The 2000 NPT Review Conference (RevCon)
14 April - 19 May 2000, New York

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
OF THE 2000 REVIEW CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES

TO THE TREATY ON THE NON-PROLIFERATION
OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

H.E. AMBASSADOR ABDALLAH BAALI (ALGERIA)  

New York - April 24, 2000  

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Thirty years have elapsed since the entry into force of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. At the time, few of us gathered here today dared to hope that it would one day enjoy the tremendous support that it now commands, but we have always been unanimous in viewing it as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. 

Today for the sixth time, we are embarking on an exercise which will be long, painful and particularly delicate because this Conference, the first since the Treaty was extended indefinitely, is taking place in a very uncertain international context which poses many challenges. 

I am honoured by the confidence you have placed in me in choosing me to preside over this Conference in such difficult circumstances. At the same time, I am aware of the immensity of the task that awaits me. I am sincerely grateful to you for this honour and I promise to do my best to prove worthy of it. I assure you that I shall do everything in my power to avoid the shoals and perilous currents in order to steer the Conference safely into harbour, and I know that I can count on each of you and that you will be unstinting in your cooperation, your support and your advice. 

In fact, as soon as I was chosen to preside over this Conference and as the alarmist analyses and early predictions of its failure mounted, I threw myself into the task of preparing for it. I made contacts and sought opinions in an attempt to set it on a proactive, optimistic course which I hope will prevail. 

Lastly, I should like to take advantage of the presence of the Secretary­General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, to tell him how much we appreciate the determination and courage with which he is pursuing the goal of universal peace and harmony among nations. 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Five years ago, in a courageous move, the States parties decided to extend the Non-Proliferation Treaty indefinitely, thereby ending uncertainties about the permanency of the international non-proliferation regime. In doing so, they made commitments which remain as relevant and valid as ever, although many of them have yet to be fulfilled. 

The nuclear-weapon States, in particular, gave a solemn undertaking resolutely to pursue their efforts to systematically and progressively reduce their nuclear stockpiles, while States which had remained outside the non­proliferation regime were urged to join it. 

In order to give meaning and substance to the principle of permanence with accountability, agreement was also reached on a new review process which would enable the States parties, at each review conference, to measure the results achieved during the period under review and to set new targets for our common endeavour to rid the world of the nuclear threat and the fear it generates.

So our task here today is to take stock, without complacency or acrimony, of what has or has not been achieved. The aim is not to criticize, denounce or condemn, but to learn from our failures and to try to do more and, if possible, better. From this standpoint, we can observe a lack of progress, and even some setbacks, notably in the area of nuclear disarmament, which have given rise to a feeling of frustration among a number of countries and even among international civil society. We cannot afford to ignore such a feeling if we are really serious—and I know we are —about keeping the flame of faith and commitment alive and strong among those who believe in the global regime. At the same time, we must recognize that some progress has been made and we should not underestimate its importance, for it gives us real reason to hope. 

In the past five years, there have been negative developments whose effects are still being felt today. The most serious of these, quite obviously, was the fact that India and Pakistan, in conducting nuclear tests two years ago, dealt a very serious blow to the global non-proliferation regime. Because of their disagreements, the world now faces the spectre of nuclear war for the first time since the end of the cold war.

There are other grounds for concern: the fact that the NPT is still not universal, because Cuba and three States possessing nuclear capabilities— Israel, India and Pakistan— have yet to adhere to the non-proliferation regime; the refusal of the United States Senate to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty; the lack of progress on nuclear disarmament between Russia and the United States because of the delay in the entry into force of START II and the subsequent failure to commence negotiations on START III; the new nuclear strategies of NATO and the Russian Federation; the challenges to the ABM Treaty and the intention of the United States to deploy an anti-missile defence system; the impasse in the Conference on Disarmament caused largely by the above developments, with the result that negotiations on the drafting of a treaty on the prohibition of the production of fissile material have not commenced; and, obviously, the fact that at this very moment there are 30,000 nuclear weapons in the world capable of obliterating, many times over, everything that humankind has accomplished since it first appeared on Earth. 

The picture is not entirely grey, however, and we must at all costs avoid yielding to pessimism. Some progress has been made and there have been some positive developments; we must build on these developments and use them as a starting point for making further progress in our common quest for a world free of nuclear weapons. 

For instance, after quite a few disappointments, the Russian Parliament has finally ratified START II, opening up new opportunities for nuclear disarmament and promising prospects for our Conference. 

Since 1995. the number of States parties to the NPT has increased steadily; it is now 187. making the Treaty the most universal of all multilateral disarmament instruments. In this connection, I should like to welcome the nine countries who have acceded to the NPT since 1995, namely, Chile, Vanuatu, United Arab Emirates, Comoros, Andorra, Djibouti, Angola, Oman and Brazil. 

IAEA safeguards under the NPT are now an integral part of the international non-proliferation regime and have proved effective in helping to enforce it. The adoption in May 1997 of the model additional protocol to the safeguards agreements between States and IAEA has increased the efficiency and effectiveness of the IAEA safeguards regime, and this can only strengthen the NPT regime. 

Progress has also been made over the past five years in the area of non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament. Nuclear-weapon States have taken unilateral measures to reduce their nuclear stockpiles and to introduce greater transparency

New treaties have been signed establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones in Africa and South-East Asia, while efforts to denuclearize Central Asia are nearing fruition. 

Lastly, after years of negotiations and within the deadlines set by the 1995 Conference, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was opened for signature in September 1996. It has now been signed by 155 States and ratified by 55, including two nuclear-weapon States and 28 States with nuclear capabilities. In this connection, I would like to express my deep satisfaction with the ratification of the CTBT by the Duma of the Russian Federation last Friday. As evident from the increasing number of ratifications and despite last autumn's setback, the CTBT enjoys very strong international support and should hopefully enter into force within a reasonable period of time. In any event, we must do our utmost to ensure that this is the case. 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Regardless of the differing perspectives that States parties may have over the current state of affairs in global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament issues, there is no doubt that much more can and needs to be done! The common dream of a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons has yet to be realized. The long road leading to the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons remains a distant and rugged one. Consequently, I am certain that you will agree that the outcome of this Conference will have a major impact on deciding the future course of the NPT and the nuclear non­proliferation regime for generations to come. Efforts by the States parties alone, however, are not enough. The role of civil society, particularly that of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), with their expertise and dedication will be crucial for any future progress. In this connection, I am most happy to see the great interest shown by members of the international NGO community towards this Conference and I welcome their contributions to our work and to our endeavours to build a safer and better world for our children. 

It is without any doubt that our work over the next four weeks will not be an easy one. This Conference will provide States parties with the opportunity to review not only the realization of their commitments undertaken in the Treaty but also the benchmarks set in 1995 to measure the performance of all its parties, nuclear-weapon States and non-nuclear­weapon States alike. The review must be balanced, honest and comprehensive. 

       We should strive to bridge our differences and approach the Conference with a determination to find a common agreement on realistic measures that could help us in advancing further towards the fullest realization of the goals of the Treaty from now until the next review conference in 2005 and beyond. To do otherwise would put the Treaty and the regime it has created over the past 30 years, and which has served the national security interests of its parties well, into jeopardy. There is indeed too much at stake. The global community will be closely following the work of our Conference with high expectations. We must not let them down! 

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