AUSTRALIA PRESENTS DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE WITH DRAFT MODEL NUCLEAR TEST-BAN TREATY TEXT

4 March 1996

Press Release
DCF/254

AUSTRALIA PRESENTS DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE WITH DRAFT MODEL NUCLEAR TEST-BAN TREATY TEXT

19960304 Many Speakers Welcome Australia's Initiative To Help Conference Complete Negotiations on Treaty

GENEVA, 29 February (UN Information Service) -- Michael Costello, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, this morning presented to the Conference on Disarmament a model draft text for a comprehensive test-ban treaty. Stressing the urgency for the Conference to have the treaty ready for signature by the outset of the fifty-first session of the General Assembly next September, he noted that hard work over the last two years had taken them a good 90 per cent of the way and given them all of the text needed.

To manage the final 10 per cent of the text on schedule, they would need new momentum, he said. That was why Australia was tabling a complete model text of a test-ban treaty. It was not seeking to establish a parallel negotiating process, nor to have its text considered as an alternative to the achievements which the "rolling text" represented, he added.

That submission follows one by the delegation of Iran, which last week presented a complete draft text of the treaty, also with the aim of facilitating and speeding up the negotiations. Many participants in the discussion today expressed their appreciation for both of those initiatives, considering them to be a useful and important input as the Conference sought to complete the negotiations on the draft treaty by 30 June.

Addressing the Conference, Eugeniusz Wyzner, Secretary of State and First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Poland, said that next to the chemical weapons Convention, the test-ban treaty would be the most significant addition to the record of accomplishment of the Conference. They had to rededicate themselves to that objective. The time had come when agreed treaty language had to start falling in place through mutual accommodation and sense of realism.

Also contributing to the debate today were the delegations of Hungary, Pakistan, France, Iran, New Zealand, Egypt, Sri Lanka, India, Brazil, Morocco, Indonesia, Algeria, Myanmar, Peru, Germany, South Africa, Bulgaria, Canada,

Mexico, Norway, Nigeria, United States, Japan, Argentina, Sweden, Russian Federation, China, Italy, Romania and the United Kingdom.

In other action, the Conference acceded to the request of Swaziland to participate in its work as a non-member State.

Statement by Secretary of State of Poland

EUGENIUSZ WYZNER, Secretary of State and First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Poland, said that next to the chemical weapons Convention, the comprehensive test-ban treaty would be the most significant addition to the record of accomplishment of the Conference. It would reaffirm the vitality and the well-deserved standing of the Conference as a highly important single multilateral disarmament negotiating platform of global scope.

Indeed, the present day threats to peace and international security called for remedies that need not rely on the ultimate weapon, he continued. Today, step-by-step disarmament, confidence-building measures, preventive diplomacy and peace-keeping commended themselves often as more effective instruments. Although the conflict in the former Yugoslavia represented for Europe an indelible and tragic blemish, the abovementioned instruments had proved workable on the continent which, as a whole, had enjoyed the longest period of uninterrupted peace for centuries. It was in the context of a quest for expanding and consolidating the area of European peace, stability and cooperation that Poland so vigorously pursued economic, political and military integration trends, as exemplified by its determination to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The hopefully imminent completion of the test-ban treaty had been brought closer owing to two recent and highly auspicious events. The ratification by the United States Senate a few weeks ago of the second Treaty on the Reduction and Elimination of Strategic Offensive Arms (START II) and the announcement by the President of France that France was terminating its nuclear tests in the South Pacific were historic events. They both would have an obvious impact upon the current negotiations in the Conference. His Government welcomed them. It also joined the international community in urging the cessation of all nuclear tests everywhere, as well as the ratification of START II by the Russian Federation. Positive response to such appeals would add momentum to the "end game" of the test-ban treaty negotiations.

Poland strongly supported the idea of completing those negotiations by the end of June, so that an agreed treaty text could be ready for approval and opened for signature before the fifty-first session of the General Assembly. They had to rededicate themselves to that objective. The time had come when agreed treaty language had to start falling in place through mutual

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accommodation and sense of realism. He commended Germany and Sweden for acting in such a spirit on the issue of "preparations to test".

