Statement by H. E. Mr. J.
Enkhsaikhan,
Ambassador of Mongolia in the
09 October 2001, New York
Mr. Chairman,
At
the outset, I would like to join the preceding colleagues in extending to you
the warmest congratulations on your well-deserved election and to pledge my
delegation's full support and cooperation. We are confident that your diplomatic
skill, personal experience in the field of disarmament and your dedication will
bring the Committee’s work to a successful conclusion. Our felicitations also go
to the other members of the bureau on their election.
My
delegation would also like to express its deep gratitude and appreciation to
Amb. U Mya Than of Myanmar for his able guidance of the work of the Committee
last year.
Before proceeding with my statement, allow me, Mr. Chairman, to express once
again my delegation’s sincere condolences to the people of the United States for
the terrible loss of human lives and deepest sympathy to the families of the
victims and the people of our host city New York.
Mr. Chairman,
This year the United Nations General Assembly, including this Committee, is
conducting its work in unconventional international circumstances, when
international peace and security are being threatened by unprecedented
terrorist attacks of September 11. These tragic events have highlighted the
role that this Committee is called upon to play in promoting international
peace and security through multilateral disarmament and arms control
processes. My delegation expresses the hope that the Committee’s deliberations
and discussions would be most productive in promoting the goals of achieving
general and complete disarmament as well as in the search for a new, viable
concept of security, addressing both the existing and emerging threats at the
dawn of this new century.
Mr. Chairman,
In
my intervention today, I would like to focus on some issues that, in this
delegation’s view, should be priority in the current agenda of the Committee.
Given the nature of security threats, in our view, the international community
has to make greater efforts to reduce and eliminate weapons of mass destruction,
particularly nuclear. My delegation shares the view that there is a real need
to make tangible progress in the areas of nuclear disarmament and
non-proliferation, which, ironically, has eluded us in the post-cold war
decade.
The States Parties to the NPT have rightly concluded last year that “the total
elimination of nuclear weapons is the only absolute guarantee against the use or
threat of use of nuclear weapons”. My delegation fully subscribes to that
view. The world leaders have also underlined their determination in the
Millennium Declaration in 2000 to eliminate all weapons of mass destruction.
Thus the political will seems to be evident. However, some important
international instruments aimed at promoting nuclear disarmament and
non-proliferation still await either entry into force or effective
implementation. Therefore, it is vitally important for the international
community to translate the manifested political will to ensure that the
unequivocal commitments solemnly made with regard to the total elimination of
nuclear weapon, and steps to be taken in the interim, are practically honored.
Mr. Chairman,
With regard to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, which are important
prerequisites for strengthening global peace and security, early entry into
force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is of paramount
importance. Therefore, the States that have not yet done so, in particular
those whose ratification is needed for its entry into force, should sign and/or
ratify it as soon as possible and, pending its entry into force and uphold a
moratorium on nuclear-weapon-test explosions or any other nuclear explosions. My
delegation expresses the hope that the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into
force of the CTBT, to be held during the forthcoming general debate of the
General Assembly, would give the necessary political impetus in that regard.
Mongolia still believes that, in the absence of an alternative solution,
unilateral abrogation of the ABM Treaty, so far the cornerstone of global
strategic stability, could adversely affect the over-all existing strategic
balance with all the ensuing consequences. Therefore, Mongolia calls upon the
parties to the ABM treaty, pending agreement on mutually acceptable solution, to
refrain from any measure that might undermine the spirit of the Treaty. With
respect to strategic arms reductions, Mongolia underlines the importance of
early entry into force of the START II treaty and looks forward to further
practical steps that could lead to substantial and meaningful reductions in
nuclear arsenals within the START III process.
Still on nuclear disarmament, my delegation also urges 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 on the production of
weapons grade fissile materials and greater transparency through disclosure of
their present stocks. In this context, my delegation reiterates its call upon
the United Nations to establish, as transparency and confidence building
measures, a Register of all stocks of weapons grade fissile material as an
important addition to the existing UN Register of Conventional Arms.
