NPT/CONF.2000/PC.II/24

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Conference on Disarmament

General Assembly First Committee

UN Disarmament Commission

Special Session on Disarmament

Preparatory Committee for the 2000 Review
Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on
the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

NPT/CONF.2000/PC.II/24
6 May 1998

ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

Second session
Geneva, 27 April - 8 May 1998

LETTER DATED 4 MAY 1998 FROM THE DEPUTY HEAD OF THE DELEGATION OF POLAND ADDRESSED TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE

I have the honour to transmit to you, on behalf of the delegations of Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic,
Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and my own, the attached
statement.

I would be grateful if the necessary arrangements could be made for its distribution as a document of the Preparatory Committee.

STATEMENT BY THE DELEGATIONS OF BULGARIA, CROATIA, THE CZECH
REPUBLIC, HUNGARY, POLAND, ROMANIA, SLOVAKIA, THE FORMER
YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA AND SLOVENIA

We are of the view that the establishment of internationally recognized nuclear-weapon-free zones, with due regard to the specific characteristics of each region and on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at by the States of the region concerned, can play an important role in promoting regional and global peace and security. We, therefore, welcome the Treaties of Tlatelolco, Rarotonga, Bangkok, Pelindaba as well as the Almaty Declaration on the creation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia and recognize them as important complementary instruments to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

At the same time, we strongly believe that the establishment of NFZ must not interfere with existing - or evolving - security arrangements to the detriment of regional and international security, or otherwise adversely affect the inalienable right to individual or collective self-defence guaranteed under the UN Charter.

In this connection, we consider that - while interesting in itself - the concept of a nuclear weapon-free zone in Central and Eastern Europe promoted by Belarus is incompatible with our sovereign resolve to contribute to, and benefit from, the new European security architecture, one that is based, inter alia, upon the principles of democracy, civilian control over the military, good-neighbourly relations as well as cooperation with and accession to the Euro-Atlantic structures, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union.

For our respective peoples and Governments their efforts to promote European security and stability inherently associate with the on-going, complex and lengthy process of political and military integration with these structures.

In view of the foregoing and pending the achievement of this process, we do not consider the idea of a nuclear-weapon-free zone/space in Central and Eastern Europe timely and deem its practical consideration premature.

Without prejudice to the possible future relevance of the proposal, we consider that the most appropriate way to enhance stability and security in Central and Eastern Europe at the close of the twentieth century is to build a new security architecture based on co-operation, shared values and without creating new dividing lines.