Phl pushes for nuke non-proliferation treaty

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has highlighted key measures that must be undertaken by states to fulfill the promise of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Manila continues to make its mark in mobilizing the international community towards a world free of nuclear weapons.

“I wish to highlight four main points, which will be essential if we are to make progress in securing our world free of nuclear weapons and keep the NPT moving forward,” said Ambassador Libran Cabactulan, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Gary Samore, Special Assistant to the United States President and Coordinator of the White House for Arms Control and Arms of Mass Destruction, Proliferation and Terrorism, joined Cabactulan in the panel on the main outcomes and future challenges of the NPT regime.

In his statement before government and non-government officials attending a seminar on “Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in Latin America and the Caribbean: Opportunities and Challenges” held in Montevideo, Uruguay, Cabactulan called for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and negotiations for a Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC).

The ambassador also called for the entry into force of states’ actions on nuclear disarmament under the Conclusions and Recommendations on Follow-On Actions of the Outcome Document of the 2010 NPT Review Conference, and progress on the Middle East Resolution on the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference.

He said the convening of the Middle East international conference, specifically, will be the “first real test” of the success of the 2010 Review Conference and could significantly affect the next review conference in 2015.

“I hope that the international conference will be convened as planned in 2010 and will be attended by all states of the Middle East. The time to begin dialogue on the implementation of the 1995 Resolution is long overdue,” he added.

He said that the facilitator for the Middle East Conference has to be appointed soonest and the host country has to be designated.

Aside from the four issues, Cabactulan, president of the 2010 Review Conference of the NPT held last May, stressed that other matters that need to be dealt with include progress on the Conference on Disarmament and on the non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy pillars of the NPT.

“The IAEA Additional Protocol though not required by the NPT is the only way to ensure that there is non-diversion from peaceful to non-peaceful uses. The universality of the Protocol is important and must be encouraged,” he said.

States parties to the NPT, he said, are guaranteed the right to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and must be given all available assistance to ensure that they have the necessary access to nuclear technology and material so they can supply the energy needs of their respective populations.

“The NPT States parties took a step forward last May 2010 but I should like to say that many more difficult steps will have to be taken if we are to continue to fulfill the promise of the NPT,” Cabactulan said.

“In that sense, in it important that the spirit of flexibility and compromise that was the trademark of the 2010 NPT Review Conference be maintained throughout the 2012 to 2014 PrepComs, the 2015 RevCon and even beyond.”

The NPT is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. –Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star)