S T A T E M E N T
BY H.E. MR. L.ERDENECHULUUN, MINISTER FOR
FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF MONGOLIA AT THE
CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT
23 May 2001
Mr. President,
1. It is a distinct honour and
privilege and, indeed, a pleasure for me to be amongst the disarmament
colleagues and share with you Mongolia’s perception and views on some key issues
related to international security, arms limitation and disarmament.
2. This year is special for the
Mongolian people as it marks the 80th anniversary of the people’s revolution and
the 40th anniversary of our membership in the United Nations. I mention these
events not solely because of their historical significance for my people, but
also because of their relevance and role in shaping my country’s foreign policy.
One of its priorities has always been the strengthening of international peace
and security, promotion of the disarmament process with a view to attaining the
ultimate goal of general and complete disarmament.
3. But as the world enters the new
century and, indeed, the new millennium does it find itself closer to that
collective goal? Has the international community succeeded in making the global
disarmament process a sustainable one? And do we live now in a world less or
more safe? There is, I am afraid, no simple answers to these questions. As we
review the progress in the area of arms limitation, disarmament and
non-proliferation, our reaction can at best be termed as mixed. While there has
been certain movement forward in some areas, there has been little or no
progress in others.
4. The 2000 NPT Review Conference
in its Final Document included a number of agreed conclusions and
recommendations related to nuclear disarmament. For the first time ever all the
nuclear-weapon States made “an unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total
elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to total nuclear disarmament to
which all States parties are committed under Article VI”. The Conference also
agreed on the necessity of establishing in the Conference on Disarmament an
appropriate subsidiary body with a mandate to deal with nuclear disarmament. It
called for an immediate establishment of such a body. The Conference also called
for further efforts by the nuclear-weapon States to reduce their nuclear
arsenals unilaterally and for further reductions of non-strategic nuclear
weapons based on unilateral initiatives as an integral part of the nuclear
disarmament process. A call has been made for the engagement, as soon as
appropriate, of all the nuclear-weapon States in the process leading to the
total elimination of their nuclear arsenal. These constitute an important
statement of purpose and, if translated into practice, will open the way to
practical nuclear disarmament measures.
5. With respect to the strategic
arms reductions Mongolia underlines the importance of an early entry into force
of the CTBT and START II treaties. We also look forward to further practical
steps leading to substantial and meaningful reductions in nuclear arsenals
within the START III process and other multilateral negotiations with an
involvement of the other nuclear states.
6. In the context of the CTBT,
Mongolia looks forward to the upcoming Conference to be held this fall in New
York to facilitate the entry into force of the CTBT. The importance of its
earliest possible entry into force becomes even more compelling in the light of
the activities that could seriously undermine the nuclear non-proliferation
regime.
7. The credibility of the CTBT and
other international instruments prohibiting weapons of mass destruction depend
to a great extent on the effectiveness of their verification regime. We welcome
the efforts aimed at ensuring the reliable operation of the existing control and
monitoring systems under the CTBT and the CWC and undertaking measures to
improve the verification mechanism of BWC.
8. A growing emphasis placed of
late on nuclear weapons in military doctrines is a cause of increasing concern.
It is, therefore, only natural that countries like Mongolia favour the adoption
of such steps as de-alerting of nuclear weapons, removal of nuclear warheads
from delivery vehicles, joint undertakings by the nuclear-weapon powers of a
pledge not to be the first to use nuclear weapons. These are essential safety
measures that would reduce the risk of unauthorized or miscalculated use of
nuclear weapons. In addition, provision should be made for legally binding
negative security assurances to non-nuclear States-parties to the NPT as has
become customary for NWS in signing Protocols to nuclear-weapon free zone
treaties. In this context, Mongolia welcomed the proposal by the
Secretary-General to convene a major international conference aimed at
identifying ways of eliminating nuclear dangers. We hope that this timely
proposal will be given serious consideration by the international community with
a view to determining its optimal scope and timing.
