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Statement by H.E. Mr. Sumio Tarui
AMBASSADOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF JAPAN
TO THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT

SECOND SESSION OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE
FOR THE 2010 REVIEW CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE TREATY
ON THE NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS (NPT)

- CLUSTER II SPECIFIC ISSUE: -
REGIONAL ISSUES, INCLUDING WITH RESPECT TO THE MIDDLE EAST
AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1995 MIDDLE EAST RESOLUTION

Geneva, 5 May 2008

Mr. Chairman,

The importance of the NPT in strengthening regional security should be emphasized. It is necessary for States, when discussing effective implementation of the NPT, its universality and compliance, to take into consideration the challenges of implementing the NPT in certain regions, such as the Middle East, South Asia, Iran, and the DPRK.

Lack of progress in the establishment of a weapons-of-mass-destruction-free zone in the Middle East poses a serious problem for the credibility of the NPT. Japan supported and continues to fully support the 1995 Resolution on the Middle East, which calls for the establishment of an effectively verifiable Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction, nuclear, chemical and biological, and their delivery systems.

The establishment of a zone free of nuclear and all other weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems in the Middle East will ultimately require the adherence by all states in the region to the NPT, the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The adherence to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) by all state in the reason would also contribute to achieving this goal. Japan has been actively taking part in the international efforts to encourage all concerned states to join these legal instruments.

In this context, Japan has urged Israel to accede to the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon State, utilizing such opportunities as ministerial visits and bilateral talks on disarmament and non-proliferation. We have also encouraged Israel to join other disarmament and non-proliferation regimes, thereby taking an initiative for building confidence in the region.

At the same time, we urge other Middle Eastern countries to participate in disarmament and non-proliferation regimes such as the CTBT, the BWC, and the CWC in order to foster an environment conducive to the creation of a WMD free zone in the region.

Japan firmly supports the Middle East peace process, which is a key to achieving regional stability. Such stability is a vital factor in establishing conditions for a WMD free zone. Therefore, we will persist in our efforts towards the realization of peaceful co-existence and co-prosperity between the two states, Israel and Palestine, through political dialogue with the two states and measures to promote confidence-building, as well as assistance to the Palestinians.

Mr. Chairman,

The challenge posed by Iran's non-compliance with the IAEA Statute is a concern to all of us.

It is regrettable that, in defiance of decisions of UN Security Council Resolutions 1737, 1747, and 1803, Iran continues to conduct enrichment-related activities, to work on heavy water related projects, and to suspend implementation of the Additional Protocol and is yet to ratify the Protocol.

In particular, it is a matter of serious concern that Iran is conducting R&D activities on a new generation of centrifuges and expanding its enrichment-related activities by accelerating its work at Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz.

In this context, Japan welcomes the UN Security Council Resolution 1803 adopted on 3rd of March in New York. Japan urges Iran to take seriously the determination of the international community demonstrated in this resolution and to fully comply with the requirements of this resolution.

In order for Iran to restore the international community's confidence and thereby exercise its right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, Iran needs to suspend its enrichment-related activities and its work on heavy water related projects. It also needs to implement and ratify the Additional Protocol, take other transparency measures and fully cooperate with the IAEA, in accordance with the relevant IAEA Board and UN Security Council resolutions.

Japan continues to believe that this issue should be resolved peacefully through negotiations and strongly urges Iran to comply with all relevant resolutions and come back to negotiation process without further delay.

Mr. Chairman,

Let me now turn to the DPRK's nuclear issue, which continues to represent a serious challenge to the global non-proliferation regime.

Japan expresses its gravest concern over the DPRK's nuclear programs.

Despite its commitment in the Six-Party Talks agreement reached on 3 October 2007, to provide a complete and correct declaration of all its nuclear programs by 31 December 2007, the DPRK has not yet done so.

The declaration needs to be provided as soon as possible and should address three areas comprehensively, namely, the nuclear weapons program, the plutonium program and the uranium enrichment program. The issue of proliferation should also be clarified.

Above all, it is important that the DPRK implement its commitments fully. Japan considers that further work at the Six-Party Talks is needed in order to realize the complete implementation of the "second-phase actions" and, furthermore, the "abandoning" of "all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs" agreed in the Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks in September 2005. Japan will continue to work together with other partners at the Six-Party Talks towards the full implementation of the Joint Statement as a whole.

Furthermore, it is important that the DPRK comply with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, acting strictly in accordance with the obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, returning to the terms and conditions of its IAEA Safeguards Agreement, and providing the IAEA with transparency measures, including access to individuals, documentation, equipments and facilities as may be required and deemed necessary by the IAEA.

Mr. Chairman,

With regard to South Asia, Japan appreciates efforts made by both India and Pakistan to promote confidence-building and thereby lessen the tensions between them. At the same time, Japan continues to urge both states to accede to the NPT as non-nuclear-weapon States promptly and without condition. We also believe that all the States not parties to the Treaty should take practical disarmament measures in support of the NPT. In this context, we urge India and Pakistan to continue their commitment to the moratorium on nuclear tests, and to sign and ratify the CTBT. As regards the work of the Conference on Disarmament, Japan encourages both states to continue cooperation and consultation with other countries in seeking actively an immediate commencement of the negotiations on an FMCT without preconditions, and pending the entry into force of the treaty, to declare a moratorium on the production of fissile material for any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

Thank you very much.