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

STATEMENT BY
HER E. FRANCES RODRIGUES
DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
COOPERATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOZAMBIQUE

TO THE 2000 REVIEW CONFERENCE OF THE STATES PARTIES TO THE TREATY ON THE NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

1 May 2000

Mr. President,

At the outset, I would like to congratulate you on your election to preside over the 2000 Review Conference of the States Parties of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

Heavy and onerous are indeed the duties and responsibilities before you at this particular conference. But we are fully confident that with your great experience and outstanding diplomatic skills we will reach a successful outcome of this Review Conference.

I would like also to extend my delegation's congratulation to the other members of the bureau.

Our participation in this review Conference is a clear testimony of the great importance Mozambique attaches to the issue of nuclear non-proliferation.

Mr. President,

In the 1995 Review Conference, we agreed to extend the Treaty indefinitely as part of a package of decisions that included a strengthened review process and a set of principles and objectives for non-proliferation and disarmament. We also agreed on a resolution on the Middle East, calling for the establishment of a nuclear-weapons free zone in that sub-region.

These decisions are important to prevent the escalation of nuclear arms race, nuclear weapons proliferation thus reinforcing the international security system.

As we are gathered here today to assess our efforts aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and reduce existing arsenals, my delegation recognizes that some positive developments on strengthening the non­proliferation and nuclear disarmament regime was achieved since the last review conference.

The number of states parties to the Treaty increased to 187, the negotiation on CTBT was completed and the Treaty is opened for signature and, as of today, 155 countries signed and 55 ratified it.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all countries that recently join the NPT and encourage those who are not yet part to join this important instrument of safeguarding the security of the peoples and nations.

We would like also to commend the parliament and the government of Russia Federation for the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the START II.

Despite the positive developments in five years we have registered setbacks in nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament. I am referring to the South Asia nuclear tests carried out, the refusal of some countries to ratify the CTBT and the on-going tests and nuclear modernization programs in nuclear weapons States.

Mr. President,

The essence of successfully dealing with the "nuclear weapons free world issue" is developing comprehensive and implementable strategies to meet the specific situation of our countries. This includes comprehensive national surveys and other disarmament related information activities, effective coordination and information management and advocacy to ensure that the nuclear weapons proliferation does not get worse.

If we are to achieve the goal of eradicating the threat of nuclear weapons proliferation, we have to look into the full spectrum of nuclear capacities, destruction of existing stockpiles and allowing unconditionally the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect the nuclear centers world-wide.

In our view, IAEA inspection could be one of the most important ways to prevent the acquisition, development and the spread of new technologies for nuclear weapons and leakage of warehoused nuclear heads onto non-nuclear weapons States.

The NPT has provided the international community with a framework for action with respect to the nuclear weapons proliferation, it has planted the seeds of hope that the non-proliferation is an issue on the way to solution.

It has also established an international standard. No longer will States Parties to the NPT be allowed the use or threat to use nuclear weapons with impunity, nevertheless the number of nuclear weapons States in unfortunately increasing.

Thus it is our responsibility to reaffirm our commitment in a strong and viable NPT as the cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime.

To this end, we should act individually and collectively to accelerate, complete the ratification and effectively implement the NPT. Other individual initiatives aimed to initiate the START III negotiations are of paramount importance if we are committed to enhance the world security and promote development.

Mr. President,

Given the range and complexity of the issues dealt with in the preparatory process we have been unable to achieve tangible results on substantive issues, inter alia, the security assurances, the resolution on the Middle East, the principle, objectives and ways aimed at promoting the full implementation of the Treaty especially in the area of non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement.

My delegation attaches an extreme importance to the establishment of an African Nuclear Weapons Free Zone. We are concerned over the lasting delay on the ratification and implementation of the Pelindaba Treaty which provides a strong backing to strengthen nuclear non-proliferation efforts and initiatives in Africa. We take this opportunity to invite all concerned states to take appropriate actions for effective implementation of the Pelindaba Treaty, and for the consequent complete denuclearization of Africa.

We call upon States with special responsibility in international security to encourage some international actors in order to remove obstacles that impede the establishment of zones free of nuclear weapons in specific sub-regions of the globe.

Conscious of the importance of promoting international security through denuclearization, Mozambique is undertaking concerted efforts and initiatives aimed to accelerate its accession to relevant international legal binding instruments for nuclear disarmament, inter alia, the Safeguards Agreement, Chemical Weapons Convention and the Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement as well as the agreement between my country and IAEA.

Mr. President,

During the cold war developing countries suffered directly and indirectly the effects of the nuclear weapons race. Not only we were on the verge of a nuclear strike but also we witness the devotion of much needed resources to the vertical development of nuclear and weapons of mass destruction. With the end of the cold war our countries had hoped to see the end of nuclear weapons threat.

The freezing of new projects of nuclear weapons production will certainly allow us to redirect the resources to the development needs of the humanity particularly, of the developing countries. For this end, the individual country's initiative, the IAEA monitoring system and the international cooperation plays an important role.

As developing countries increasingly aim to benefit from the development and availability of nuclear energy, we would like to see the IAEA to set up non selective based program and the circulation of relevant information on their activities so that developing countries like my own can effectively benefit from the Agency's projects.

Indeed, as a peaceful and developing State struggling for the eradication of absolute poverty, Mozambique strongly supports the idea of linking the efforts on disarmament to sustainable development initiatives. In this regard, it is our view that, through the effective implementation of the NPT, States can enhance their mutual assurances and, therefore, take sound steps towards nuclear disarmament, and free huge amount of resources, which may be used for development programs.

Let us transform our expressed political will and commitments into real and practical deeds so that we can comply with the United Nations Charter call to save succeeding generations from the scourge of nuclear weapons.

Thank you.

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