CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT HEARS CALLS FOR INDIA AND PAKISTAN TO STOP THEIR NUCLEAR TESTS AND TO ACCEDE TO NON-PROLIFERATION TREATIES
Press Release
DCF/336
CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT HEARS CALLS FOR INDIA AND PAKISTAN TO STOP THEIR NUCLEAR TESTS AND TO ACCEDE TO NON-PROLIFERATION TREATIES
19980603 Thirty-four Countries Speak in Meeting Devoted to India and Pakistan's Nuclear Tests(Reissued as received.)
GENEVA, 2 June (UN Information Service) -- The Conference on Disarmament held a plenary this morning to discuss recent nuclear tests by India and Pakistan.
The representatives of the following 34 countries addressed the meeting: Turkey, New Zealand, Germany, Canada, Algeria, Ireland, Switzerland, Bangladesh, Iran, Austria, Sweden, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Ukraine, Australia, China, Brazil, Mexico, Norway, France, United States, Hungary, Egypt, Italy, Colombia, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, Russian Federation and Chile.
New Zealand made a statement in the name of 46 members States in which they expressed their alarm and deep concern about the nuclear tests carried out by India and Pakistan. The statement said it was crucial that India and Pakistan announce immediately a cessation to all further testing of those weapons, renounce their nuclear weapons programmes, and sign and ratify, unconditionally, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
The statements by other speakers underlined the importance of starting negotiations within the Conference on nuclear disarmament and a treaty to ban fissile material used to make nuclear weapons.
Statements
MURAT SUNGAR, Chairman of the Conference who spoke in his capacity as the representative of Turkey, read out a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey last week. The Turkish Foreign Ministry had previously issued a statement on nuclear tests conducted by India and emphasized its opposition to all nuclear tests which in many ways threatened the future of mankind. Having considered in that context the tests conducted by Pakistan, claimed to be a reaction to Indian tests, the Turkish Government expressed its concern about the regional and global implications of those
tests. Turkey earnestly hoped that those regrettable developments would not lead to a new nuclear arms race.
He said proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and their delivery systems constituted an extremely serious threat to international peace and security. The new crisis needed to be urgently and comprehensively addressed. Turkey hoped India and Pakistan would refrain from further tests and the deployment of missiles with nuclear war heads. The Conference on Disarmament should also, without delay, initiate negotiations on a treaty to prohibit the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
CLIVE PEARSON (New Zealand), speaking on behalf of 46 members of the Conference on Disarmament, said those countries were alarmed and deeply concerned at nuclear testing by India and Pakistan. They condemned all nuclear testing and considered such acts to be contrary to the international consensus which banned the testing of nuclear weapons and other explosive devices. The tests undertaken by India, and Pakistan's decision to respond with its own tests, blatantly undermined the international regime of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. The actions of India and Pakistan threatened and undermined the process of disarmament and the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons altogether.
He said peace in the Asia region was a global concern. Tensions would only be resolved permanently through constructive dialogue and negotiation. It was now crucial that India and Pakistan announce immediately a cessation to all further testing of those weapons, renounce their nuclear weapons programmes and sign and ratify, unconditionally, the CTBT. That was a matter of urgency and was essential for generating the confidence necessary for security differences to be resolved through dialogue and negotiation. India and Pakistan should also accede, without delay, to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), to join all States in ensuring the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and to engage in negotiations to conclude a ban on the production of fissile material. Those were further essential steps that should be taken in the process of collectively and constructively moving towards the elimination of nuclear weapons. That was the moment for all countries to exercise calm and maximum restraint. India and Pakistan were called upon to abandon immediately the course of action that they were pursuing and to settle their security concerns and differences through political engagement.
GUNTHER SEIBERT (Germany) said his Government condemned the Pakistani nuclear tests just as it had condemned the preceding Indian tests. Both countries had seriously undermined the hopes of people everywhere for a world free of nuclear weapons. The international community would not go back to business as usual, and India and Pakistan must expect painful and long-term consequences if they continued to defy the international consensus in favour
- 3 - Press Release DCF/336 3 June 1998
of nuclear non-proliferation. Therefore, the German Government appealed to the political leaders of both countries to return to the path of reason. India and Pakistan must give a binding commitment to halt nuclear testing for good and accede to the CTBT unconditionally and without delay. It was equally urgent now to open negotiations at an early date, on the basis of the mandate adopted by the Conference on Disarmament in 1995, on a comprehensive ban on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. India and Pakistan should realize that only a comprehensive, effectively verifiable ban on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons could effectively counter the now substantially increased risks of a proliferation of nuclear weapons and a build-up of nuclear weapons arsenals. Progress on nuclear disarmament was also more urgent than ever.