Bearing in mind the fact that credibility of the CTBT and other international
instruments prohibiting and destroying weapons of mass destruction depend to a
great extent on the effectiveness of their verification regimes, Mongolia
welcomes and supports the efforts aimed at ensuring reliable operation of the
existing control and monitoring systems under the CTBT and CWC, and the
undertaking of measures to improve the BWC verification mechanism. In this
connection, my delegation regrets that the talks on a verification protocol to
strengthen the 1972 BWC have failed and expresses the hope that the further
work would be taken up at the upcoming Fifth Review Conference of the Parties to
be held next month.
Mr. Chairman,
Unfortunately, military doctrines of nuclear-weapon States still place emphasis
on nuclear weapons. Therefore, Mongolia supports 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 and some other well-known measures, as
essential safety measures to reduce the risk of unauthorized or miscalculated
use of nuclear weapons. We also underline the need of providing legally binding
negative security assurances to non-nuclear States - parties to the NPT.
The tragedy of September 11 was a serious signal on the increasing danger of
possible use by non-State actors of weapons of mass destruction. As the
Secretary-General underlined last week in the debate on terrorism, “a single
attack involving a nuclear or biological weapon could have killed millions”.
Today’s stark reality proves that there is a growing possibility for non-State
actors to acquire nuclear, biological, or chemical weapon for terrorist
purposes. Therefore, besides the legal instruments prohibiting the weapons of
mass destruction, it is vitally important today for the international community
to promote closer cooperation to upgrade the physical protection of nuclear
material, combat illicit trafficking in nuclear materials and other radioactive
sources, and enhance the protection and control of nuclear facilities against
acts of terrorism and sabotage. In addition to the nuclear disarmament
treaties, my delegation urges the international community to finalize as soon as
possible the draft convention against nuclear terrorism and the comprehensive
convention on international terrorism as well as to speed up the entry into
force of the Statute of the International Criminal Court and of the Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime.
Mr. Chairman,
Consolidation of existing and establishment of new nuclear-weapon-free zones are
important factors for strengthening non-proliferation as well as regional
stability and security. Mongolia, based on its unique geo-political location,
strives to make its modest contribution to this cause. I would like to take
this opportunity to express my delegation’s gratitude to the DDA, especially
its Center for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, for organizing
last month in Sapporo a meeting of independent experts of the P5 and Mongolia to
look for the ways and means of strengthening Mongolia’s nuclear-weapon-free
status. The experts have concluded that further steps need to be taken at the
international level to strengthen the status. We believe that
institutionalization of Mongolia’s status would be an important measure towards
strengthening predictability, confidence building and non-proliferation in the
region.
Mr. Chairman,
Mongolia fully shares the legitimate concerns of the international community
over the illicit trafficking and global proliferation of small arms and light
weapons, which are the principal instruments of death throughout the world,
especially in the regions affected by armed conflicts. Mongolia attaches
great importance to the outcome of the first ever UN Conference on this issue,
held last July in New York. The Program of Action adopted by the Conference by
consensus is an important step towards preventing, combating and eradicating the
illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. At the same time, my delegation,
like many others, regrets over the failure of the Conference to reach agreement
on controlling private ownership of small arms designed for the military
purposes, as well as their transfer to non-State actors, including to possible
terrorists. Nevertheless, my delegation believes that the follow-up measures
that have been reflected in the Program of Action would strengthen the gains of
the Conference.
In
the sub-regional context, my country welcomed the historic inter-Korean summit
of 2000 and the ensuing dialogue and contacts, which are important in building
confidence between the two Koreas and in the region as a whole. Mongolia
welcomes and supports practical ideas and proposals aimed at developing in
Northeast Asia of a mechanism to discuss regional security issues of common
concern or interest. As the Mongolian delegation has underlined last year,
perhaps it is time to consider the possibility of engaging in a regional
dialogue starting from a free exchange of views on the framework of such
discussions and dialogue. Mongolia is ready to discuss this issue with
interested delegations.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I would like to underline once again the importance that Mongolia attaches to the work of this Committee and to express my delegation’s readiness to work with you and the delegations in bringing our common work to a successful conclusion.