He shared the view that any linkage between the test-ban treaty and the acceptance of a specific nuclear disarmament schedule might be a complicating factor in the negotiations. Accordingly, it was both possible and necessary to seek a common ground on the language of the preamble along the line of formulas contained in documents which, in the recent past, had commanded consensus of the international community. One such document was the decision of Principles and Objectives of Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament adopted in New York last May.

Mr. Wyzner then briefly addressed some of the major outstanding issues which had to be resolved in order to bring the test-ban treaty negotiations to an early and happy conclusion. Poland was firmly convinced that the formula of the provision on scope of the treaty based on the "true zero yield" option was totally adequate. A verification system built around an international monitoring System (IMS) based on four technologies would effectively deter non-compliance. Much patient but determined work was still necessary on entry into force to arrive at a solution that would command general support.

With the comprehensive test-ban treaty hopefully to become a fact of political life in a matter of months, what was next for the Conference? he asked. The logical first step must be the resumption of efforts to negotiate a treaty banning the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. Accordingly, the ad hoc committee established in 1995 should be reactivated to carry forward its work, in accordance with the agreed mandate which was broad enough to respond to all concerns. The Conference should also reintroduce some of the other issues it had dealt with in the recent past, for example, the question of the unilateral security assurances by the nuclear-weapon States to non-nuclear-weapon States; a regional approach to conventional arms; and possible global bans on specific conventional weapons systems which, thus far, had been dealt with mainly in the humanitarian context. It was the case with the problem of land mines and other aspects of the Certain Conventional Weapons Convention.

Statement by Australian Foreign Affairs and Trade Department Secretary

MICHAEL COSTELLO, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, said he had not made the special trip from Australia to talk to the Conference in generalities about challenges and problems. Rather, he had come in an effort to contribute to its deliberations on a nuclear-test ban in a practical and helpful way. First, he wished to communicate the sense of urgency, driven by overall security concerns, that had influenced their governments and created the opportunity they now had to conclude, once and for all, a comprehensive test-ban treaty. That was their first real opportunity in 40 years to conclude such a ban. The opportunity before the Conference

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could be diminished with every delay. It was that sense of urgency and concern which was the origin of Australia's effort to make a further substantial and practical contribution at that stage of the negotiations.

The international community had demonstrated its strong commitment at the General Assembly last year to concluding the negotiations and having the treaty ready for signature by the outset of the fifty-first session of the General Assembly in September. To meet that expectation, the treaty text had to be finalized by the end of the second part of the Conference session on 28 June. Outside of Geneva, among governments and communities, there was a strong expectation that those goals would be reached. But more than that, there was a feeling that after decades of living under the shadow of nuclear escalation, they were owed a legally binding, global agreement to end testing. "The delivery of that strong expectation is your challenge as delegates to the Conference on Disarmament", he declared.

Hard work over the last two years had taken them a good 90 per cent of the way and given them almost all of the text needed. Yet, concern was widespread that the opportunity to complete and sign a treaty this year was slipping away. To manage the final 10 per cent of text on schedule, they would need new momentum. Australia believed it would assist the negotiations to demonstrate, tangibly, that a test-ban treaty along the lines they had been negotiating here for two years was indeed within reach. It was for those reasons that it was today tabling a complete model text of a test-ban treaty. Australia was not seeking to establish an alternative or parallel negotiating process to that which had been pursued in the ad hoc committee and which had achieved much. Nor did its text seek to be considered an alternative to the achievements which the rolling text represented.

The great bulk of the text had been lifted from the rolling text with great care, to preserve the logical continuity of the negotiations. The balance represented Australia's response to issues where either the line of convergence was unclear or the available rolling text material slender, he said. Here, the text advanced a model for the kind of compromises which it would be necessary for all parties to make if agreement was to be reached. Yet, here too, the lines were already mapped out and agreed by delegations to the Conference.

