BANGLADESH

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STATEMENT
BY
H~E. MR. ANWARUL KARIM CHOWDHURY

AMBASSADOR AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF BANGLADESH TO THE UNITED NATIONS

AT
THE THIRD SESSION OF THE PREPARATORY

COMMITTEE FOR THE 2000 REVIEW CONFERENCE OF THE

PARTIES TO THE TREATY ON THE NON-PROLIFERATION OF

NUCLEAR WEAPONS AT THE UNITED NATIONS

New York

Monday, 10 May 1999

PERMANENT MISSION OF BANGLADESH TO THE UNITED NATIONS
821 UNIThD N~ONS PLAZA, 8TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10017
TEL (212) 867-3434. FAX (212) 9724038. EMAIL bgdun~undp.org
web site: www.undp.o~misionslbangIadesh

Mr. Chainnan,

May I extend to you warmest felicitation upon your unanimous election to the chair. Bangladesh delegation is pleased to see you guiding our work of this important meeting. We have great confidence in your abilities. I would like to assure you and the other members of the Bureau of our flillest cooperation for a successfiil conclusion of this meeting.

Bangladesh's position on NH' has always been consistent and our unequivocal support for NH' and. connnitment to its consolidation and implementation in all its aspects flow our constitutional obligation to general and and complete disarmament. We consider the NH' as the most effective existing mechanism towards this end and a very instrument to halt vertical and horizontal proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Mr. Chainnan,

NH' is the legal cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and recogninably it is the most widely ratified arms control treaty in history. We believe that the conclusion of the CThT has greatly supplemented the NH' regime. These present a critical component of our striving for General and complete disarmament. As a party to the NH' regime we have consciously given up our option to go nuclear.

Mr~ Chainnan,

The NH' did not create, but is clearly premised on an inequality among states parties which have accepted markedly differing sets of obligations and responsibilities. The objective, however, is not to codify or legitimize this inequality. This is clear not only from Article-VI but also preambular paragraph from 9 to 12 of the Treaty. My delegation concurs wholeheartedly that Article-VI of the Treaty, in conjunction with relevant preambular paragraphs obligates the nuclear weapon states to pursue negotiations in all earnestness towards a CTBT, a cut~ff convention on fissile materials for weapons programme and also proliferation on the first use of nuclear weapons. After the adoption of the CTBT, we now call for the curly conclusion of negotiations on a now discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty baning the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices.

Mr. Cliaii~nan,

I would like to reiterate that our approach to the Treaty is comprehensive. We believe that horizontal proliferation should continue to receive due attention. In order to make the NH' regime meaningfiil, Bangladesh believes that we must proceed from horizontal proliferation to vertical and ultimately tb actual disarmament. Every forward moving steps in this regard should be encouraged. At the same time we emphasis on the process of negotiations in good faith to halt and reverse the arms race and ultimately eliminate nuclear weapons globally. In this spirit, I must mention here, we worked, along with other member states, in favour of consensus on the indefinite extension of NH' in 1995. We call upon those states that have not yet done so to adhere unconditionally and without delay to the NH' and to take all the necessary measures which blow from the adherence to this instrument.

Mr. Chwrn' an,

Bangladesh calls upon the nuclear weapon states to demonstrate an unequivocal comnutment to the speedy and total elimination of their respective nuclear weapons and, without delay, to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to the elimination of these weapons, thereby ~ling their delegation under the NH'. In this connection we are heartened to know that USA and Russian Federation are committed to deep cuts in their strategic, non-strategic, tactical and theater inventories. We welcome all progresses made to reduce vertical proliferation in recent years through bilateral negotiations. We view such negotiations as having far reaching global relevance in effective disarmament. Nuclear disarmament, therefore, must allow for global focus and security in a manner consistent with the aspiration of the international community.

Mr.Chainnan,

We support regional approaches to nuclear disarmanent as well, in our own region and in the Middle-East, two key areas, and elsewhere. We welcome the decision of India and Pakistan, as announced by their Prime Ministers in the General Assembly last year, to join the CThT. We see this as a positive step towards ensuring peace and security in the South Asian region and conducive to fostering fiuitfiil economic cooperation in the region.

Mr. Ch~iinnan,

While spealdng at length on different aspects of NH' we must not overlook the fact that one of the major incentives for non-nuclear weapons states to be party to the NH' is Article-IV. This article affirms the "inalienable right of all the parties to the Treaty to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peacetul purposes without discriminationt¹. All parties to the Treaty ha~e the right to participate in the flillest possible exchange of equipment, materials and scientific and technological information for the peaceflil uses of nuclear energy". 31 years have elapsed since NH' came into force, but the access of developing states parties to nuclear technology for peaceflil purposes still remains an elusive.

We hope that nuclear-weapon states will come forward in a meaningfi~ way to faifil their obligations under Article-W. It is our expectation that the nuclear suppliers group which has been established for trjs purpose wrn be transparent in its operations; and arbitrary and discriminatory restraints on peacefill nuclear trade will not be imposed. The NH' must be adhered to by signatories in letter and spirit in all its ramifications.

Mr. Chaimian,

The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty(CTBT) was adopted in an overwhelmingly positive vote in the 51st UN General Assembly. A total 158 countries including Bangladesh voted in favour of the resolution and this included the five nuclear weapon states. Bangladesh in keeping with the long standing NAM position seeks a zero yield universal and effectively verifiable test ban treaty with a view to realizing the principle and objectives set for nuclear non-proliferation. We do not consider CTBT as an end in itself, but a significant step toward general and complete disarmament. As a least developed country, Bangladesh~s major concern has been the high financial obligations that would devolve on the state parties on account of the implementation of the CTBT comprising the expenses of the Preparatory Commission on CTBT, the CTBTO organisation, and the verification regime including the International Monitoring System of the CTBT and the Technical Secretariat. As the coordinator of the LDCs, Bangladesh has already voiced her concern in the matter at various relevant forums including the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

Mr. Chairman,

We are at a critical moment in the history of efforts to reduce the danger paused by nuclear weapons. Any increase in the number of nuclear weapons states will have serious implication for international peace and security. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the comprehensive Nuclear ban Treaty, together with the objectives agreed to at the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the NH' became universally accepted. We remain confident that the 2000 Review Conference will be able to fully harness its lull potential for establishing a nuclear weapon free world to the benefit of mallkind.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.