Mr. Chairman,

Allow me to join in extending congratulations to you on your election as Chairman of this first session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2005 Review Conference of the States Parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The spirit of transparent and wide-ranging consultations which you have started augers well for this body. I am confident that, under your leadership, the first Preparatory Committee can find the common ground which will bring us towards a fruitful and meaningful 2005 Review Continence. Please be assured that you have my delegation’s full support and cooperation in this regard.

Although the political and security environment prevailing in 1968 no longer exists, the spirit behind the drawing-up of the NPT which is to halt the nuclear alms race and achieve total nuclear disarmament is as urgent today as it was then. The increasing gap between the haves and the have note conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, heighten uncertainty with respect to regional and global peace and security. This makes global negotiations on nuclear disarmament more imperative, particularly when upgrading nuclear arsenals and the possible development of new versions of nuclear weapons are concerned. Heightening regional tensions involving nuclear capable states also makes such negotiations more urgent.

The uncertainty of today's security environment therefore demands even more rigorous adherence to the rule of law. The NPT process, which has taken a long and complex route, is a multilateral effort that should not be undermined. The legal commitments towards total elimination of nuclear weapons within the NPT framework are products of long and arduous negotiations. We are starting another process of reviewing how far the commitments have been achieved. This process has always been a difficult one. But we believe that the best and most meaningful solution is still the total elimination of nuclear weapons, which is the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.

The Philippines thus continues to support efforts to achieve universal adherence to the NPT and call on all parties that have not acceded to the Treaty to do so without delay and without conditions.

Mr. Chairman,

After more than three decades of the NPT, progress towards further reductions in nuclear weapons remains limited. Only the full and unconditional implementation of the NPT, particularly Article VI can ensure such progress. The flexibility and cooperation of Nuclear Weapon States are necessary to implement and monitor the thirteen steps for nuclear disarmament drawn up in the 2000 NPT Review conference. Negotiations for a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective control should also be pursued.

Towards this end, my delegation fully supports the call of the Non-Aligned Movement in urging Nuclear Weapon States (NWS) to convene negotiations both on a phased program for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons within a specified framework of time' including a convention on nuclear weapons and a legally binding international instrument that provides unconditional assurance to all non-NWS against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.

In particular, the Philippines emphasizes the need to address the discordance in missile control regime in order to come up with a substantial limitation in strategic arms. Unilateral declarations on reductions in commissioned nuclear warheads, while very much welcome, do not ensure global security. Multilateral efforts still play a critical role in achieving international peace and security.

Nuclear-weapon-free Zones As a complementary effort of non-Nuclear Weapon States to ensure non-proliferation, the Philippines fully supports the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones, an example of which is the Bangkok Treaty to which we are a party. In this regard, the Philippines, as part of SEANFWZ (Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone) joins the other ASEAN member States in urging the Nuclear Weapon States to accept and ratify the Protocol to the Treaty so that it can enter into force at the earliest possible date.

Mr. Chairman,

The Philippines also upholds the inalienable right of all states party to the NPT to research, production, and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. In this regard, we uphold the IAEA's authority to verify and assure compliance with safeguards agreements and encourages those states that have not yet entered into safeguards agreements to do so.

Finally, we urge all delegations to keep an open mind in preparing for a meaningful and fruitful Review Conference in 2005. In this regard, we must all bear in mind that the peace and security of succeeding generations greatly depends on what we accomplish here.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.