The speaker then addressed a few important specific areas to illustrate the way they had gone about drawing together opposing positions into what they believed could be mutually acceptable language. Those areas addressed the issues of scope, verification, on-site inspection, entry into force, and the composition of the Executive Council. He urged all negotiating parties to join him in calling for the negotiating process to enter a decisive final phase. The model text demonstrated the feasibility of such a shift, and he hoped it would help generate the necessary intensification of their collective effort.

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Views of Delegations

PETER NARAY (Hungary) noted that the negotiations on a comprehensive test-ban treaty were entering their final phase, bringing this decades' long aspiration of the international community within a reach. The international environment provided a propitious moment for coming to grips with that objective. In that respect, he highly commended the unilateral moratoria and other national measures related to the cessation of nuclear testing by four nuclear-weapon States. That opportunity should be seized, and the Conference should spare no efforts to conclude the work on a test-ban treaty by June.

It was gratifying to note that work had significantly advanced and final agreement was close at hand on issues like national implementation measures, possible relationship with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the seat of the organization. He strongly hoped that that positive trend would be upheld or even reinforced. While negotiations were heading in the right direction, all were well aware of a number of basic matters to be solved. For progress to take place with regard to the "rolling-text" as a whole, it would be essential to reach a timely agreement on such components as scope, on-site inspections, composition and powers of the Executive Council and entry into force.

The creation of a loophole for "peaceful nuclear explosions" would undermine the credibility of the treaty. Technical issues surrounding on-site inspections should be based on the requirements of efficiency, reliability of data collection and cost-effectiveness. On entry into force, a simple numerical formula combined with diplomatic efforts could be instrumental to ensure the adherence of all relevant countries whose absence would render the treaty meaningless. The goals of the test-ban treaty could be best promoted and implemented by an independent organization in close cooperation with the IAEA, with the seat of the test-ban treat based in Vienna, he said.

The emerging international norm banning nuclear-test explosions indefinitely would be a landmark achievement on the road towards the eventual elimination of nuclear weapons. Hungary, as a small non-nuclear State, strongly advocated the conclusion of further treaties on nuclear arms control and disarmament. However, insisting on a time-bound framework, here and now, was likely to abort the promising prospects for an early conclusion of the treaty. The successful outcome of the negotiations, however, would create favourable international climate for promoting the noble goal of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. He shared the sense of urgency becoming more and more apparent around that table. He commended the efforts of Australia and the submission of their model treaty text. He was confident that, along with similar working documents, it would facilitate the early agreement on a test-ban treaty which could no longer remain an elusive goal.

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The tasks ahead of them clearly required adequate representation of the international community in their work. The significant expansion of the membership of the Conference could not be postponed any longer without running the risk of undermining its credibility. He hoped that circumstances would permit implementing the decision contained in document CD/1356 before the conclusion of the test-ban treaty negotiations, giving special weight to that legal instrument. He concluded by announcing a recent decision of his Government declaring a moratorium on the export and re-export of all types of anti-personnel land mines. That measure should be regarded as continuation and legal underpinning of a de facto moratorium because Hungary had ceased to manufacture and export land mines more than two decades ago.

MUNIT AKRAM (Pakistan) recalled that the world community had consistently viewed a comprehensive test-ban treaty as an essential element in the endeavour to promote nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. In those final stages of the negotiations, it was vital to ensure that the treaty should fulfil both those complimentary objectives. As to statements about the relationship between the test-ban treaty and nuclear disarmament, he said he did not wish today to enter into that debate, being motivated by the desire to preserve the positive political atmosphere essential for the success of the treaty negotiations in the shortest possible time. But the test-ban treaty would not be the "end of history" for the Conference, but the beginning. They would return, very soon, to the issue of nuclear disarmament and the role which the Conference could and must play in it to fulfil the aspirations of the international community and create the preconditions for peace and security in the twenty-first century.

The test-ban treaty text presented last week by the Foreign Minister of Iran illustrated that they were close to a point where a specific test-ban treaty could be envisioned. That impression was confirmed by the "model treaty" presented today by the Permanent Secretary of the Australian Foreign Ministry. He welcomed both the Iranian and the Australian initiatives. Both those texts could be a useful contribution to the process of negotiating agreed compromise language on various elements of the treaty.

