NPT/CONF.2005/PC.1/4

Original: English
First session
New York, 8-19 April 2002

Information of the Government of the Republic of Poland concerning the implementation of Article VI and paragraph 4 (c) of the 1995 Decision on "Principles and Objectives for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament" (section entitled "Article VI and eighth to twelfth preambular paragraphs" of the Final Document 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons)

1. In the aftermath of the horrific terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, the international community as a whole is being challenged by the risks brought about by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. International security and stability, both globally and regionally, are being threatened by such actions. The terrorist attacks of 11 September have given an even greater sense of urgency to the common efforts required from all States to agree collectively to new instruments and mechanisms to ensure mutual security. However, in the changing global security environment, for Poland, the strengthening of international norms and political instruments to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery is a main priority and we are committed to the reinforcement of disarmament and non-proliferation multilateral instruments.

2. Poland welcomed the Joint Statement by the Presidents of the United States of America and the Russian Federation on a new relationship between their two countries for the twenty-first century, and takes note of their commitment to the Biological Weapons Convention and Chemical Weapons Convention, as well as to the strengthening of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

3. Poland wishes also to underscore the importance and urgency of an early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and called upon all States who had as yet not done so to adhere to the Treaty without delay and unconditionally, especially those on the list of 44 States whose ratification was indispensable. As a State included in that list, Poland fulfilled its obligations and ratified the Treaty in 1999.

4. The Conference on Disarmament, for Poland, is the sole multilateral forum at the disposal of the international community for disarmament negotiations. It had decided to start, and actually started, in 1998 negotiations on a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in accordance with the statement of the Special Coordinator in 1995, taking into account both nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation objectives. Together with the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, the immediate commencement of the negotiations on the Fissile-Material-Cutoff Treaty constitutes the next essential steps in nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.

5. The Republic of Poland is fully committed to the provisions to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and reiterates it support to the strengthened revision process for the Treaty. Therefore, Poland actively joins preparation work of the 2005 Review Conference.

6. For the exclusive purpose of verification of the fulfilment of its obligations assumed under this Treaty and with a view to preventing the diversion of nuclear energy from peaceful uses to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, Poland accepted the safeguards in accordance with the Agreement concluded with the International Atomic Energy Agency in 1972. Since then, the national system for safeguarding of nuclear material, supervised by the relevant national authority, i.e. the National Atomic Energy Agency, has been cooperating with the central system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. To contribute to the strengthened safeguards system, on 5 May 2000, Poland ratified the Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement. The same year, within the framework of the Additional Protocol, declarations on objects were transmitted, which have now been verified by the IAEA inspections.

7. Poland attaches great importance to the application of stringent national export control systems and to cooperation within international non-proliferation regimes. We are an active member of both the Zangger Committee and the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

8. Last but not least, Poland wishes also to emphasize its active participation in the international cooperation in support of peaceful uses of atomic energy within the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European Organisation for Nuclear Research in Geneva, the world's largest particle physics centre, as well as the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russian Federation.