MARK MOHER (Canada) said both the Canadian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister had responded immediately to the nuclear testing by India and Pakistan and had emphasized that they had profound consequences for international and regional security. There had been a number of statements by India and Pakistan as to the motivations for those tests and the consequent increase in regional tensions. There had also been much media speculation and reporting about actual, possible and proposed reactions to them. Canada readily recognized that any sustainable resolution of the sources of that escalation in regional tensions would require positive and creative action, primarily by the States directly concerned, but also supported by the broader international community as much as possible. Such a resolution would need to deal with politics, security and other dimensions, not least of which was the nuclear dimension itself. Canada strongly considered that the NPT was the foundation for the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. If the international community forgot that, it would be redefining the international nuclear order with all of the challenges and dangers that would include, and Canada would remain categorically opposed to any such move.
MOHAMED-SALAH DEMBRI (Algeria) said he had taken the floor on 21 May in reference to the nuclear tests in South Asia. Following the new tests, Algeria wished to record its concern and recall that the crux of the problem laid in how the international community handled that situation and managed the issue of international security in the nuclear sphere. Whether or not the international community would adopt an integrated and coherent manner to deal with that issue would say whether the management of the Conference on Disarmament had been beneficial or harmful. It was a matter of urgency to ensure that what happened in South Asia would not occur in other parts of the world. For example, the Middle East was a highly sensitive region where nuclear threats continued to hover and threaten the nuclear non-proliferation regime. It was high time to break the silence on the nuclear regime of Israel which had to join the NPT and had to submit to the investigation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). There could no longer be double standards on that. At the same time, the Conference on Disarmament had to promote the CTBT and to strengthen the NPT. Finally, it was also a matter of
- 4 - Press Release DCF/336 3 June 1998
urgency for the Conference on Disarmament to adopt measures to be agreed upon in the ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament which must supplement nuclear disarmament and negotiate a convention on the military use of fissile material.
ANNE ANDERSON (Ireland) said her Government was extremely disappointed that the intensive diplomatic efforts so widely undertaken to encourage Pakistan to restrain itself were not heeded. Ireland had raised the matter directly with Pakistan. Ireland acknowledged that following the Indian tests, there was understandable concern in Pakistan for its security, sovereignty and territorial integrity. However, those tests further raised tensions in the region. Following the Indian nuclear tests, Pakistan's actions were another extremely serious set back to nuclear non-proliferation. Ireland underlined the urgent universal imperative for the implementation of the NPT, and for all countries, including India, Pakistan and Israel, to join in the process. The priority now was to examine across the boards the steps necessary to pull back from that destructive nuclear course.
ERWIN HOFER (Switzerland) said his country had, with deep regret, learned of Pakistan's nuclear tests which created new risks for the implementation of the CTBT. Even though Pakistan did not breach any international treaty it had signed and its acts constituted a response to the Indian nuclear tests, that clearly ran counter to international efforts to establish nuclear non-proliferation. In order to avoid the serious consequences that the tests could entail for regional and international stability, Switzerland invited Pakistan to refrain from further nuclear testing in any manner and to accede to the NPT and to the CTBT. Switzerland also appealed to Pakistan and India to put an end to the spiral of growing tension and to peacefully settle their problems through establishing a constructive dialogue to reduce tension and rebuild mutual confidence. It hoped that all States near India and Pakistan would renounce the temptation to continue the arms race and would avoid any actions that could jeopardize peace and stability in the region.