All of them agreed that the comprehensive test-ban treaty must comprehensively ban all nuclear-test explosions, he said. The Australian text on the scope of the test-ban treaty had not entirely set at rest the fear that some forms of nuclear-test explosions could be construed as being outside the purview of the test ban and enable the nuclear-weapon States to continue the qualitative development of their weapons. It was essential to ensure that the treaty language which they agreed on completely prohibited all nuclear-test explosions which could contribute to the qualitative development of nuclear weapons.

A test-ban treaty must not only be comprehensive; it must also be effectively verifiable. Within the limitations imposed by technology, they

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now had before them proposals for the creation of a feasible and fairly credible IMS. However, there would no consensus on the legitimacy of non-IMS data which could be used by only a few States on an arbitrary basis. Any proposal which sought to legitimize covertly gathered information would be totally unacceptable, he added.

In the politically charged atmosphere which surrounded the test-ban treaty negotiations, rumours were rife regarding the real positions of various States, he observed. Yet, they must be clear about some fundamental realities. The treaty must be comprehensive not only in prohibiting all nuclear tests, but also in securing a commitment against testing from all States which were capable of testing. To be sanguine about some of those States remaining outside the treaty was to invite its collapse. A test-ban treaty was an "all or nothing" treaty; it could not be "partial" in any way. Pakistan would insist that, for the test-ban treaty to come into force, it must have the adherence of all the nuclear-weapon States and nuclear-capable States. Pakistan wanted a good treaty, one which would attract universal adherence. The drafting of the treaty text was not the difficult part. What stood in the way now were the crucial political decisions which some important participants in those talks had to take. "The choice we face is a nuclear or non-nuclear future for our world. The choice is clear", he concluded.

JOELLE BOURGOIS (France) recalled that her country, through its President, had announced on 22 February a series of measures which, beyond the significant stake represented by the test-ban treaty, responded to the voices which were raised demanding that the five nuclear-weapon States, which carried particular responsibilities in that area, went further. Listing those measures, she declared that the President had drawn the consequences of the already announced decision to end the nuclear tests and to adhere to the protocols of the Treaty of Rarotonga, which would be signed at the end of March, and announced the closing of the Pacific nuclear-test sites at Mururoa and Fangataufa. With the closing of its test polygon, France, as a nuclear Power, had provided an exceptional gesture which illustrated its confidence in the possibility of success in the negotiations under way.

Recalling another decision which France had just taken, she declared that beyond the comprehensive test-ban treaty, the Declaration of Principles and Objectives of May 1995 had assigned to the Conference on Disarmament a second objective which, in the order of priorities, followed immediately. It was a question of concluding a treaty banning the production of fissile materials for military use, the "cut-off" treaty. France, which had already stopped producing plutonium for military purposes, decided to close the Pierrelatte plant which was still capable of producing highly enriched uranium for national defence purposes. In view of that decision, France had thus unilaterally stopped the production of fissile materials for the fabrication of weapons and other nuclear-explosive devices. She hoped that the

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international community would recognize in that step a signal of the direction in which the current efforts had to orient themselves without losing time.

Finally, the Chief of State had announced new unilateral reductions in the nuclear arsenal of France. There were also quantitative reductions resulting in the closing of the Albion plateau and the dismantling of 30 Hades missiles. Those reductions were inscribed in the framework of the French doctrine of dissuasion based on the idea of strict sufficiency. The results of the last nuclear-test campaign, as much as the change in the international context, had rendered them possible. In closing, she expressed the wish that those new decisions, like those taken earlier by other partners, would contribute to improving the necessary confidence among States so that they could show their capacity to work together on behalf of peace.

