Madam Chair,

We associate ourselves with the statement delivered by Indonesia on behalf of NAM. We also reiterate the substantive recommendations related to this pillar in the NPDI Landing Zone Paper which have been mentioned by previous speakers.

We have said at the High-Level Segment last week that this Review Conference is a litmus test for the credibility of the multilateral system. We must pass this test by demonstrating that the NPT remains on a sound footing. This entails an outcome document that represents meaningful progression across all the three pillars of the NPT, but particularly for the disarmament pillar, which remains the least advanced. Earlier statements have underlined the primary and critical responsibility of Nuclear Weapons States in this regard. 

We very much like to share the views expressed about the outcomes of the previous Review Conferences and that this Conference must reaffirm the validity of these commitments without ambiguity.

The reaffirmation of previous commitments is a starting point from which we can proceed to elaborate further steps to take forward such commitments in clear and constructive terms. 

The Conference must call on all States Parties, particularly NWS, to implement without further delay and with renewed energy Action 5 of the 64-Point Action Plan and undertake concrete and timely measures to further diminish the role of nuclear weapons in their military and security concepts, doctrines, and policies.

It has become apparent during this review cycle and this is reflected in many of the working papers that we need to strengthen work on ensuring the highest level of transparency in the implementation by Nuclear Weapons States of their obligations and in their reporting. The RevCon must recall Action 21 of the 64 point action plan calling for a common standardized reporting for Nuclear Weapon States and, on this basis, seek to establish a more robust and systematic reporting mechanism. Such mechanism would establish not only the factual basis for taking forward meaningful nuclear disarmament actions but also serve to strengthen the spirit of trust and confidence required between and among NWS and NNWS to monitor and carry out such actions.

Transparency and accountability exercises are observed in all spheres of our work in the UN system including across trade, human rights, humanitarian bodies, SDGs: disarmament is not excused from this well-established system of accountability across multilateralism.

The outcome document of this Conference can better define in clearer terms the reporting obligation for States Parties and discussions on these reports in the next review cycle. It must emphasize the need for accurate, up-to-date, complete and comparable information in the reports. This information must include the number, type and status of nuclear warheads, the number and types of delivery vehicles, the amount of fissile material produced for military purposes, measures taken for risk reduction and measures taken to reduce the role and significance of nuclear weapons.

We agree with views expressed earlier that we need to provide for more structured discussions in the next cycle to reach a common understanding of the principles of transparency, irreversibility and verifiability, as key elements of our work going forward.

We will conclude our intervention with emphasis on two subjects whose salience to the NPT have been made clear during this Review Cycle:

First: The Conference must emphasize and seek to advance discussions in the next review cycle on the pursuit of effective, universal, unconditional, non-discriminatory, irrevocable and legally-binding security assurances by NWS to NNWS.

Second: The Conference must emphasize the need to reduce the risk of using nuclear weapons in a manner that acknowledges the undeniable fact that such risks arise from the very existence of nuclear weapons themselves. Recent geopolitical and strategic challenges compel us to recognize that nuclear risk reduction has become a necessary interim measure that is not to be a substitute to disarmament.

The relevant NPDI recommendations and the working paper on Nuclear Risk Reduction Package addressing the subject of nuclear risk reduction provide constructive ideas in this regard.

Finally, the Conference must stress the need for all States Parties to ensure that the trend of decreasing nuclear stockpile in real terms is maintained. No aspiration nor ambition should ever justify any further increase in nuclear weapons stockpile. No increase in stockpile or modernization of nuclear weapons programs can ever be consistent with the NPT.

Thank you, Madam Chair.