IFTEKHAR AHMED CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh) said his country associated itself with all those appealing for restraint. Bangladesh's simple message was that it would not help matters to get unduly exercised by the situation. India and Pakistan were not the first and second countries to demonstrate their nuclear capability, but the sixth and seventh. The South Asia region was heir to a rich civilization, and its people shared pride in it. Therefore, it was not a good idea to inflict punitive pains on the people of the region, as hardship could only steel resolve. Obviously, that was a moment for serious reflection within the Conference on Disarmament, and perhaps now was the time to focus on nuclear disarmament. Bangladesh was prepared to follow on that in any manner which achieved broad consensus because its commitment to nuclear non- proliferation remained unflinching. Bangladesh hoped that South Asia would not experience a nuclear arms race. South Asia and the Middle East were the most sensitive areas and demanded peace and stability. The NPT and the CTBT
- 5 - Press Release DCF/336 3 June 1998
were the foundation stones for a peaceful world. Bangladesh was reassured by the positive statements from the leadership of the concerned parties since the testing. As being part of South Asia, Bangladesh felt it served a positive purpose by seeking to enhance the understanding of the international community of sentiments in the region.
ALI KHORRAM (Iran) said, since his Foreign Minister would address the Conference on Disarmament on Thursday, he would only read, for the record, the statement of the Iranian Foreign Ministry on recent developments. Iran had followed with deep concern the chain of events concerning nuclear testing in South Asia. The current nuclear situation posed a serious threat and danger to regional peace and stability. Undoubtedly, the primary implication of those tests on both security and the environment was the undermining of the effectiveness and credibility of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. In the absence of an all encompassing regime for comprehensive nuclear disarmament, the status and future of the NPT faced great uncertainty. Iran emphatically called on the five nuclear States to expeditiously respond to international calls and to fulfil their responsibility to implement nuclear disarmament in a time-bound framework. It was also imperative for India and Pakistan to cease nuclear tests and rivalry and to join the CTBT. Those recent developments underscored that it was imperative for serious attention be given to the establishing of nuclear-weapon-free zones as a step to comprehensive nuclear disarmament, in particular in the Middle East, which was faced with the menace of Israeli nuclear capabilities.
ANDREAS KUMIN (Austria) said the Austrian Parliament had strongly condemned the nuclear tests conducted by the Indian Government. The Foreign Minister of Austria had also issued a press release on 28 May in which he expressed deep concern and shock at the nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan which he strongly condemned. He called upon India and Pakistan to immediately cease any further testing and to abstain from exercising military threats. He called on both countries to renounce nuclear tests and to declare their preparedness to sign the NPT and the CTBT. India and Pakistan should commit themselves neither to assemble nuclear devices nor deploy them on delivery vehicles and should cease development and deployment of ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads, and should not use nuclear weapons under any circumstances.
LARS NORBERG (Sweden) read out a statement made by the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs on 28 May, in which he said Pakistan's test explosions must be strongly and unequivocally condemned. In spite of the urgent requests by the international community, Pakistan had followed India's irresponsible actions and had taken that step. That spiral of nuclear tests seriously threatened international peace and security and must be stopped. India and Pakistan were urged to take steps to reverse those extremely dangerous actions and must realize the importance of dialogue and peaceful means. Both countries were urged to unconditionally accede to the NPT and the CTBT. It
- 6 - Press Release DCF/336 3 June 1998
was also the responsibility of the five nuclear-weapon States to show the way by taking prompt action to intensify nuclear disarmament with the aim of the complete abolition of nuclear weapons.
HAMIDON ALI (Malaysia) said the world's security was at stake with direct implications to the South Asian continent and the world at large. His delegation was strongly supportive of all efforts towards nuclear disarmament and it would be counterproductive for any States to embark on a nuclear arms race. Malaysia had earlier read out the press statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemning India's nuclear tests and would now read out a statement issued on 29 May which deplored the underground nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan. The actions of Pakistan were a further setback to efforts to keep the region free of nuclear weapons and from the threat of nuclear conflicts. Malaysia called on Pakistan to cease developing its capability to produce nuclear weapons immediately and urged all countries concerned to refrain from a dangerous competition for nuclear superiority and to exercise maximum restraint. Malaysia urged all the nuclear weapons States to demonstrate a strong commitment to the goals of nuclear disarmament and the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons within a time-bound framework.
H.M.G.S. PALIHAKKARA (Sri Lanka) said his country had already expressed its deep concern at the security situation in South Asia. Sri Lanka would do all it could to develop an ambiance of peace and remove tensions in the region. The present situation reinforced the necessity for serious and sustained efforts by the international community for global nuclear disarmament. Sri Lanka was happy to note that both Indian and Pakistani leaders had made statements reiterating their commitment to nuclear disarmament and it welcomed the words of restraint spoken by both sides. All of the members of the Conference on Disarmament, including India and Pakistan, had agreed to hold that meeting which was a significant manifestation. Sri Lanka was confident the prevailing situation would be effectively dealt with.