SIROUS NASSERI (Iran) said he wished to express a warm welcome to the Secretary of State of Poland and the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia. Iran highly valued their presence here and their contributions to the work of the Conference. He also welcomed the specific initiative by Australia today. The "coincidence" of today's initiative, following that of Iran's last week, should contribute towards furthering the negotiations on the comprehensive test-ban treaty. He was not certain whether the Conference had entered the final phase in the negotiations, that of the "give-and-take" required to conclude the treaty. If Iran's and Australia's initiative served to encourage and deepen the test-ban treaty negotiations, then they would have served their purpose. Conclusion of the treaty should be followed by beginning negotiations on a fissile "cut-off" treaty, as well as by discussion and negotiations on nuclear disarmament.

WADE ARMSTRONG (New Zealand) observed that the test-ban treaty negotiations had been conducted so far this year against a back-drop of intense debate about commitments to nuclear disarmament. The continuation by China and resumption by France of nuclear testing in the immediate aftermath of the extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) last May had challenged the confidence of non-nuclear-weapon parties to that Treaty. He then noted some developments in recent months which indicated a positive trend. Among them, France had announced a definitive end to its nuclear tests. The United States, France and the United Kingdom were now committed to associate themselves with the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone, thus ending for all time a long history of testing the world's most destructive weapon in the South Pacific.

However, more needed to be achieved in a determined and systematic way. It was legitimate for States which had committed themselves not to pursue the nuclear option to press for the next steps towards nuclear disarmament. New Zealand wanted to see the earliest possible start to negotiations banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. Even before the "cut off" treaty negotiations were concluded, they had to reach a consensus on what

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should be the next logical steps. New Zealand had already made one suggestion -- a negotiated and verifiable agreement to ban the future production of nuclear weapons.

In planning for the next steps, he went on to say that they should not lose sight of the fact that the goal of nuclear disarmament could not be achieved unless they were prepared to take the first major step and make it no longer possible to significantly modify nuclear weapons or design new ones through testing. Now that they were so close to a test-ban treaty, it was disturbing that the negotiations were confronted by rising expectations or, conversely, scepticism about what that ban would mean for nuclear disarmament. The impact of a true zero-yield treaty could, therefore, reach far beyond the activity which it banned. For that reason, it was an essential step towards the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Progress to date in the test-ban treaty negotiations was positive, but hardly sufficient. What was needed now was not simply hard work. They had to apply new and deliberate political will to finding solutions to the core issues. It was critical that the negotiations be concluded in time for signature at the outset of the next General Assembly. In that context, he warmly welcomed the model treaty text which Australia had given them today and also thanked Iran for its contribution. Both had anticipated the urgent need for greater clarity at that stage. New Zealand's overriding concern was to have all nuclear explosions banned as soon as possible. That was a treaty which would not only have far reaching legal obligations, but would also have great moral force.

The prospect that the test-ban treaty negotiations would soon conclude raised the question of the Conference's future. All agreed that it was cast in an outdated mould, hence, the ongoing efforts to reach agreement on a new membership, a modern agenda, and improved working methods. Agreement on the admission of the 23 countries already accepted for membership, and their fullest possible integration into all aspects of the Conference's work in the meantime, would help to demonstrate that it remained capable of serving the international community as its negotiating body for disarmament and arms control agreements. It was high time that that step was taken, he declared.

MOUNIR ZAHRAN (Egypt) said that the Conference had heard major statements today by Poland and Australia. The statement by Poland pinpointed positions that came close to those of Egypt in the test-ban treaty negotiations. The presentation by Australia of its draft treaty, the second such document submitted to the Conference in February, was a most timely initiative. After having glanced at that model treaty text, he believed it would help them make headway in the treaty negotiations. He hoped the Ad Hoc Committee on a Nuclear-Test Ban would have its work crowned with success. He was happy to note all the positive steps being taken by France, as outlined in its statement this morning, and restated Egypt's position that work on nuclear

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disarmament should begin in the Conference through the establishment of an ad hoc committee on that question.

BERNARD GOONETILLEKE (Sri Lanka) noted that the Australian model text did not seek to substitute the current rolling text, nor was it intended to be an alternative text. That was most reassuring, for there need not be an alternative to the rolling text at least for the present.

