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

April 11, 2008

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hold the Fifth Asian Senior-level Talks on Non-Proliferation (ASTOP-V) on Friday, April 25th, at Mita House, Tokyo.
Senior government officials in charge of non-proliferation policies from the ASEAN member countries, and Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, the United States, and Japan, the host, will be attending the meeting. Mr. Hitoshi KIMURA, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, will give an opening statement. Ambassador Takeshi NAKANE, Director-General for Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Science of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 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 Asian countries, including ASEAN members, and countries which are deeply involved in the regional security are expected to delve into the issues related to strengthening non-proliferation efforts in the region, and exchange opinions concerning future cooperation in this area.
Building on the four previous ASTOP meetings, the following issues will be discussed:

(1) The current situation of non-proliferation (North Korean and Iranian Nuclear Issues)

(2) The nuclear non-proliferation regime in Asian countries (universalization of the IAEA Additional Protocol, domestic implementation of a series of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on non-proliferation, strengthening of export control systems)

(3) New efforts in the full of non-proliferation (Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), the 2005 Protocol of the International Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA Convention))

The issue of non-proliferation will be taken up as one of the main agenda items in the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit, which will be chaired by Japan this year. Therefore, the results of the Talks, including matters of concern expressed by Asian countries with respect to non-proliferation, will be reflected in the forthcoming discussion on non-proliferation in the G8 process.

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