AKIRA HAYASHI (Japan) read out a statement by the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan which deplored Pakistan's nuclear tests which were conducted in defiance of the efforts of the international community to achieve a world free from nuclear weapons and which could never be tolerated. Japan urged Pakistan to immediately cease nuclear testing and the development of nuclear weapons, and reiterated that India and Pakistan should accede to the NPT and the CTBT. In response to the tests, the Government of Japan took a number of steps, including the freezing of grants for new projects to Pakistan, except in cases of emergency and humanitarian aid. The international community was now facing a new and dangerous situation arising in South Asia as a result of the series of nuclear tests initiated by India, and followed by Pakistan. Those acts of provocation and retaliation had undoubtedly weakened, rather than strengthened, the security of all States in the region and beyond. How the 187 States to the NPT responded to the challenge inherent in the nuclear non-proliferation regime itself would determine whether the Indian-Pakistani
- 7 - Press Release DCF/336 3 June 1998
episodes developed into a real crisis or into a more consolidated nuclear non-proliferation regime.
J.E. SELEBI (South Africa) said his country's Department of Foreign Affairs had noted with deep concern Pakistan's nuclear tests and reiterated that world security was derived from nuclear disarmament and not nuclear proliferation. The developments in South Asia and the nuclear-test explosions conducted by India and Pakistan had signalled the recommencement of the nuclear arms race. The South African Government believed that those developments had made it even more imperative that the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva should now actively and with determination address the issue of nuclear disarmament and the re-emergence of a nuclear arms race. That should be done through the active establishment of an ad hoc committee for nuclear disarmament in the Conference. Negotiations on a comprehensive fissile material cut-off treaty in the Conference should also not be delayed any further.
AMADOR MARTINEZ MORCILLO (Spain), said that as the Conference on Disarmament found itself once again at a cross roads, his country hoped it would be able to resume its work properly despite the new international circumstances which might make it more difficult. Spain expressed its great concern about the escalation of events which was occurring in South Asia where the repetition of acts had increased and heightened dangers and had created a hot bed of tension for world peace. Spain's feelings were reflected by the declaration made by the presidency of the European Union and by the statement of the ambassador of New Zealand this morning.
He said Spain deeply regretted the nuclear tests carried out by India and had expressed similar concern about the tests conducted by Pakistan. Spain firmly condemned all those actions that clearly were against the will of the international community for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Spain addressed an urgent appeal to India and Pakistan, saying it was now necessary for them to promptly and unconditionally accede to the NPT and join the process for the implementation of the CTBT. The two countries and their neighbours were also urgently invited to refrain from any further measures to heighten tensions in the region and to take the path of dialogue in the future. Spain also fully supported the need for the Conference on Disarmament to start negotiations as soon as possible for the cessation of production of fissile material for military purposes since this was a necessary and rational step and a logical conclusion of the CTBT.
ANDRE MERNIER (Belgium) said it was with regret that his country took the floor after it informed the Conference on 14 May of its concern and disappointment following India's nuclear tests. Belgium was deeply disappointed that Pakistan had decided to hold underground nuclear tests and had not responded to appeals to give them up. The Pakistani nuclear tests endangered an already fragile stability and security and heightened the risk
- 8 - Press Release DCF/336 3 June 1998
of further instability. Belgium launched an urgent appeal to both India and Pakistan to embark on the path of dialogue and to re-establish stability and security in the region. It also reiterated its appeal for the two countries to promptly and unconditionally accede to the NPT and the CTBT which would be a major contribution to bring a peaceful solution. Belgium also appealed to the Conference on Disarmament to embark on substantive negotiations on a treaty to ban the production of fissile material for military use.
KRZYSZTOF JAKUBOWSKI (Poland) read out a statement issued by his country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs which noted with grave concern the underground nuclear tests carried out by Pakistan and strongly deplored the aggravating situation in the South Asian region which could have extremely serious consequences for international security. Poland was strongly convinced that the resolution of all regional tensions and conflicts should be sought through dialogue, as well as bilateral and multilateral negotiations, with due regard for international security and the legitimate right of the international community to co-exist in peace. Poland called on Pakistan and India to give up further tests and to accede without delay to the CTBT.
