Political Declaration on Prevention of Proliferation of
Weapons of Mass Destruction and Their Means of Delivery

July 24, 2003

1. ASEM Foreign Ministers emphasize the importance of continuing efforts on disarmament and prevention of proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons; and related materials, equipment, and technologies in accordance with relevant international conventions in the interest of maintaining international peace and security. They also stress the importance of preventing terrorists from acquiring or developing them. Thus, Ministers emphasize the importance of comprehensive and non-discriminatory implementation of relevant international conventions. Ministers also declare their sincere commitment to gaining wider adherence to these conventions. Ministers commit themselves to pursuing greater efforts in this area.
2. Ministers reaffirm the crucial importance of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), as well as of its universalization and of full compliance with it, as the cornerstone of the international regime for nuclear non-proliferation and as an essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. In this regard, Ministers urge all State-Parties to fulfill their obligations as agreed at the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference and the 2000 NPT Review Conference. They also stress the importance of the success of the Seventh Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to be convened in 2005.
3. Ministers exchange views on the importance and urgency of signatures and ratifications, without delay and without conditions and in accordance with constitutional processes, to achieve the earliest entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test -Ban Treaty (CTBT) as well as a moratorium on nuclear-weapon-test explosions or any other nuclear explosions pending entry into force of that Treaty.
4. Ministers welcome the Joint Ministerial Statement, released in September 2002 at the Friends of the CTBT Foreign Ministers' Meeting, and call for efforts toward the success of the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of CTBT to be convened this year in accordance with Article XIV of the Treaty.
5. Ministers stress the importance of universal adherence to, and of full compliance with, IAEA safeguards agreements and, where applicable, their addtional protocols; in this respect they welcome the successful convening of a series of seminars and conferences aiming at further reinforcement of IAEA safeguards system.
6. Ministers are determined to continue their joint efforts to promote universality and full implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Ministers welcome the success of the First Review Conference of the CWC, and are also determined to further cooperate in fully implementing the provisions of BWC, including the work program for the next three years agreed among the State-Parties in November 2002.
7. Ministers are deeply concerned about the threat posed by proliferation of ballistic missiles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction. In this context, Ministers take note of the launch of The Hague Code of Conduct against the proliferation of Ballistic Missiles (HCOC) in November 2002, while recognizing the need for a comprehensive approach towards missiles, in a balanced and non-discriminatory manner, as a contribution to international peace and security.
8. Ministers are resolved to promote dialogue and cooperation on non-proliferation, disarmament and the peaceful uses of nuclear, biological and chemical technologies between the two regions and among the countries within the regions so as to counter the threat posed by proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery means in the regions.
9. Ministers stress the importance of effective export controls in preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction, missiles and their related materials, equipments and technologies. At the same time, Ministers agree that export control should not hamper cooperation and assistance in material, equipment and technologies for peaceful purposes.