The Fourth Asian Senior-level Talks on Non-Proliferation (ASTOP)

January 17, 2007

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will host the Fourth Asian Senior-level Talks on Non-Proliferation (ASTOP-IV) on January 25th (Thu) and 26th (Fri), 2007, at the Conference Room 893, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Director-General level government officials in charge of non-proliferation policies from the ASEAN member countries, Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, the United States, and Japan as the host, will be attending the meeting. Mr. Katsuhito ASANO, Senior Vice- Minister for Foreign Affairs, will give an opening statement. Ambassador Takeshi NAKANE, Director-General for Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Science of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, will chair the Talks.
Based on the common understanding that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery (missiles) and related materials and technologies constitutes a real threat to the peace and security of the Asian region and beyond, representatives from ASEAN, other Asian countries and countries that are deeply involved in the regional security are expected to raise their awareness of the issues related to the non-proliferation efforts in the region, and further, exchange opinions concerning their future cooperation in this area.
Building on the three previous ASTOP meetings, the following issues will be discussed:
- (1) Significance of strengthening the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Additional Protocol;
- (2) Implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions adopted last year concerning North Korea and Iran;
- (3) Assurance of Nuclear Fuel Supply;
- (4) Challenges for the domestic implementation of non-proliferation measures, and prospects for further cooperation, focusing on the strengthening of export control systems, in particular, to overcome those challenges; and
- (5) Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).

(Reference)

The first meeting of the Asian Senior-Level Talks on Non-Proliferation (ASTOP) was held in Tokyo on November 13, 2003, the second on February 9, 2005, and the third on February 13, 2006.

(END)

Back to Index