MYKOLA MAIMESKUL (Ukraine) confirmed that his country fully associated itself with the statement made by the ambassador of New Zealand this morning. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine had already expressed the country's position with regards to Pakistan's nuclear tests. As it had done with India, Ukraine condemned the nuclear tests by Pakistan and called upon both countries to exercise restraint for the interest of peace and stability in South Asia and the world.
JOHN CAMPBELL (Australia) said he took the floor two weeks ago to express his country's resolute opposition to any nuclear testing by any State and its profound disappointment with, and condemnation of, the nuclear tests conducted by India. Subsequent events in South Asia provided cause for great alarm. The Australian Government strongly condemned Pakistan's nuclear tests which were conducted despite the strong international condemnation of India's tests and despite pleas for restraint. A South Asia arms race could only exacerbate existing regional tensions and have serious implications for global security arrangements. The South Asian nuclear tests and the urgent need to repair the potential damage of this to the international nuclear non- proliferation regime and to regional and international peace and security had given the commencement of negotiations for a fissile material cut-off treaty an even greater urgency and relevance for the international community. For Australia and others with an interest in reducing South Asian regional tension and proliferation pressures, a fissile material cut-off treaty would provide a measure of transparency about the nuclear capabilities and intentions of India and Pakistan which would act as a confidence-building measures between the two States and others.
- 9 - Press Release DCF/336 3 June 1998
LI CHANGHE (China) associated his country with the previous speakers and said he supported most of the points in their statements. However, China had some reservations on certain formulations expressed. Specifically, China felt the countries concerned should not only accede and implement the CTBT, but should also unconditionally accede to the NPT. China had always stood for the complete prohibition of nuclear weapons and was opposed to any form of their proliferation. China had expressed its deep regret for the nuclear testing in South Asia, even though Pakistan had carried out its tests in response to India's actions. China was deeply worried ad concerned about the situation in South Asia as this disturbing development ran counter to international efforts to nuclear non-proliferation; it led the region to an unstable and precarious zone and had a negative impact on world peace and security. The whole world had witnessed that India had triggered off the situation by defying world opinion, thus provoking a nuclear test race in the region. Therefore, India must take responsibility for its actions. The countries in the region were called upon to restrain from any further testing, renounce the development of nuclear weapons and accede immediately and unconditionally to the NPT and the CTBT. The countries concerned should also engage in a dialogue and negotiations in order to settle the dispute and differences so as to restore stability.
CELSO LAFER (Brazil) said his Government had issued statements which deplored and expressed deep regret and concern at the decision of the Pakistani Government to conduct nuclear tests. Brazil urged Pakistan and India to adhere to the CTBT and appealed to both countries for maximum restraint. Brazil was convinced that renouncing the development and possession of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction and adopting full transparency constituted the best way of assuring regional and global peace and security. The nuclear tests in South Asia were events of great political impact and meaning whose full implications on a worldwide scale were yet to be known. Risk assessment and self-restraint consideration had up to now precariously avoided nuclear holocaust. Brazil once more emphasized the need for clear, unambiguous and binding commitments to a phased programme for achieving the objective of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons on the part of all States possessing those weapons as the best guarantee against nuclear proliferation.
ANTONIO DE ICAZA (Mexico) said he would read out the statement issued by his Government on 28 May in which it condemned and deplored the conducting of nuclear tests by Pakistan and expressed serious concern about the start of a nuclear race in South Asia. That undermined the nuclear non-proliferation regime which was essential to world peace and security. The use of nuclear weapons should be at all costs avoided, not only because of the catastrophic damage they entailed, but also because it could lead to the involvement of other nuclear States which could threaten mankind. Any effective nuclear non-proliferation regime must end with disarmament. Mexico appealed to India and Pakistan to immediately cease nuclear weapons testing and the developing
- 10 - Press Release DCF/336 3 June 1998
and stockpiling of delivery vehicles. Mexico also appealed to all States to immediately cease proliferation of nuclear weapons in all aspects and to undertake negotiations to ensure the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. Mexico also associated itself with the statement of New Zealand, despite the fact that it did not sufficiently stress the need for multilateral and universal steps to establish confidence in the international nuclear non- proliferation regime, including the urgent need for the Conference on Disarmament to establish an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament.
