News in Brief section from the NPT News in Review, the daily NGO newsletter from the
2010 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference
Friday, 7 May 2010

Complete PDF of this edition.

Disarmament

• Chile argued that NPT states parties do not need to renegotiate previous agreements such as the 13 steps but should update them.
• Chile voiced support for the “so-called new package” proposed by Australia and Japan and the UNSG's 5 point plan for disarmament. It also supported laying the foundations for an NWC.
• Chile supported the proposal made by the de-alerting coalition on reducing the operational readiness of nuclear weapons.
• Mexico expressed support for the establishment of an accounting system on nuclear arsenals, expenditures, and materials.
• Mexico called on NWS should adopt no first use policies.
• Mexico asked, if we have a timeline to achieve the MDGs or reduce emissions in the framework for climate change, why don't we have deadlines for nuclear disarmament?
• Poland argued that disarmament efforts are instruments to make nuclear weapons less attractive to potential proliferators.
• Poland called for future reductions to include tactical nuclear weapons, noting that instead of enhancing security they make it more volatile. It noted that along with Norway it has taken a joint initiative to include “sub-strategic” nuclear arsenals in the arms control framework in a step-by-step flexible process without deadlines.
• Ecuador said it supports the UNSG's five point plan and called on NWS to comply with obligations under article VI.
• Senegal said the reaffirmation of 13 steps is important and urged the RevCon to draw up a specific list of actions to be undertaken to implement article VI with a timetable and transparency, monitoring, and verification. It argued that strengthening the authority of the NPT requires the RevCon to take a stand on ways and means to produce general agreement on article VI.
• Solomon Islands argued for the acceleration of negotiations on a time bound plan of action to take concrete steps to eliminate nuclear weapons and supported the idea of establishing a standing committee to review, monitor, and verify disarmament undertaken unilaterally and bilaterally.
• Solomon Islands also proposed that to increase confidence between states, nuclear weapons should be transferred to a secure storage under international supervision.
• Zimbabwe argued that the RevCon must agree upon a clear action plan and a time frame for the implementation of article VI by nuclear weapon states.
• Thailand voiced support for the UNSG's 5 point action plan for disarmament.
• Belgium argued for continued reduction of nuclear arsenals, including non-strategic weapons, by Russia and the United States and emphasized that it had actively helped to launch a debate on the future role of nuclear weapons in the new strategic concept of NATO.
• The Holy See argued that preparatory work should begin as soon as possible on a convention or framework agreement leading to the phased elimination of nuclear weapons. 
• Tanzania argued that the RevCon should make irreversible commitments to disarmament.
• Guatemala argued for a verification mechanism to ensure the full compliance with the obligations of all three pillars and noted that initiatives related to the elaboration of national reports and for a programme of action for nuclear disarmament are especially relevant.
• Jamaica stated that it expects the nuclear weapon states to demonstrate the necessary political will to fulfil their agreed responsibility on nuclear disarmament and to commence discussions on a treaty to achieve general and complete disarmament.
• The International Parliamentarian Union stated that parliamentary resolutions supporting a nuclear weapons convention have been adopted in a number of parliaments, including Austria, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, and Norway as well as the European Parliament.
• The League of Arab States welcomed all initiatives calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide, in implementation of article VI of the NPT, and called upon the conference to translate such initiatives into practical plans with a timeframe.
• The League of Arab States also called upon the RevCon to issue a decision banning the development and production of new nuclear weapons.

Non-proliferation

• The Marshall Islands reminded the Conference about the large-scale surface tests of nuclear weapons that were carried out on their territory, and pointed out the devastating impacts of these tests and emphasized that their exiled local communities are still struggling with resettlement. The Marshall Islands also urged for the entry into force of the CTBT.
• Papua New Guinea argued for the strengthening of non-proliferation measures, including safeguards and compliance.
• Papua New Guinea announced that it is in the process of ratifying the CTBT.
• The Vienna Group of 10 announced that they have submitted working papers on issues related to non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, where the 10 states proposes specific draft review language for the final document.
• San Marino urged all state to support the effort of IAEA, reaffirming its authority and providing new resources to carry out its mission.
• Mr. Tibor Tóth from the CTBTO argued that the CTBT would be a strong and verifiable final barrier to a nuclear weapons capability. He also noted that the verification regime is nearing completion.
• Chile said the RevCon should condemn existing risks of proliferation and seek prevention mechanisms.
• Montenegro said it is committed to strengthen national security systems and cooperation in implementing export controls. It noted that it has finalized ratification of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.
• Singapore announced that ASEAN countries have started a conversation on an ASEAN nuclear safety regime.
• Turkey called for further strengthening and universalization of the Agency’s verification authority.
• Moldova pledged for actions towards ensuring compliance and promotion of non-proliferation obligations in accordance with relevant resolution of the Security Council, including by building adequate capacity for prevention and response to challenges posed by states or entities that are non-compliant with the non-proliferation regimes and threaten regional and international security.
• Albania argued that the IAEA safeguards system is fundamental for the nonproliferation regime and the verification instruments of the IAEA need to be strictly observed and further strengthened. Albania further stated that the comprehensive safeguards agreements and the Additional Protocol are very important tools for the preservation of the worlds peace and stability and the fight against nuclear terrorism.

