DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE HEARS STATEMENTS ON NEW DRAFT TEXT OF TEST-BAN TREATY

Press Release
DCF/262

DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE HEARS STATEMENTS ON NEW DRAFT TEXT OF TEST-BAN TREATY

GENEVA, 30 May (UN Information Service) -- A new draft text for a comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty introduced earlier this week constituted the only means for the successful conclusion of the test-ban negotiations, the representative of Australia told the Conference on Disarmament this morning.

Pointing to the draft treaty text tabled on 28 May by the Chairman of the Conference's Ad hoc Committee on a nuclear test ban, Jaap Ramaker (Netherlands), the Australian delegate said that although it did not necessarily represent what Australia would have wished to see nationally, it did provide the Conference with the means to conclude the task before it.

The Conference, the sole multilateral disarmament forum, is working to agree a comprehensive test ban by 28 June.

Taking the floor to set out the main points in his text, Mr. Ramaker said the preamble of the draft stressed "the need for continued systematic and progressive efforts to reduce nuclear weapons globally, with the ultimate goal of eliminating those weapons, and of general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control". The preamble also expressed the conviction for "the cessation of all nuclear weapons test explosions and all other nuclear explosions".

Concerning verification of compliance with the treaty, he said his draft sketched out an on-site inspection regime that tried to balance the concern that the regime should contribute effectively to the verifiability and the credibility of the treaty with concerns that it should not jeopardize legitimate security concerns of States parties. Therefore, the use of information derived from national technical means in the verification framework should be acceptable in principle, but not in an unqualified manner. He had also opted for a so-called "green light procedure" for the launching of an inspection.

The text required a decision of the executive council of the future comprehensive test-ban treaty organization based on a majority of all its members.

Also this morning, incoming Conference President Munir Akram (Pakistan) pledged to work closely with the Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee for the successful conclusion of the treaty negotiations. He stressed the positive effect that a resolution of the question of how nuclear disarmament should be addressed by the Conference could have on the talks. The representative of Kenya also spoke.

Statements

JAAP RAMAKER (Netherlands), speaking in his capacity as Chairman of the Conference's Ad hoc Committee on nuclear test ban, said he was taking the floor to explain in more detail some of the thinking behind the draft of a complete text of a comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty he had tabled on 28 May. In the draft, he had tried to find the proper wording for the place such a treaty should occupy in the process of nuclear disarmament; and to describe the relationship between the treaty and the qualitative improvement and development of nuclear weapons. Thus, the preamble stressed "the need for continued systematic and progressive efforts to reduce nuclear weapons globally, with the ultimate goal of eliminating those weapons, and of general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control".

He said he had seriously considered proposals aimed at further defining the scope of the treaty. However, he had had to conclude that in trying to do so, the consensus potential that the present formulation had would diminish drastically. Nevertheless attention should be drawn to the relationship between the basic obligations as formulated in his draft and the conviction expressed in the preamble that the treaty would constrain the development and qualitative improvement of nuclear weapons and would end the development of advanced new types of nuclear weapons.

Concerning verification of compliance with the treaty, he said the draft sketched out an on-site inspection regime that tried to balance the concern that the regime should contribute effectively to the verifiability and credibility of the treaty with concerns that it should not jeopardize legitimate security concerns of States parties or be abused. He had therefore concluded that the use of information derived from national technical means in the verification framework should be acceptable in principle, but not in an unqualified manner. He had also opted for a so-called "green light procedure" for the launching of an inspection. The text required a decision of the executive council of the future treaty organization based on a majority of all its members. Thus, an inspection would carry the weight and authority of the council, rather than that of only the State party requesting verification. As to the composition of the council, he said it would not be prudent to change the overall number of 45 members nor the distribution of the number of seats among the various groups.

- 3 - Press Release DCF/262 5 June 1996

He indicated that there was no clear-cut solution acceptable to all regarding conditions for the entry into force of a comprehensive test-ban treaty. The provision that the treaty would enter into force after ratification by 37 States responsible for either a primary seismic monitoring station or a radionuclide laboratory had been criticized. Nevertheless, a number of delegations had expressed interest in this formula.

RICHARD STARR (Australia) said his delegation was still studying the draft text tabled by the Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee. Although the text did not necessarily represent what Australia would have wished to see nationally, his delegation accepted that this latest step was the best, and indeed only, means by which they could see the successful conclusion of the negotiations. With that text, and the negotiated resources of the "rolling text" delegations had been working with, the Conference had the means to conclude the task before it. Australia gave full support to the process initiated by Ambassador Ramaker.

ESTHER MSHAI TOLLE (Kenya) said a comprehensive treaty should ban all nuclear tests in all environments for all times. This was envisaged in the mandate of the Ad hoc Committee on a nuclear test ban. Her delegation was opposed to any proposal that would allow selective testing. "Anything short of a ban on all tests would not augur well for the treaty, as its objective would have been rendered impotent".

Kenya welcomed the offer by the Austrian Government to host the seat of the organization of the treaty in Vienna, she continued. With regard to the executive council of the organization, Kenya was of the view that a better formula on the distribution of seats to the various regions, consistent with the provisions of the current rolling text, should be applied to reflect regional equity and avoid marginalization. Her delegation also did not see the merit of granting permanent seats in the executive council.

One should not lose sight of Africa's commitment to outlaw nuclear testing and the possession of nuclear weapons on its soil, she went on, as clearly demonstrated by the signing of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty last April by 45 African States, four nuclear-weapon States and Spain. Kenya had been identified as a host for a primary seismic station and an infrasound station for the international monitoring system. Kenya looked forward to playing an active role and rendering full cooperation in this field. It also believed that following the conclusion of the comprehensive treaty, the Conference should focus its attention on nuclear disarmament.

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