A representative of Norway said his country condemned the nuclear tests carried out by Pakistan. The Norwegian Government had hoped that Pakistan would show constructive restraint and refrain from following India's unacceptable behaviour. Pakistan's decision to demonstrate strength in response to India's tests was a most serious setback to international non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament efforts. Norway had condemned the Indian tests and discontinued development assistance to that country and would react accordingly to Pakistan's tests. Norway also urged both countries to work together to restore stability in the region, to halt all nuclear tests, and to sign and ratify the NPT and the CTBT without conditions and without delay. The possession, threat of use or use of nuclear weapons was no solution for any country to the challenges and problems they may face in their political dealings with other countries.
JOELLE BOURGOIS (France) said her country was fully associated with the statement of New Zealand. She said France had expressed its reaction unambiguously on hearing the announcement of Pakistan's nuclear tests. France regretted that Pakistan had not heeded restraint. In condemning both the tests of India and Pakistan, France bore in mind the sequence of events which led to that situation. The highly regrettable events led France to insist that India and Pakistan clearly and immediately renounce nuclear testing within the Conference on Disarmament and to promptly and unconditionally sign the CTBT and to participate in the negotiation of a treaty to ban fissile material for use in military weapons.
ROBERT T. GREY (United States) said President Bill Clinton had deplored Pakistani's decision. By failing to exercise restraint and responding to the Indian test, Pakistan lost a truly priceless opportunity to strengthen its own security and to improve its political standing in the eyes of the world. Now, it was more urgent than it was yesterday that both Pakistan and India renounced further tests, signed the CTBT, and took decisive steps to reduce tensions in South Asia and reverse the dangerous arms race.
President Clinton also said the United States condemned the second round of nuclear tests by Pakistan. Those tests could only serve to increase tensions in an already volatile region. With their recent tests, Pakistan and India were contributing to a self-defeating cycle of escalation that did not add to the security of either country. Both India and Pakistan needed to
- 11 - Press Release DCF/336 3 June 1998
renounce further nuclear and missile testing immediately and take decisive steps to reverse this dangerous arms race. Mr. Grey continued by saying that those statements spoke for themselves. He asked that the texts of President Clinton's remarks and the presidential determination be circulated together as an official Conference on Disarmament document.
PETER NARAY (Hungary) associated his country with the statement of New Zealand and drew attention to a statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Hungary on 28 May. The latter said the Hungarian Government had learned with regret that despite repeated warnings by the international community, Pakistan had carried out its nuclear tests. Hungary was concerned that India and Pakistan's decisions to conduct nuclear tests would result in a nuclear arms build-up in the region and prevent non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. The maintenance of peace and stability in South Asia was important and was endangered by those steps.
MOUNIR ZAHRAN (Egypt) said recent events had proved the importance of his statement on 28 May that the world's nuclear non-proliferation disarmament order should be reviewed and that serious measures must be taken to ensure its credibility and implementation. Egypt shared the concerns expressed by the ambassador of New Zealand, and agreed fully with his condemnation of all nuclear tests. Egypt believed that international demands for the unconditional accession of countries to the CTBT and the NPT could not be confined to India and Pakistan alone. Those demands must be made on all countries which had not acceded to those two treaties, especially to Israel which had nuclear weapons in the Middle East. Israel must accede to the NPT and must open up its facilities to the IAEA in order to ensure that the Middle East was not exposed to a nuclear catastrophe. Nuclear tests were a grave development and threat which influenced the nuclear non-proliferation regime and they should be acted upon without delay.
He said the crux of the matter was the prohibition of possession of nuclear weapons and New Zealand's statement this morning should have included that truth. Egypt insisted that the Conference on Disarmament create an ad hoc committee for nuclear disarmament whose duties included negotiating a ban on fissile material. In order to protect the credibility of the NPT, Egypt stressed the implementation of the commitment undertaken in 1995 to create a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East.
