Chairperson,

My delegation has prepared and is circulating a working paper on security assurances for consideration at this meeting. The issues which are addressed in this paper are, inter alia, the identification of the States providing the security assurances, the identification of the beneficiaries of such security assurances, as well as the nature and scope, elements and format of a legally binding security assurances agreement.

My delegation will be participating in this meeting on the basin of this paper and we are looking forward to the comments of, and a substantive exchange of views with, other members of the PrepCom, particularly with the nuclear-weapon States. It is on the basis of the outcome of this meeting that South Africa will pursue this very important issue further at the third Preparatory Committee meeting and also at the Review Conference itself.

Mr Chairperson, I thank you.