NEW YORK, 23 SEPTEMBER 2005
STATEMENT BY H. E. AMBASSADOR JOÃO SALGUEIRO, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF PORTUGAL TO THE UNITED NATIONS, TO THE FOURTH CONFERENCE ON FACILITATING THE ENTRY-INTO-FORCE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR-TEST-BAN TREATY

Mr. President,

Let me start by congratulating you on your election to the Presidency of the fourth Conference on Facilitating the Entry-into-Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and by expressing the appreciation of my delegation for the way you have been conducting our work.

Mr. President,

The Portuguese Delegation fully subscribes the views expressed by the Presidency of the European Union. Let me underline, however, certain issues which we deem of particular importance.

We live in a World where threats to peace and stability call for a collective response. The CTBT is a fundamental instrument to achieve the common goal of general and complete disarmament in the field of the Weapons of Mass Destruction. Its entry into force and universal adoption constitutes a decisive step towards that goal.

Portugal is fully committed to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, and has always been supportive of initiatives in this field, having ratified all the major international instruments created for that purpose. My country has actively supported the CTBT from the very beginning and will be hosting three monitoring stations in the Azores islands. One of these stations is already functioning and another one will be operational in the near future.

The CTBT is a cornerstone in the international non-proliferation regime. We fully endorse all measures and efforts undertaken in order to promote its earliest entry into force. Bearing in mind the meagre results of the 2005 NPT Review Conference and the lack of a chapter on disarmament and non proliferation in the Outcome Document of last week’s UN High Level Plenary Meeting, it is crucial and urgent to adopt such measures. Portugal stands side by side with those that are committed to this purpose.

To this date 176 States have signed and 125 States have ratified the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Being this a positive trend, it is, however, not yet enough.

Therefore, Mr. President, allow me to join previous speakers in calling upon all states that have not yet signed and ratified the Treaty to do so shortly and unconditionally.

Thank you, Mr. President.