The demand was made during the United
Nations High Level Meeting on Countering Nuclear Terrorism in New York. The
demand was read out by Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on behalf of
the NAM bloc.
Iran assumed the rotating presidency of
NAM for a three-year term on August 30.
Following is the text of Salehi�s
speech:
Messrs. Co-chairs,
1. I am honored to speak on behalf of
the Non-Aligned Movement.
2. The Convention on the Suppression of
Acts of Nuclear Terrorism reflects the success of multilateralism to which
NAM attaches great importance. The movement values this opportunity to express
its views on this subject of cotemporary interest.
3. NAM strongly and unequivocally
condemns as criminal and rejects terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations as well as all acts, methods, and practices of terrorism
wherever, by whomever, against whomsoever committed, including those in which
states are directly or indirectly involved, which are unjustifiable (no
matter what) considerations or factors� may be invoked to justify them.
4. NAM expresses its satisfaction with
the consensus among states on measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring
weapons of mass destruction. NAM welcomes the adoption by consensus of the
General Assembly Resolution 66/50 entitled �Measures to prevent terrorists
from acquiring weapons of mass destruction� and underlines the need for this
threat to humanity to be addressed within the UN framework and through
international cooperation.
5. While stressing that the most
effective way of preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass
destruction is through the total elimination of such weapons, NAM emphasizes
that progress is urgently needed in the area of disarmament and
non-proliferation in order to help maintain international peace and security
and to contribute to the global efforts against terrorism.
6. NAM calls upon all UN member states
to support international efforts to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons
of mass destruction and their means of delivery. It also urges all member
states to take and strengthen national measures, as appropriate, to prevent
terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, their means of
delivery and materials and technologies related to their manufacture.
7. While noting the adoption of
resolution 1540 (2004), resolution 1673 (2006), resolution 1810 (2008) and
resolution 1977 (2011) by the Security Council, NAM underlines the need to
ensure that any action by the Security Council does not undermine the UN
Charter and existing multilateral treaties on weapons of mass destruction and
of international Organizations established in this regard as well as the role
of the General Assembly.
8. NAM further cautions against the
continuing practice of the Security Council to utilize its authority to
define the legislative requirements for member states in implementing
Security Council decisions. In this regard, NAM stresses the importance of
the issue of non-state actors acquiring weapons of mass destruction to be
addressed in an inclusive manner by the General Assembly, taking into account
the views of all member states.
Messrs. Co-chairs,
9. The NAM emphasizes the need to
improve national, regional, and international preparedness and response to
nuclear accidents and calls for a strengthened role of the IAEA in emergency
preparedness and response, including through assisting member states, upon
their request, on emergency preparedness and response to nuclear accidents,
promoting capacity building, including education and training in the field of
crisis management.
10. The NAM underlines that measures and
initiatives aimed at strengthening nuclear safety and nuclear security must
not be used as a pretext or leverage to violate, deny, or restrict the
inalienable right of developing countries to develop research, production,
and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination.
11. NAM affirms the need to strengthen
the radiological safety and protection systems at facilities utilizing
radioactive materials as well as at radioactive waste management facilities,
including the safe transportation of these materials. The movement reaffirms
the need to strengthen existing international regulations relating to safety
and security of transportation of such materials.
12. The primary responsibility for
nuclear safety and nuclear security rests with the individual states. In that
sense, NAM underlines that the states with nuclear power programs have a
central role in their own countries in ensuring the application of the
highest standards. NAM also emphasizes that the IAEA is the sole
intergovernmental organization within the UN system with the mandate and
expertise to deal with the technical subjects of nuclear safety and nuclear
security.
13. NAM reaffirms the inviolability of
peaceful nuclear activities and that any attack or threat of attack against
peaceful nuclear facilities � operational or under construction- constitutes
a grave violation of international law, principles and purposes of the UN
Charter and regulations of the IAEA. NAM recognizes the urgent need for a
comprehensive multilaterally negotiated instrument prohibiting attacks or
threat of attacks on nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful uses of nuclear
energy.
Messrs. Co-chairs,
14. NAM stresses its concern at the
threat to humanity posed by the continued existence of nuclear weapons and of
their possible use or threat of use. NAM reaffirms that the total elimination
of nuclear weapons is the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat
of use of nuclear weapons.
15. NAM reaffirms its principled
positions on nuclear disarmament, which remains its highest priority, and on
the related issue of nuclear non-proliferation in all its aspects. NAM
stresses the importance that efforts aiming at nuclear non-proliferation
should be parallel to simultaneous efforts aiming at nuclear disarmament.
16. NAM emphasizes that progress in
nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation in all its aspects is
essential to strengthening international peace and security.
17. NAM reiterates deep concern over the
slow pace of progress towards nuclear disarmament and the lack of progress by
the Nuclear-Weapon States (NWS) to accomplish the total elimination of their
nuclear arsenals in accordance with their relevant multilateral legal
obligations. The movement reaffirms the importance of the unanimous
conclusion of the ICJ (International Court of Justice) that there exists an
obligation to pursue in good faith and to bring to a conclusion negotiations
leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective
international control. In this regard, NAM underscores the urgent need to
commence and to bring to a conclusion negotiations on comprehensive and
complete nuclear disarmament without delay.
18. NAM reaffirms the importance of the
application of the principles of transparency, irreversibility, and
verifiability by the NWS in all measures related to the fulfillment of their
nuclear disarmament obligations.
19. Pending the total elimination of
nuclear weapons, NAM reaffirms the need for the conclusion of a universal,
unconditional, and legally binding instrument on negative security assurances
to all NNWS as a matter of high priority.
Messrs. Co-chairs,
20. NAM urges the UN Secretary General
and the co-sponsors of the 1995 Resolution on the Middle East, in
consultation with the states of the region, to exert utmost efforts in
ensuring the success of the Conference to be convened in 2012, to be attended
by all states of the Middle East on the establishment of a Middle East zone
free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction. NAM
stresses the need to avoid any further delay in convening this Conference.
21. NAM also demands (that) Israel, the
only country in the region that has not joined the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) nor declared its intention to do
so, to renounce possession of nuclear weapons, to accede to the NPT without
precondition and further delay, and to place promptly all its nuclear
facilities under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) full-scope
safeguards.
22. NAM reiterates that the issues
related to proliferation should be resolved through political and diplomatic
means, and that measures and initiatives taken in this regard should be
within the framework of international law, relevant conventions, and the UN
Charter, and should contribute to the promotion of international peace,
security, and stability.
23. Mindful of the threat posed to
humankind by the existing weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear
weapons and underlining the need for the total elimination of such weapons,
the movement reaffirms the need to prevent the emergence of new types of
weapons of mass destruction, and therefore supports the necessity of
monitoring the situation and triggering international action as required.
24. Finally, on behalf of the movement,
I express the hope that the secretary general will duly reflect these views
in his summary of today�s proceedings as well as the views of member states.
Any possible follow-up should be inclusive and member state driven.
Thank you, Messrs. Co-chairs.
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