It was no secret, he said, that the commonly shared desire of the international community was to realize a world free of nuclear weapons. What they were currently engaged in at the Conference was an integral step in that direction. Once the Conference completed its negotiations for a comprehensive test-ban treaty, it would be able to focus on other related subjects which would bring them closer to the ultimate goal. The agreed priority of the Conference, in response to the call of the international community, was to complete the treaty negotiations by the end of June. They had now reached the final stage of the negotiations. They should not lose the window of opportunity at any cost. It was high time, therefore, that the Conference decided on its strategy for completing the negotiations.

ARUNDHATI GHOSE (India) said she had listened with as much attention and care to the presentation by Australia as she had last week to that of Iran. Her Government was studying both texts in detail. She appreciated the spirit in which they had been presented, as inputs rather than replacements for the rolling text. However, there was only one text on the basis of which they could obtain consensus -- the rolling text. If, somehow, that text was put aside, India might have to reconsider its participation in the negotiations. In the effort to speed up negotiations, they might very well end up by delaying them. The nature of the test-ban treaty was one of the core issues on which they still had to reach agreement. To marry, merge or even choose between the two texts might prove impossible. She hoped the members of the Conference would have a more holistic view of the treaty during the intersessional period.

CELSO LAFER (Brazil) said the initiative by Australia was but its latest important contribution to the test-ban treaty negotiations. He thanked the delegation and expressed support for its efforts. He also thanked the initiative by the delegation of Iran last week. He believed the negotiations could move to an end-game phase during the next few weeks. Inputs in the form of well-researched, clean texts could be decisive to the negotiations and show that success was possible, given the necessary political will.

MOHAMED NACER BENDJELLOUN-TOUIMI (Morocco) said he was most happy to see a delegation like Australia submit a text that would speed the Conference on its work. He noted that the latest contribution was based on the rolling text and was submitted in order to facilitate the negotiations. They all together must ensure that negotiations on the test-ban treaty materialized in time.

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His Government would give the Australian draft most careful consideration. It was high time that they all got into top gear in order to complete the negotiations successfully within the limited time available.

AGUS TARMIDZI (Indonesia) said he was again encouraged by the fact that another text had been introduced by Australia, to be used as a resource paper in order to revamp the test-ban treaty negotiations. Being one among those countries which worked relentlessly to create a nuclear-weapon-free world -- as it had demonstrated recently by concluding the South-East Asia Nuclear- Weapon-Free Zone -- Indonesia would welcome any courageous initiative which must lead to a speedy conclusion of a truly test-ban treaty. At that particular juncture, what the Conference really needed was a political impetus in order to finish the negotiations. The Conference had been going through a great number of conceptual debates over outstanding issues, which basically related to the preamble, scope, on-site inspection, organization and entry into force. No stone had been left unturned as far as those questions were concerned which had thus generated a clear understanding of the position of each country over issues.

It was indeed within that context that he warmly welcomed the bold and timely action which Australia had taken in preparing and tabling the paper which hopefully could be used as a basis for resolving the outstanding issues, leading ultimately to the conclusion of the test-ban treaty negotiations within the agreed time-frame. He encouraged all participating States to seriously study the paper which he firmly believed had been drawn up after carefully taking into account all national positions. His delegation would certainly study it carefully and would be more than willing to consider the paper if it could circumvent the existing conflicting positions and, therefore, provide a sound basis for the conclusion of a truly comprehensive test-ban treaty in 1996.

HOCINE MEGHLAOUI (Algeria) said he was most grateful for the submission of a draft model text by Australia, which had given the Conference a most valuable present. He had also taken good note of the contribution by Iran last week. He recalled the observation by the representative of Iran that the remaining differences were political and had to be resolved politically. He shared that view and believed that the conclusion of a test-ban treaty within the time set was within their grasp. He endorsed the need to speed up their work in order to achieve the desired goal -- a draft treaty ready by June -- and which would contribute to nuclear disarmament. His Government had decided to support the proposal to locate the treaty organization in Vienna.