Nuclear energy and the fuel cycle

• Sri Lanka supported any international initiative to enhance and strengthen nuclear energy development related technical cooperation within and out of the IAEA framework.
• Thailand argued that the issue of multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle should be addressed within the framework of IAEA.
• The Kyrgyz Republic attached great importance to the issue of mitigating the environmental consequences of uranium mining and associated nuclear fuel cycle activities, and called on all governments and organizations that have expertise in the field of clean-up and disposal of radioactive contaminants to consider giving appropriate assistance as may be requested for remedial purposes.
• Botswana called for sufficient, assured, and predictable funding for the IAEA Technical Cooperation programme.
• Mexico said it supports a multilateral fuel bank that guarantees supplies for all states, emphasizing that it must have the involvement of the IAEA and that it shouldn't limit article IV rights.
• Chile, Poland, Senegal, Montenegro, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and the Kyrgyz Republic called for universal acceptance of the additional protocol.
• The Arab League reiterated that the comprehensive safeguards agreement represent the legal commitment within the scope of the Treaty, and stressed the optional nature of the additional protocol, emphasizing that they would not agree to render It a mandatory instrument.
• Montenegro said that it would ratify its safeguards agreement, additional protocol, and small quantities protocol by the end of this year.
• Singapore expressed support for a multilateral fuel bank.

Institutional mechanisms

• Sri Lanka argued for the need to have an institutional mechanism with a standing bureau and a Secretariat.

Universality

• Belgium argued that honouring the commitments under the NPT is the best way to promote universality of the treaty, but also called upon Israel, Pakistan, and India to join it and to bring their nuclear posture fully in line with the treaty.
• Oman argued that Israel’s nuclear capabilities are threatening to the region, and the silence of the international community is encouraging the continuation of such programme.
• Saudi Arabia stated that it would make every possible effort to agree on a plan of action for achieving universality of the treaty.
• The Arab League argued that the universality of the NPT should not be viewed as a long term objective for which we only reiterate our support, but has to become an urgent priority.
• Mexico argued that NWS should not call for universalization of the NPT while concluding agreements with states outside regime, which only encourages them to remain outside.

Withdrawal

• Iceland highlighted the inherent weakness in the NPT, that it gives scope for countries to acquire technologies that brings them close to nuclear weapons capability, and therefore argued the RevCon must seek common ground on how to respond to a state’s withdrawal.
• Chile said the RevCon should regulate (not amend) the right to withdraw.

Nuclear weapon free zones

• The Kyrgyz Republic pointed out the innovative features of the Central Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty, such as the provisions that call for efforts to remediate the environmental damage to the region resulting from prior nuclear weapons activities and the requirement for parties to adhere to the IAEA Additional Protocol.
• Tanzania welcomed the US ratification of the Pelindaba Treaty and hoped that this could create further momentum for NWFZ around the world.
• Yemen argued that Israel’s refusal to join the NPT was a threat to security and stability in the region and urged the IAEA to implement their resolution on the Middle East, as a step towards building a NWFZ. 
• Jamaica welcomed the outcome of the Second Conference of NWFZ and Mongolia and urged the Review Conference to take careful note of the final document if that meeting.
• Chile said the RevCon should proclaim the importance of NWFZs as intermediate stage toward NWFW, urging expansion of such zones to the northern hemisphere.
• Mexico noted that the creation of NWFZs is only possible if regional problems that cause tensions and conflicts are addressed and resolved. In the Middle East, it said a NWFZ is only viable as part of a global political arrangement.
• Ecuador said it supports the creation of a NWFZ in South Asia and called on India and Pakistan to join the NPT as NNWS.
• Ghana urged the US and Russia to ratify the relevant protocols to the Pelindaba Treaty.
• Singapore argued that a NWFZ in the Middle East can only be developed in the broader geopolitical context of theregion and “in tandem with the creation of conditions that make a MENWFZ a realistic objective that will be regarded as being in the security interests of all the states in the region,” including a two-state solution for Palestine and recognition of Israel by all states in the region.

Security doctrines

• Mexico said it is paradoxical that in the post-Cold War world, security relies on weapons that threaten humanity. It argued that states should undertake a profound review of military doctrines to adapt them to newer circumstances, noting that nuclear weapons create false assumption that individual and collective security depends specifically on possibility of obtaining them.
• Singapore called for ways to reduce the concept that nuclear weapons afford security or power; it called on NWS to reduce their role in security doctrines and adopt a no first use policy and to significantly reduce their arsenals transparently and verifiably.
• The Holy See stated that it is time to profoundly rethink and change our perception of nuclear weapons
• Zimbabwe raised concerns that despite the glaring danger of nuclear weapons, some countries continue to maintain military doctrines that are based on the possession of such weapons and contradict the spirit of the NPT as well as constitute a major impediment to progress towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
• Thailand argued that a no first use principle should be an essential guarantee for the global non-proliferation regime.
• The Holy See argued that the military doctrines which continue to rely on nuclear weapons as a means of security and defence or even measure of power, de facto slow down disarmament and non-proliferation processes.
• Yemen shared their concerns over doctrines containing nuclear deterrence rhetoric and the development of new types of nuclear weapons.
• Jamaica remained convinced that the continued development and stockpiling of nuclear weapons to serve for defence purposes or as a deterrent will undermine the explicit intent and purposes of the Treaty.

Civil society

• Mexico said NGOs are important allies for governments in disarmament education and echoed the call from the DPI/NGO conference held in Mexico City in 2009, to “Disarm Now!”
• Croatia noted that support for the NPT can be seen through strong involvement of civil society on the margins of this RevCon.

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