Kharrazi addresses NPT review confab (Part 4)
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
United Nations, New York, May 4, IRNA
UN-NPT-Kharrazi
But, no one should be under the illusion that objective guarantees can theoretically or practically amount to cessation or even long term suspension of legal activities which have been and will be carried out under the fullest and most intrusive IAEA supervision.
Cessation of legal activity is no objective guarantee against so-called break-out; it is indeed a historically tested recipe for one.
The implementation of Article IV of the Treaty has been assured by the commitment of the States Parties to Article I and II as well as the implementation of the IAEA safeguards. The IAEA full-scope safeguard system provides the main foundation and basis for preventing the diversion of peaceful nuclear technology to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. The IAEA has been recognized by the previous NPT Conferences as "the competent authority to verify and assure compliance with the safeguards agreements" and to consider and investigate concerns regarding non-compliance.
The difficulty arises and gets worse when, in practice, the non-Parties to the Treaty which are supposed to be under special restrictions have been rewarded at least by acquiescence to have unrestricted access to materials, equipment and technology, while States Parties to the Treaty under the IAEA safeguards have been under extensive restrictions.
In the case of the Middle East, provision of such unrestricted access to one non-party to the NPT has effectively contributed to the development of one of the largest stockpiles of nuclear weapons which has endangered regional and global peace and security. Israel has continuously rejected the calls by the international community and more particularly the NPT Conferences to accede to the NPT and place its facilities under the IAEA full scope safeguards.
Mr President,
This conference would be successful if we act together and focus our efforts towards major issues of high importance.
Non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful use are the pillars of the Treaty. The international community has lent this
responsibility to each of us to preserve the integrity of the Treaty and promote its implementation. This would be achieved if we take appropriate decisions on :
1. Concrete steps towards ensuring universality of the NPT; 2. Realization of the commitment by Nuclear Weapons States not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against Non-Nuclear Weapons States parties to the Treaty through concluding a legally binding instrument;
3. Ensure and promote the basic rights of states parties to unhindered access to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes without discrimination;
4. Reconfirm the undertakings by Nuclear-Weapon States to implement 13 practical steps towards nuclear disarmament;
Today, the credibility of the NPT is at stake. The Treaty faces new challenges which we need to effectively address. However, the fact this Treaty with whatever shortcomings it may have and the deficiencies in its implementation process provides the only internationally viable foundation for curbing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and attaining the goal of nuclear disarmament.
I sincerely hope that the deliberations of this conference could assist us to consolidate the foundations of this Treaty in the circumstances that global security system more than ever requires wise and brave decisions to salvage the credibility of the Treaty.
Thank you Mr President.
/2325/1422
::IRNA No.021 04/05/2005 13:42 --End
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