U AYE (Myanmar) recalled that last week they had had the privilege of hearing Iran introduce a clean text of a test-ban treaty. This week, they had the pleasure of hearing Australia introduce a draft model text of the treaty. Those were both most welcome initiatives. Australia had long played an active part in the Conference on a number of disarmament issues. He was confident

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that the Australian text would speed up the negotiations. Myanmar's position on the scope of the test-ban treaty was well known. It wished to see a comprehensive ban on all nuclear tests. The speaker stressed the need to speed up the negotiations in order to achieve the desired goal.

JOSE URRUTIA CERUTI (Peru) said he was happy to be associated with previous speakers in thanking Australia for its important contribution and initiative this morning. By definition, any contribution was welcome, especially when its goal was to facilitate the early conclusion of a comprehensive test-ban treaty. He also praised the contribution made by Iran last week. He hoped the Conference would certainly put both proposals to the best possible use when trying to resolve remaining issues in the negotiations.

WOLFGANG HOFFMANN (Germany) said they were on the good track, but time was needed to settle outstanding issues. Germany would devote every possible effort to accelerate the negotiations. He welcomed the fact that delegates were taking the negotiations seriously, as was demonstrated by the submission of the Iranian draft last week and the Australian draft this week. He hope the Conference would put both of those initiatives to good use.

JACK SELEBI (South Africa) said the progress they had to make in the negotiations on a test-ban treaty was of keen importance if they were to achieve the desired goal. He expressed appreciation for the Iranian and Australian documents now before them, as well as the approach both delegations had taken, along with their evident hard work. The two texts included some innovative ideas concerning issues which remained to be addressed.

VALENTIN DOBREV (Bulgaria) joined previous speakers in extending his appreciation for the impressive work done by the Australian delegation. He considered the clear text submitted this morning as another proof of Australia's strong commitment to disarmament. He wished the work on the test- ban treaty to be further accelerated so that the Conference would meet its commitment to conclude the negotiations on the treaty in good time.

MARK MOHER (Canada) emphasized that Canada shared the widespread concern over the need to accelerate, discipline and focus their work. All those qualities were necessary if the Conference wished to complete its work on the treaty by June. He saw scope and on-site inspection as two of the most critical dimensions requiring early, substantive movement. He put on record "Canada's very strong allergy to PNEs -- peaceful nuclear explosions -- over the last 30 years". The time had come for early basic political decisions to be taken on on-site inspection. Canada welcomed the two national contributions. Both could provide valuable and useful complementary material for use in connection with the rolling text. There was an urgent need to make real progress in March. They had plenty of material available. What was needed was the necessary political will to reach agreement on literally five or six issues.

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ANTONIO DE ICAZA (Mexico) associated himself with the delegations that had underscored the importance of the presentations made today by Poland and Australia. The Australian text, following the submission by Iran last week, had added to the wealth of material available in the test-ban treaty negotiations. Those two exercises were a start and an impetus for them to redouble their efforts, to try to resolve the political decisions which had to be taken. One of the most important features of the texts submitted was the overview of the structure of the treaty. It was now high time for them to organize their work in a more agile fashion so that they could attain the desired objective in the scant 10 weeks that remained.

BJÖRN SKOGMO (Norway) expressed Norway's appreciation for the valuable work which had been done by Iran and Australia in producing draft texts of a comprehensive test-ban treaty. Norway very much shared the sense of urgency about the time factor. The time had come to accelerate the negotiations and to focus on the few remaining key issues in order to achieve the goal of a completed treaty within the deadline.

EJOH ABUAH (Nigeria) expressed appreciation for the contributions made last week by Iran and this morning by Australia to the negotiations on the test-ban treaty. The two texts represented important useful source materials to enrich the rolling text; they contained language that could be drawn upon in the search of compromise. On 8 February, Nigeria had identified the major areas on which early agreement was needed if the Conference was to meet the June date for the completion of the treaty negotiation. In the three weeks since that statement, progress had been made in Working Group II, but less so in Working Group I, because of the complex issues involved. However, if the pace of work continued in the same pattern, they would not have a test-ban treaty text ready in time. Such an opportunity missed might not come until all international political forces were once again in harmony. The solution was within the reach of their governments. They must exercise the necessary political will to overcome all their difficulties. The time was now, and the opportunity must be grasped to have a truly comprehensive test-ban treaty that would contribute not only to nuclear non-proliferation but to nuclear disarmament.

