Ten Non-Nuclear States Plead For Nuke Abolition
By Jamshed Baruah
IDN-InDepth NewsReport
BERLIN (IDN) - While public attention worldwide is focussed on one authoritarian regime after another tumbling down on the Arab shores of the Mediterranean Sea, foreign ministers of 10 non-nuclear nations stretching across continents have called for "a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction".
In their 'Berlin Statement', the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, Chile, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates emphasise "the crucial need to promote the creation of a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, in line with pending requirements for the organization in 2012 of the special conference agreed at the (May) 2010 NPT Review Conference" in New York.
The NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty), which came into force in 1970, is one of the United Nations' main set of rules regarding nuclear disarmament and the prevention of proliferation. 190 states are party to the treaty, but four nations that are known or believed to possess nuclear weapons -- India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel -- have not endorsed it.
In the Berlin Statement, approved at a conference hosted by German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on April 30, all participating ministers reaffirm their "joint intention to work towards achieving nuclear disarmament and a strengthening of the international non-proliferation regime."
The foreign ministers of ten countries, stretching across continents and regional blocks, refer to the joint statement adopted at their first meeting in New York on September 22, 2010, on sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The meeting was co-hosted by the foreign ministers of Australia and Japan.
The Berlin Statement says, the consensus reached in May 2010 by the NPT Review Conference on the forward-looking Action plan proves that cooperative, multilateral disarmament and non-proliferation efforts can work if there is the necessary political will.
"Our objective is to maintain the momentum of that successful outcome and to expedite its implementation," the 10 foreign ministers (the Ten) state. With that purpose they have adopted four concrete proposals for action on key elements of the Action plan.
FISSILE MATERIAL
1. Halting the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons by agreeing on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT): Such a treaty would curb the risk of future nuclear arms races and reduce the danger of non-state actors getting such material into their hands. It would complement ongoing efforts to secure vulnerable nuclear material across the globe.
FMCT is "an indispensable step on the way towards a nuclear weapon free world," the Ten say, adding: "We are deeply disappointed that one year after the NPT Review Conference, which called in its Action plan for the immediate negotiation of an FMCT in the Conference on Disarmament (CD), this has not been implemented."
Without naming any countries blocking an accord, the Berlin Statement acknowledges that the security requirements of all states must be addressed in the course of negotiations, but underlines that "there is no reason and no excuse for further delay."
The signatories of the Statement led by Australia, Japan and Germany have initiated intensive efforts to overcome the current deadlock -- caused mainly by Pakistan -- in Geneva Conference on Disarmament.
"However, if the CD, in its 2011 substantive session, remains unable to find agreement on launching FMCT negotiations, we will ask the UN General Assembly, which is already seized of the matter under agenda item 162 entitled 'Follow-up to the high-level meeting held on 24 September 2010: Revitalizing the work of the Conference on Disarmament and taking forward multilateral disarmament negotiations', to address the issue and consider ways to proceed with the aim of beginning negotiations," the Ten announce.
CTBT
2. Entry-into-force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) opened for signature 15 years ago: The foreign ministers call on all States which have not yet done so to sign and ratify the CTBT.
"We are encouraged by the commitment expressed by the United States and by Indonesia to ensure ratification of the Treaty. We believe that an effective end to nuclear testing will enhance and not weaken our national as well as global security and would significantly bolster the global non-proliferation and disarmament regime," notes the Berlin Statement.
"We are committed to universalizing the Treaty and to promoting its early entry-into-force. Utilizing various diplomatic opportunities we will urge states that have not done so to sign and ratify the Treaty and promptly complete the steps necessary to bring it into force. We are committed to support the Preparatory Commission of the CTBT-Organization in setting up an effective monitoring and verification system and commend the work already accomplished," the foreign ministers pledge.
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
3. Transparency and accountability in the nuclear disarmament process: At the May 2010 NPT Review Conference, the nuclear weapon states committed themselves to speed up progress on tangible steps leading to nuclear disarmament, and to report back to NPT member states. As a confidence-building measure, the Conference encouraged the nuclear weapon states to agree as soon as possible on a standard reporting form.
Foreign ministers of 10 nations say: "We are developing a draft of a standard reporting form which could be used by the nuclear weapon states in meeting that commitment. We will invite the nuclear weapon states to examine our proposal at their Paris meeting in June (2011)."
The proposal sets out the Ten's expectations regarding information that they would like to see all states possessing nuclear weapons provide. "We believe that reporting on the basis of a standardized format, as encouraged in the Action plan adopted by the Review Conference, would build international confidence and help to create a climate conducive to further disarmament. We consider it essential to increase transparency and accountability in the nuclear disarmament process."
COMPLIANCE
4. Verifying states' compliance with their nuclear non-proliferation obligations: The Berlin Statement underlines that an effective non-proliferation regime is a joint security interest of all nations. Accordingly, the Ten recognise the important role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in verifying states' compliance with their nuclear non-proliferation obligations.
They highlight the fact that with the entry into force of the IAEA Additional Protocols for the United Arab Emirates in December 2010 and for Mexico in March 2011, all countries belonging to the Ten's cross-regional initiative implement Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements and Additional Protocols, which they regard as the necessary verification standard.
The foreign ministers call on all states, in line with the Action Plan of the May 2010 NPT Review Conference, to conclude and bring into force Additional Protocols in order to give the IAEA the additional authority it needs credibly to deter and detect violations of non-proliferation obligations.
The Ten add: "We will continue to advocate bilaterally and multilaterally for the universal application of the Additional Protocol in our respective regions. We offer to share experiences and best practices in the conclusion and implementation of the Additional Protocol with all interested parties, and are ready to provide legal, and other, assistance."
The Ten will take stock of progress on Berlin proposals at their meeting on sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2011. Turkey will host the next ministerial meeting of the initiative in 2012. (IDN-InDepthNews/30.04.2011)
2011 IDN-InDepthNews | Analysis That Matters
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