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Statement by the Chinese Delegation to the 2nd PrepCom for 2005 NPT RevCon on Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones
6 May 2003
Mr. Chairman,
The establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones is an important step towards the
realization of a world free of nuclear weapons. It has major significance in
promoting nuclear disarmament and nuclear weapons non-proliferation and
enhancing peace and security at the regional and global levels.
China has all along respected and supported the efforts of non-nuclear-weapon
States to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones on the basis of arrangements
freely arrived at among the States of the region concerned. It has undertaken
unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against
non-nuclear-weapon States and nuclear-weapon-free zones.
In order to ensure and respect the status of nuclear-weapon-free zones, China
holds that the following measures should be taken:
-All nuclear-weapon States should undertake unconditionally not to use or
threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States or
nuclear-weapons-free zones, and should conclude international legal instruments
to this effect;
-The principles on the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones adopted by the
United Nations Disarmament Commission in 1999 should be faithfully upheld;
-Nuclear-weapon States should support the efforts of non-nuclear-weapon States
to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones on the basis of arrangements freely
arrived at among the States of the regions concerned. The legal status of
nuclear-weapon-free zones should be respected. Nuclear-weapon States should
undertake corresponding obligations in a legally binding manner;
-Nuclear-weapon States should, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 5
of the section of the Final Document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference, dealing
with article VII of the Treaty, take steps to bring into effects the assurances
provided by nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties and their protocols.
Mr. Chairman,
In line with the above positions, China has signed and ratified the Antarctic
Treaty, and the Protocols to the Treaties of Tlateloco, Rarotonga and Pelindaba
and fulfills its relevant obligations. China supports ASEAN for establishing the
Nuclear-Weapon-Free zone. China has reached agreement in principle with ASEAN on
the issues related to the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty and is
ready to sign the Protocol to the Treaty as soon as possible. China hopes that
ASEAN and the other four nuclear-weapon States will soon resolve the remaining
issues so as to enable an early opening for signature of the Protocol.
China supports the efforts of Central Asian States to establish the Central Asia
Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. China has no substantive difficulties towards the
current text of the Treaty and its Protocol. We believe that any amendments to
the text should not go against the purpose and principles of the Treaty and
should be agreed by all relevant parties. China is ready to sign the Protocol as
long as all parties reach consensus on the text of the Treaty and its Protocol.
China supports the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons as well as
other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. China hopes that this goal
can be realized at an early date through consultations among all relevant
parties.
China supports the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free space in Central and
Eastern Europe, a nuclear-weapon-free Southern Hemisphere and adjacent areas.
China respects and welcomes the nuclear-weapon-free status of Mongolia.
Mr. Chairman,
The nuclear-weapon-free zones worldwide are expanding, which represents a
positive sign leading towards the complete prohibition and thorough destruction
of nuclear weapons, and the realization of a world free of nuclear weapons.
China will, as always, support the effort to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones
and contribute to the realization of the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.
The Chinese Delegation has submitted the working paper on the
nuclear-weapon-free zones as contained in document NPT/CONF.2005/PC.II/WP.5 so
as to contribute to the work under this item of the PrepCom.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin
Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of
International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the
opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or
its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2007 by
MIIS.