STEPHEN LEDOGAR (United States) observed that, as others had pointed out, last December they had agreed in New York to conclude the test-ban treaty early enough so that it could be signed by the fifty-first session of the General Assembly. Today, that was achievable. Both Iran and Australia had demonstrated to them how that could be done, as well as the extent to which there was already widespread agreement on key issues. Iran and Australia had given them structure and offered potential solutions to the remaining issues. Those tools would help the delegations focus on what should be done. The ground work had been laid. They now had to accelerate the pace.

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HISAMI KUROKOCHI (Japan) joined other delegations in expressing her appreciation for the efforts of Iran and Australia in submitting draft texts of the comprehensive test-ban treaty. She was very much encouraged that many delegates today had emphasized the pressing need to accelerate the pace of the negotiations. Now they had reached a critical point in the negotiations where they had to search for and reach common ground. Japan also expressed appreciation for the recent decisions announced by France in favour of nuclear disarmament. She expected that to give an impetus to the Conference's work on the "cut-off" of fissile materials for military purposes.

MANUEL BENITEZ (Argentina) thanked Iran and Australia for having submitted clean, model texts and found them to be most valuable contribution. Those would give a firm impetus to the negotiations and would serve as a signal that compromise was possible. Achieving the goal of a test-ban treaty within the desired target time was the most urgent priority before the Conference. If the necessary political will was there, they would be able to sign the treaty by the fifty-first session of the General Assembly. Those two initiatives should, in turn, lead to an intensification of the negotiations.

RICHARD EKWALL (Sweden) joined other delegates in thanking Australia for presenting a model test-ban treaty text. That and the Iranian text presented last week constituted important inputs into the negotiations. They sent a strong signal that the goal was achievable and that they had now to energize the pace of work.

GRIGORI BERDENNIKOV (Russian Federation) said the negotiations on the test-ban treaty were now at the most difficult stage where, first and foremost, participants were required to show political will and maximum readiness to take the necessary decisions. He expressed appreciation for the texts submitted by Iran and by Australia. He noted, in particular, that the authors of the two drafts did not see them as replacements for the rolling text, but rather as efforts to help the negotiations. He noted with satisfaction that those two submissions had incited so many delegations to underscore the urgency of completing the negotiations in good time.

ZUKANG SHA (China) felt that the Conference was on the right track as far as the treaty negotiations were concerned. He shared the feeling of everybody that they should accelerate the negotiations so as to make progress at the earliest date. They should reach agreement on a treaty no later than 1996. As to a specific date, it could be 30 June, earlier than that or even later. A brief delay would make no difference. Relevant General Assembly resolutions had not targeted 30 June as the absolute deadline. What was important was to solve problems in a pragmatic manner. While his delegation welcomed any texts put forward by any country, the rolling text was the basis for the negotiations. He appreciated the efforts made by Iran and Australia for tabling their own texts and would seriously study them.

- 15 - Press Release DCF/254 4 March 1996

ALLESSANDRO VATTANI (Italy) said that rarely had he seen such a sign of determination to move ahead and to attain the goal in a constructive spirit as he had today. He thanked the delegations of Iran and Australia for having submitted draft texts that would be a great value to their work. The fact of having in their hands exhaustive and well-structured texts was a sign of what was possible for them to achieve over the coming weeks. Those two texts had shown that their goal was near, and he was certain they would be successful in that endeavour.

CHRISTIANE ISTRATE (Romania) expressed his appreciation for the draft texts submitted by Iran and Australia. He was convinced that those texts would contribute to the efforts of the Conference on Disarmament to conclude the negotiations on the treaty.

RICHARD TAUWHARE (United Kingdom) said that after having heard the almost unanimous welcome for the Iranian and Australian texts, he could not remain silent. He also shared the view that it was necessary to speed up and intensify the negotiations in order for the Conference to complete its work on the comprehensive test-ban treaty within the time left.

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