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Statement to the CD
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
February 12, 2004
Madam President,
Allow me to begin, on behalf of the Delegation of the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea, by congratulating you on your
assumption of the first Presidency of the 2004 session of the Conference
on Disarmament. It is my hope that, under your guidance, the CD
will lay a sound basis for bringing about tangible results in its
work. I also take this opportunity to commend your predecessors
for their valuable contributions to guiding the work of the CD last
year.
Madam President,
We welcome the adoption of the agenda of the CD for this year under
your presidency. Now an early agreement on the program of work remains
our first priority. In this respect, my delegation views that the
“Five Ambassadors” proposal still remains the basis
for our work in the CD, even though it needs further refinement.
Therefore, the DPRK is supportive of the A-5 proposal and considers
it as a package which should not be de-linked.
Madam President,
Nuclear disarmament should be the first priority in dealing with
any attempt in the CD. The goal of disarmament in general can be
accomplished only when nuclear disarmament is accompanied by the
total elimination of nuclear weapons.
More than a decade has passed since the Cold War came to an end
and the world greeted the new century. However, the thinking mode
of Cold War still exists in the field of disarmament and the reliance
of Nuclear Weapon States on nuclear weapons is increasing rather
than decreasing. The emergence of recent doctrine of preemptive
nuclear attack on sovereign states and unilateral attempt to develop
smaller nuclear weapons are making the process of the general disarmament,
especially nuclear disarmament, more complicated.
Unconditional security assurance against the use of nuclear weapons
to Non-Nuclear States becomes a vital issue for nuclear disarmament
and in the context of the purpose of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT). It is an escapist act to pursue nothing but non-proliferation
of nuclear weapons, evading the issue of Negative Security Assurances.
This issue is essential to the existence of Non-Nuclear States and
the promotion of the global nuclear disarmament.
In the past more than fifty odd years, Nuclear Weapon States disparately
declared their commitments to security assurances against the use
of nuclear weapons. However, in reality, nuclear threat by Nuclear
Weapon State against Non-Nuclear States is being openly uttered
and even integrated into its policy, as their commitments are unilateral,
conditional and legally unbound. It proves that the unilateral commitments
made by Nuclear Weapon States could never prevent a nuclear war.
From this point of view, the DPRK delegation insists that the doctrine
of preemptive nuclear attack should be abandoned. It also insists
that a legally-binding international arrangements to assure unconditionally
non-nuclear states against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons
and aiming at the total elimination of all nuclear weapons should
be secured.
And it is a view of the DPRK that the adoption of egoistic attitude
and double standards on the issue of non-proliferation should not
be allowed. We believe that nuclear non-proliferation can only be
meaningfully sustained if the non-nuclear states are themselves
assured under legally-binding commitments that their independence,
territorial integrity and sovereignty will be safeguarded against
the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.
Madam President,
The prevention of the deployment of weapons and an arms race in
outer space becomes a pressing task facing the international community.
With the abrogation of ABM Treaty and the accelerated development
of missile defense system, outer space risks being weaponized.
Outer space should not be allowed to become a sphere of military
confrontation and it should be used for peaceful purpose as the
common heritage of mankind. Therefore, the DPRK holds that a legally-binding
international instrument is vital to preventing an arms race in
outer space. In this context, we consider that the proposal of negotiating
a treaty on the prevention of an arms race in outer space initiated
by the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation
will contribute to ensuring the world peace.
Madam President,
We share the view expressed by the United Nations Secretary General
in his message to the CD this year that the political will was essential
in overcoming the current impasse and revitalizing the Conference.
In conclusion, the DPRK delegation hopes that the CD could reach
an early agreement on a comprehensive and balanced program of work
so as to allow the Conference to start its work on substantive issues,
giving priorities to such issues as Nuclear Disarmament, NSA and
PAROS.
Thank you
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