Time to Rest, Says Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference Chair on Eve

of Session’s Close, with Passage of 22-Point Action Plan Hanging in the Balance

Amid high stakes and intense negotiations to bring the 2010 Review Conference for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to a successful conclusion, delegations of States parties to the landmark 1968 accord began pouring over the details of a draft final document distributed early this evening, with a view to adopting it by consensus on 28 May, the last day of the Conference. 

Presenting the draft final document (NPT/CONF/2010/L.2), Chairman Libran Cabactulan ( Philippines) said the text had been made possible because all delegations had sought to work constructively, and because, he believed, there had been a most urgent desire to achieve a successful outcome for the Review Conference.

He had begun working on the draft on Tuesday morning, he said, and while it might not satisfy many, it also might be an “answer to our prayers”.  He had listened to all the views of States parties and the document presented was the “very best” possible text, given the complexity of issues and sometimes diametrically opposing views.

Making changes to the “carefully balanced” text could endanger the success of the Conference, he cautioned.  Delegations had worked tirelessly over the last four weeks and the Conference’s work was now drawing to an end.  “It is now time to rest, for the time being,” he said, expressing hope that the document would be adopted tomorrow — and that “all the seeds of hope planted throughout the Conference would bear fruit”. 

With that, he expressed his most sincere appreciation to all participants for their hard work, especially the chairs of the three Main Committees and chairs of the subsidiary bodies.  He also said he was deeply indebted to the work being undertaken by the Facilitators, whose dedication, wisdom and guidance he had relied upon.

The detailed 28-page text provides an article-by-article review of the Treaty’s operations, taking into account the decisions and resolution adopted by the 1995 Review and Extension Conference, as well as the final document of the 2000 Review Conference.

A 12-page section devoted to “conclusions and recommendations for follow-on actions” contains a 22-point Action Plan on Nuclear Disarmament, outlining concrete steps in the areas of:  principles and objectives; disarmament of nuclear weapons; security assurances; nuclear testing; fissile materials; and other measures in support of nuclear disarmament.

The section also covers actions to be taken in the areas of nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, which, together with nuclear disarmament, constitute the three main pillars of the Treaty. It also includes recommendations and follow-up actions for the Middle East, particularly on the implementation of the 1995 resolution on the Middle East, which concerns the creation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in that region.  A section entitled “other regional issue” focuses on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The Review Conference will reconvene in plenary at 11 a.m. on Friday, 28 May, to conclude its work.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record