GIUSEPPE BALBONI ACQUA (Italy) shared and supported the position of the European Union. Two weeks after taking the floor to condemn the nuclear tests carried out by India, Italy found itself doing the same about Pakistan's tests. Italy noted with profound regret and great concern that the Government of Pakistan had joined the spiral of the nuclear race despite calls by the international community. The nuclear tests could only be condemned with great firmness. Italy hoped India and Pakistan would make every effort without delay to lead to a constructive dialogue. Both countries had to put a definite end to
- 12 - Press Release DCF/336 3 June 1998
those nuclear tests and had to accede to the CTBT. Italy invited them to refrain from developing any nuclear weapons and to restrain their respective nuclear arsenals.
GUSTAVO CASTRO GUERRERO (Colombia) deplored the conducting of nuclear tests, whatever their nature. Colombia considered that an arms race in South Asia did not help solve the conflict, and thus urged the parties to try and find, with the help of the international community, a solution to their problems. Colombia also sought to change the attitudes of nuclear weapons States. The Conference on Disarmament should have an ad hoc committee to embark on a programme to eliminate nuclear weapons and proceed with disarmament.
JOUN YUNG SUN (Republic of Korea) joined previous speakers in deeply deploring the nuclear tests carried out by Pakistan. In that regard, he referred to the statement by the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Korea which expressed deep regret that Pakistan had conducted nuclear tests in spite of all the appeals by the international community not to proceed with such actions. The Republic of Korea strongly urged both Pakistan and India to permanently cease further testing and to refrain from expanding their nuclear arsenals. Both countries were also urged to join the CTBT and the NPT.
IAN SOUTAR (United Kingdom) said the European Union was dismayed and disappointed at the news of nuclear tests by Pakistan. As with India's nuclear tests, the European Union condemned that action which ran counter to the will expressed by 149 signatories to the CTBT to cease nuclear testing, and to efforts to strengthen the global non-proliferation regime. India's nuclear tests had undermined the stability of the region. Pakistan's nuclear test had made the situation worse.
He said the European Union remained fully committed to the implementation of the CTBT and the NPT which were the cornerstones of the global nuclear non- proliferation regime and the essential foundations for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. It had a strong interest in the peace and stability of South Asia, and was deeply concerned about the threat posed to that by nuclear and missile proliferation. The European Union urged Pakistan, along with other States in the region, to refrain from further tests and the deployment of nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles. In particular, the European Union urged Pakistan and India: to sign the CTBT and move to ratify it; to make a commitment neither to assemble nuclear devices nor deploy them on delivery vehicles; and cease development and deployment of ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads.
The European Union would follow closely the evolution of the situation and will take all necessary measures should Pakistan and India not accede to and move to ratify the relevant international non-proliferation agreements, in particular the CTBT, without conditions. The European Union also urged Pakistan and India to engage in a dialogue which addressed the root causes of the tension between them, and try to build confidence, rather than seek confrontation.
- 13 - Press Release DCF/336 3 June 1998
He said that he had also been asked to bring to the attention of the Conference the following statement by the British Foreign secretary, Robin Cook, in the House of Commons, on Monday, 1 June. In it, the Minister said the adverse impact of those economic developments would make it more difficult for India or Pakistan to reduce poverty. That was why it would be a tragedy if both their Governments were to persist in an arms race to acquire the most expensive of weapons, which would do nothing to help the millions of their citizens who lived in poverty.
GREGORI V. BERDENNIKOV (Russian Federation) associated his country with the statement read by the ambassador of New Zealand. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation had already issued a statement in which he expressed deep concern in connection with Pakistan's testing of nuclear devices despite urgent appeals by the international community to manifest restraint. It was regrettable that the Pakistani leadership had been unable to manifest caution and common sense and had not restrained emotions. That created the real threat of nuclear weapons spreading across the globe. The Russian Federation urgently appealed to Pakistan and India to refrain from any further nuclear tests and to immediately join the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
JAVIER ILLANES (Chile), said his Government had issued a declaration on 28 May in which it expressed its strongest rejection and condemnation of the nuclear explosions conducted by Pakistan. They were a new threat to international peace and security and were a setback for nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. Chile was concerned about the destabilizing effects of those actions to the region. Those tests also ran counter to the agreements of the Non-Aligned Movement of which Pakistan was a member. All States should adhere unconditionally to the NPT and to the CTBT. Chile had co-sponsored the statement read out by New Zealand and the statement by the Rio Group, and it believed that world peace required that the objective of nuclear disarmament be preserved and universally fulfilled.
* *** *