12 May 1995
NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY: SENATOR EVANS PRAISES HISTORIC CONFERENCE OUTCOME
The world now has a Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty for all nations for all time.
The Australian Government warmly welcomes the historic decision, by the Conference of States Party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) meeting in New York, that the Treaty continue in force indefinitely. The decision was adopted without a vote in the common interests of all parties to the Treaty.
The decision reinforces the commitment of the international community to a world free of nuclear weapons, and represents the achievement of a major security and foreign policy objective for Australia.
Indefinite extension of the NPT, for which Australia had worked long and hard -
offers by far the best encouragement for the nuclear weapon states to continue the historic process of nuclear arms reductions which had finally begun;
will make it more likely that the threshold or 'twilight zone' states remaining outside the Treaty will eventually decide to look for their security in the renunciation of nuclear weapons; and
is vital for implementation of the provisions of the Treaty on peaceful nuclear cooperation since they depend heavily on the existence of a climate of certainty about the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
In an accompanying decision on principles and objectives, the Conference sets 1996 as a deadline for the completion of negotiations on a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and calls for an immediate start to negotiations on a convention banning the production of fissile material for explosive purposes.
We very much welcome these decisions on disarmament objectives for which Australia has been working for many years. The Conference has called on the nuclear weapons states to exercise the utmost restraint pending conclusion of the Test Ban Treaty. I repeat my appeal to the new French President to maintain the suspension of nuclear testing in the South Pacific, and urge China to join the other nuclear weapons states in declaring a testing moratorium.
We also welcome the call for the determined pursuit of nuclear disarmament by the nuclear weapons states. Australia wishes to see the United States and Russia continue the process of deep nuclear reductions, and looks to China, France and the United Kingdom joining this process at the earliest possible time.
The Conference is continuing its work on reviewing the operation of the Treaty, and this important work covering disarmament, universal adherence to the treaty, safeguards and cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy is scheduled to be adopted at the conclusion of the Conference on 12 May.
The negotiation of the outcome on extension has been conducted, in large measure, by a small group of countries, including Australia, assisting the President of the Conference.
A very large measure of praise is due to the role played by Australia's delegation at the Conference, which I have been told was pivotal in securing such a historic outcome. Their efforts were first class. Ambassador Richard Butler and his team in New York played what was a central and decisive role throughout the process - with our honest broker reputation and strong disarmament credentials, we were able to play a crucial role in helping craft the final package.
CANBERRA