News in Brief from the News in Review, the daily NGO newsletter from the second session of the
Preparatory Committee for the 2010 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference
Tuesday, 6 May 2008

Complete PDF of this edition.

Highlights from the Cluster 2 Discussion:

Iran's nuclear program
•     The United Kingdom described the outcome of the 5 May EU3+3 meeting, explaining an updated "package of incentives" had been offered to the Iranian government. It also stated, "it remains our judgment that Iran's nuclear programme only makes sense as part of a plan to develop, at the least, a nuclear weapons capability."
•     In a right of reply to the UK statement, Russia criticized the United Kingdom for going beyond what the EU3+3 foreign ministers had agreed to. Russia accused the UK of making a political statement on behalf of the group, when only a technical statement had been agreed upon. Russia also accused the UK of distorting the essence of the EU3+3 agreement. Russia stated its position on Iran's enrichment program was that as had been set out in the UN Security Council resolutions on Iran, no more, no less.
•     Also in a right of reply to the UK statement, China echoed Russia's concerns. It also welcomed the results of the EU3+3 meeting and expressed hope the parties would step up their efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution.
•     Switzerland said that in order to break the present impasse, Iran must adopt a different approach, including confidence-building measures.
•     In its cluster 2 statement, Iran strongly criticized the United States, United Kingdom, and France for instituting nuclear apartheid. It accused these states, plus Australia, Canada, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, of numerous treaty violations. These accusations prompted right of replies from Australia, Japan, and the ROK.

Syria's alleged secret reactor program
•     The Republic of Korea shared the international community's concerns regarding reports that the DPRK had supplied Syria with nuclear technology.
•     The United States accused Syria of violating safeguards by not providing design information on its alleged reactor to the IAEA. It also added Syria to its list of proliferation challenges facing the NPT, along with Iran and the DPRK. In reference to Syria, the United States said Iran was not the only state in the regional to have a clandestine nuclear program.
•     The United Kingdom said it found the US evidence of the alleged Syrian reactor to be "convincing" and welcomed the IAEA agreement to investigate.
•     In the only comment during the interactive discussion on cluster 2, Indonesia asked why the video evidence of the alleged facility was only disclosed seven months after the Israeli attack. It also asked whether the information had been shared with the IAEA before then. In this context, Indonesia expressed support for a mechanism for mandatory provision of information to the IAEA. Indonesia said the Israeli attack was unacceptable and that it undermined the NPT safeguards regime.
•     Syria affirmed that it implements all provisions of the NPT. Later in a right of reply, Syria denounced US accusations as "false" and "undocumented". It criticized US expressions of concern regarding non-proliferation and establishing a Middle East nuclear weapon free zone, contrasting this concern to US positions on Israel.

Article III: Strengthening Safeguards
•     Indonesia, Iran, and Syria opposed making the Additional Protocol a condition of supply, absent the universalization of comprehensive safeguards agreements.
•     New Zealand stated the Additional Protocol should be a condition of new supply arrangements. The Republic of Korea expressed support for Nuclear Suppliers Group discussion of the Additional Protocol as a condition of supply.
•     Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States said the Additional Protocol now constitutes the new compliance standard.
•     The IAEA said that states with information (such as national intelligence) pertinent to the implementation of safeguards should report that information to the Agency.

Article VII: Nuclear Weapon Free Zones
•     Mexico, on behalf of the parties to the Tlateloclo Treaty, reiterated its call for the nuclear weapon states to withdraw their interpretive statements to the Treaty's protocol.
•     Mongolia announced that in September 2007, after receiving feedback from Russia and China, it had submitted a draft treaty to the two states toward institutionalizing its nuclear weapon free status.
•     Uzbekistan, on behalf of the five Central Asian states, announced it would be submitting a working paper containing an update on implementation of the Semipalatnisk Treaty since September 2006. The United Kingdom had noted earlier that the five states had still not agreed to resume consultations with the nuclear weapon states over their concerns regarding the Treaty's text.

Other Issues
•     The United States made its strongest declaration yet, stating that "nonproliferation is unquestionably the core interest served by the NPT—not merely one 'pillar' among others, but in fact the Treaty's very foundation."
•     The United Kingdom stated it considers DPRK's withdrawal from the Treaty invalid, and that the event underlined a weakness in the NPT.
•     Switzerland said it cannot accept nuclear fuel cycle proposals that are contrary to Article IV and that "would create a new form of discrimination".
•     Ukraine proposed to convene a UN conference on security assurances in order to discuss the issue and find a solution acceptable to nuclear and non-nuclear weapon states.

Highlights from the Discussion on Regional Issues and the Middle East:

Middle East
•     By the numbers: nine delegations called for a nuclear weapon free zone; six delegations called for a WMD free zone; nine delegations called on Israel to accede to the NPT and to conclude comprehensive safeguards.
•     Australia and China took note of Egypt's working paper on measures toward implementing the 1995 NPT resolution.
•     The Non-Aligned Movement reiterated its standing calls for: specific time during PrepCom and RevCon to be set aside to discuss the issue; establishment of a subsidiary body to Main Committee 2 of the RevCon; and establishment of a standing committee of the NPT bureau to meet intersessionally to follow up on implementation on the resolution.
•     Russia advocated for the multilateral development of nuclear energy in the region, bringing attention to its existing fuel cycle initiatives.
•     Canada expressed support for an IAEA forum on the experience of nuclear weapon free zones in various regions that may be relevant toward establishing such a zone in the Middle East.
•     Algeria called for a regional monitoring mechanism to report on implementation of the 1995 NPT resolution, with a focus on Israel's accession to the NPT and comprehensive safeguards.

South Asia
•     Canada and Norway expressed concern over the US-India nuclear cooperation deal, although both expressed appreciation of India's commitment to non-proliferation norms.
•     Canada, Japan, and Norway called on India and Pakistan to observe a moratorium on the production of fissile material for weapons.
•     Norway called on India and Pakistan to accede to the NPT as non-nuclear weapon states.

Northeast Asia
•     Canada called on the DPRK to provide a full declaration of the its nuclear programme, urging the PrepCom to make a strong statement.
•     Japan said more dialogue was needed in the context of the Six-Party Talks.
•     Australia and Norway called on the DPRK to fulfill its obligations under the six-party process.

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