Mr. Chair,
1. The Philippines congratulates you on your assumption as Chair of the 3rd PrepCom and is proud to support the leadership of Malaysia, a fellow Member of ASEAN in this very important meeting.
2. We associate ourselves with the statement delivered by Venezuela on behalf of the NAM, and Myanmar on behalf of the ASEAN.
3. We remain positive that with the hard work and sincere engagement of all States Parties, this PrepCom will be able to build on the work of our meetings in 2017 and 2019 and enable the 2020 Review Conference to deliver concrete outcomes. The Philippines maintains that our way forward must continue to be guided by the commitments we took on under the 64-Point Action Plan in 2010 and the 13 Practical Steps in 2000.
4. Discussions should focus on the review of the implementation of the commitments and not a review of these, otherwise it would take us backward, not forward. The message that should reverberate in this meeting and the community of nations is that we are all determined to pursue our commitments across the three pillars while also forging new, forward-looking measures, particularly those leading to full nuclear disarmament.
Mr. Chair,
5. The Philippines shares the concern that certain recent developments have deepened mistrust and widened the divide among States Parties to the NPT. Some of them have been used unsparingly to justify the role of nuclear weapons in the defense and security doctrines of many States, with vast resources being utilized to develop more advanced weapons systems.
6. The Philippines is concerned that an atmosphere where nuclear weapons-use thresholds are lowered and States acquire faster, longer-range and deadlier nuclear arms ravage the principles and good faith underpinning our Treaty. It is regrettable that the risk of a catastrophic nuclear weapons detonation, whether intentional or accidental, continues to loom, nearly fifty years after the entry into force of this Treaty.
7. Highlighting these concerns, the Philippines calls on the nuclear weapons states to fulfil their NPT commitments with sincerity. We also call on relevant parties to reconsider their withdrawal or suspension of obligations from critical landmark agreements, in particular the INF Treaty and the JCPOA.
Mr. Chair,
8. The Philippines was among the 122 States who adopted the TPNW in 2017. The TPNW underlines the political will of a resounding majority of NPT States Parties to establish a legal norm in line with Article VI of the NPT and strengthen the NPT pillar on nuclear disarmament.
9. The Philippines commends the work of the IAEA, whose invaluable contributions have helped us strike a balance between our aims for a safe and secure world, and for the enjoyment by humanity of the benefits of nuclear technology. We convey our support for universal adherence to IAEA CSAs and Additional Protocols, as well for the strengthening and expansion of IAEA’s technical cooperation programs.
Mr. Chair,
10. NPT States Parties should approach this PrepCom and the upcoming RevCon with the spirit of positive engagement and with the goal of achieving meaningful and tangible outputs. We have joined several groups in tabling working papers that seek to directly address key points of the 2010 Action Plan. A number of initiatives have been put forward to represent the range of possibilities for practical outcomes, where common points of agreement can be reached.
11. We highlight in particular the NPDI’s work on Transparency and Reporting, the Strengthened Review Process for the NPT, De-alerting, Disarmament Education, and FMCT.
Mr. Chair,
12. The Philippines emphasizes the role of nuclear-weapons free zones and Mongolia in reinforcing the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation framework. Stronger cooperation and coordination between and among them, and with the nuclear weapons states, would help affirm this important role.
13. Fully aware of the critical importance of the 1995 outcome as it pertains to the establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and WMD, the Philippines also urges all States, regional groups and organizations involved in these efforts to sustain and enhance dialogue and engagement.
14. The Philippines notes with concern that a President for the 2020 RevCon has yet to be agreed, and underlines as we did last year that the early completion of this process will help us as we work on ensuring the success of the Conference.
15. The Philippines commends efforts at mainstreaming gender issues in the disarmament processes, including in the NPT. We are open to strengthening collaboration with partner States, international organizations, NGOs, and research institutions to pursue and expand these initiatives.
Mr. Chair,
16. We are approaching a very symbolic year in the Treaty. The next RevCon will occur right on the NPT’s 50th Anniversary. This milestone prompts us to reflect on the principle, the collective ambition and will, which made this Treaty possible.
17. The Philippines is ready and willing to do its part in ensuring that next year’s RevCon will have an outcome fully deserving of the Treaty’s golden milestone.
I thank you Mr. Chair.