9. My delegation also believes
that it is important for the Conference on Disarmament to engage in earnest
negotiations on an early conclusion of a universal and verifiable Fissile
Materials Cut-Off Treaty. Pending the negotiation of that treaty we would
welcome a moratorium by the nuclear-weapon-States on the production of weapons
grade fissile materials and for greater transparency through disclosure of their
present stocks. Better still, we would urge the United Nations to establish a
Register for all stocks of weapons grade fissile material. This would help
establish an important balance with the UN Register of Conventional Arms.
10. Mongolia emphasizes the vital
importance of preserving the spirit of the ABM Treaty, a cornerstone of
strategic stability, the validity of which has not lessened over the years.
Bearing in mind the fact that undermining the treaty could trigger an
uncontrollable nuclear arms race, Mongolia welcomed last year the US decision to
postpone the deployment of a National Missile Defense System. The recent US
proposals for a new defence policy, including the establishment of missile
defences would inevitably impact upon global security and strategic stability.
While welcoming the readiness of the US Administration to consult with others
regarding their plans to deploy NMD, Mongolia believes that such consultations
should fully take into account broader security context and implications of
these plans and the necessity of preserving the global strategic stability.
11. Mongolia shares the legitimate
concern of the world community over the global proliferation of small arms and
light weapons which are the principal instruments of death wherever conflicts
and wars occur. We hope that the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade
in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, scheduled for this summer
will result in practical measures designed to tighten control, curb the spread
and destroy surplus weapons.
12. Well over a decade after the
demise of the Cold war the world has been witnessing a new surge in defence
spending accompanied by a booming new business in arms exports, disturbing signs
of shift in military doctrines and priorities underlines, in our view, the
urgent need to agree on the objectives, agenda and timing for convening the
fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament (SSOD IV).
It could assess both the achievements and setbacks experienced over the past
years in the global disarmament efforts and chart a new vision in the early
years of the new century towards further reduction and elimination of nuclear
and other weapons of mass destruction as well as control, limitation and
elimination of some categories of conventional weapons.
13. Mongolia strongly advocates
consolidation of existing and establishment of new nuclear-weapon-free zones,
which serve as an important component of nuclear non-proliferation with a
positive impact on regional security and stability. We believe that the
principles and guidelines on the establishment of NWFZs adopted by the UN
Disarmament Commission in 1999 will play a significant role in that regard.
14. As is known, Mongolia declared
in 1992 its territory a nuclear-weapon-free zone that was widely supported by
the international community. Since then we have come a long way. As a follow-up
to its declaration the Parliament of Mongolia adopted in February 2000 a law on
Mongolia’s nuclear-weapon-free status thus institutionalizing it at the national
level. The General Assembly at its 53rd and 55th sessions adopted resolutions
(53/77D, 55/33S) on “Mongolia’s international security and nuclear-weapon-free
status”. At the last session of the General Assembly the P5 made a joint
statement providing security assurances to Mongolia in connection with its
nuclear-weapon-free status. We consider it an important step along the road to
institutionalizing that status at the international level.
15. Last but not least, I wish to
emphasize the vital role played over the years by the Conference on Disarmament,
the sole multilateral negotiating body of disarmament issues, in concluding a
series of multilateral arms control and disarmament treaties. It is of crucial
importance now to break the ongoing deadlock, that has captured the CD for over
the last few years, through display of the necessary political will with a view
to starting discussion of substantive issues on its agenda. In this regard,
Mongolia considers the Amorim proposal contained in document CD/1624 as a sound
basis for further consultations. At the same time our position is flexible and
we are ready to consider any proposal that may facilitate the start of a
substantive work within the CD. We see no problem with starting negotiations on
fissile material cut-off treaty and concurrently move to promote other
disarmament objectives.
16. Mongolia stands committed to
our concerted efforts towards a safer world.