New York April 27, 2004

Mr. Chairman:

Allow me to join the previous speakers in congratulating you on your assumption of the chairmanship of the third session of the Preparatory Committee. Under your leadership, this meeting, we hope, will play a significant role in shaping the future of the global nonproliferation regime at a crucial moment in its history.

At this session, the Preparatory Committee has the important task of striving to produce a consensus report containing recommendations to the Review Conference. This will be a difficult endeavor given the number of serious challenges confronting the regime. It is essential, however, that this Preparatory Committee address these threats directly if one is to avoid undermining the credibility of the review process. One of the Treaty's key strengths lies in the opportunity it provides States Parties to respond to proliferation challenges through diplomatic means. We must avail ourselves of this opportunity and design innovative but practical measures to promote the full implementation of the Treaty and its universality. My delegation pledges to work with you, Mr. Chairman, to achieve these goals.

At the 2000 NPT Review Conference, the Kyrgyz Republic applauded the adoption of the final document. This document laid out a pragmatic, forward-looking set of objectives for the nonproliferation regime. Four years later, we must acknowledge that our initial high expectations remain, at best, only partly fulfilled.

Mr. Chairman,

My delegation shares the views of many States Parties that the program of 13 practical steps for nuclear disarmament has not, for the most part, been met, and in some instances has actually experienced regression. The Conference on Disarmament remains stalled, little headway has been made in bringing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty into force, the ABM Treaty has been repudiated, there is no visible progress in negotiating a Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty, and, if anything, nuclear weapons have acquired a greater role in the security policies of some Nuclear Weapons States.

Although the May 2002 Moscow Treaty represents some progress toward reducing strategic nuclear weapons, it unfortunately does not address the serious proliferation and nuclear terrorism threats posed by non-strategic nuclear weapons. It is my delegation's hope that this session of the Preparatory Committee will assess the implementation of the practical steps toward disarmament adopted at the 2000 Review Conference and discuss means to accelerate the reduction of all categories of nuclear weapons in a transparent and irreversible fashion.

Mr Chairman,

A positive nonproliferation development in recent years has been the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones in Africa and Southeast Asia. Nuclear weapon-free zones now cover nearly the whole of the Southern Hemisphere, in addition to Antarctica, the seabed, and outer space. As nuclear-weapon-free zones have expanded geographically, they have also become stronger instruments of nonproliferation. In 1999, the United Nations Conference on Disarmament recognized the important role played by these zones and reached consensus on a set of guidelines for their establishment as important complimentary instruments to the NPT.

The Kyrgyz Republic is pleased to note the significant and continuing progress that has been achieved recently toward establishment of a nuclear weapon-free zone in Central Asia. In September 2002, the five Central Asian states announced that they had negotiated the text of a draft treaty establishing a Central Asian nuclear weapon-free zone. The Central Asian states are now actively consulting with the P-5 about the final text of the treaty and the modalities of its implementation. The Kyrgyz Republic hopes that the treaty will be signed as soon as possible. The five Central Asian states are united in their belief that the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in our region, on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at between our states, and taking into account its special characteristics, will strengthen peace and security at the regional and global levels.

Mr. Chairman,

In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, all Member States recognize the importance of taking effective measures to prevent possible terrorist acquisition and use of weapons of mass destruction. Adequate safeguards and physical protection of nuclear materials and facilities remain the first line of defense against nuclear terrorism. The Kyrgyz Republic strongly endorses the International Atomic Energy Agency's efforts to strengthen the international safeguards system. In this regard, the Kyrgyz Republic is pleased to report that on 3 February 2004 its safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency entered into force. The Kyrgyz Republic also supports ongoing efforts to strengthen the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material in order to address the new challenges posed by terrorism. The international community must redouble its efforts to control radioactive materials and, in particular, to recover and securely dispose of so-called “orphaned” radioactive sources, which could be exploited by terrorists to develop radiological weapons.

Reducing terrorist threats requires strict procedures for the safe handling, transport, storage, and disposal of sensitive nuclear material. This session of the Preparatory Committee should consider taking new steps to reinforce export controls and help combat illicit trafficking in nuclear materials. Attention also must be given to mitigating the environmental consequences of past and present nuclear weapons programs. As noted in the Final Document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference, which received consensus support, there have been exceptional instances in which serious environmental consequences have resulted from uranium mining and associated nuclear fuel-cycle activities in the production of nuclear weapons.

This often overlooked environmental problem caused by nuclear weapons production and borne by the Kyrgyz Republic and other states, is another reason why we attach such great importance to the work of this Preparatory Committee. We would like to reiterate the call made at the 2000 NPT Review Conference for all Governments and international organizations that have expertise in the field of cleanup and disposal of radioactive contaminants to consider giving appropriate assistance as may be requested for remedial purposes in these affected areas.

The Kyrgyz Republic also would like to draw attention to the important but underutilized role education can play as a disarmament and nonproliferation tool. My delegation shares the opinion expressed in UN General Assembly Resolution 57/60, adopted without a vote in fall 2002, which recognized that “the need has never been greater for disarmament and nonproliferation education.” Only through education can we hope to resolve security challenges without relying upon weapons of mass destruction or the threat or use of force. We urge this committee to give priority attention to this task.

Mr. Chairman,

There is a natural temptation for institutions, especially international ones, to follow routine, and to view change with suspicion, if not fear. This tendency is reinforced in the context of the NPT by the much slower than anticipated spread of nuclear weapons. States Parties must be careful, however, to resist this temptation to conduct "business as usual." The world has changed too dramatically in recent years. Today, non-state actors as well as nation states pose serious proliferation threats; nuclear weapons use is not out of the question; and the fabric of nonproliferation agreements and guidelines is frayed and may well unravel. Nonproliferation strategy and tactics must take account of these new realities. This Preparatory Committee session affords States Parties an unusual opportunity to take concrete and substantive steps to ensure that the principles and objectives of the Treaty are fulfilled. Unless we seize the opportunity, we place in jeopardy the future of the Treaty and the nonproliferation regime.

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