Ministers' urgent call for unity of the State Parties in the 2010 NPT Review Conference
In support of the vision of a world without nuclear weapons

May 27, 2010

We, Foreign Ministers of Australia, Austria, Germany, Japan and Republic of Korea and Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control of New Zealand reaffirm our shared commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as the cornerstone of the international non-proliferation regime and the essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. In this spirit, we strongly endorse the views expressed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message of May 26 to the President of the 2010 NPT Review Conference

We emphasize that the Conference offers us the opportunity to respond effectively to the mounting challenges to the global non-proliferation regime and to reaffirm the authority of the Treaty. Following the setbacks in recent years, we reiterate the significance of achieving balanced outcomes at the Conference that will strengthen each of the mutually reinforcing three pillars of the Treaty and of agreeing by consensus on a forward-looking package of concrete steps.

However, after weeks of intense discussions, there still remain divergences in opinions over the draft final document. All of us must play our respective part. Nuclear Weapon States and Non-Nuclear Weapon States have their own obligations and responsibilities under the Treaty. We must overcome the difference and gather our political will for convergence of views. The world cannot afford a repetition of the failure we saw in 2005.

We call on all State Parties to the Treaty with the greatest sense of urgency to show maximum flexibility and spirit of cooperation. The Conference must send a strong political signal to reinforce momentum towards a world without nuclear weapons. Let us work hard in the remaining days ahead to ensure that we seize this opportunity to provide a safer and more peaceful world without nuclear weapons for all citizens and for future generations.

Stephen Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australia
Michael Spindelegger, Minister for European and International Affairs, Austria
Guido Westerwelle, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Germany
Katsuya Okada, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan
Georgina te Heuheu, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, New Zealand
Yu Myung-hwan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Republic of Korea