Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Thank you Chair.
New Zealand is alarmed at the state of affairs in nuclear disarmament and arms control. Not only is a lack of progress glaringly evident in this domain over the last decade, we are seeing active reversals – developments we fear are contributing to the current negative security spiral between some nuclear-armed States.
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is the cornerstone of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. But after two five-yearly review cycles without result, there are few signs yet that the current eleventh review cycle will reverse this disturbing trend. There is now a stark difference between the aspirations of the Treaty and its full implementation which, along with nuclear non-proliferation and access to peaceful uses of nuclear technology, obliges states to negotiate in good faith on nuclear disarmament. Yet we see a dearth of progress in this regard.
The NPT was never intended to create a permanent entitlement for some States to retain nuclear weapons. We need to see evidence of practical commitment to the NPT’s nuclear disarmament obligation by the nuclear-weapon States for the health of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. Let me be clear that New Zealand considers this to be in the collective interest. Since the last NPT review conference, we and others have worked on proposals to improve transparency and reporting on nuclear disarmament, which we hope can achieve traction toward this end.
Meanwhile, the prominence of nuclear weapons in security doctrines increases. And massive investment in the modernisation and expansion of nuclear weapon-related capabilities continues, including expansion in nuclear arsenals – often without any corresponding transparency. Direct and indirect nuclear threats have become a feature of the rhetoric of certain nuclear-armed states, including against non-nuclear-weapon states that are complying with their NPT obligations.
All of these developments are of deep concern to us.
We call on the Parties to nuclear disarmament and arms control agreements to ensure they fully comply with them and, in the case of New START, to put in place a new successor agreement. We call on States to respect the norm against testing, and for those States that have not yet joined the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, or which de-ratified it in Russia’s case, to accede to it.
For New Zealand's part, we are resolved to continue to advocate for nuclear disarmament and engage constructively in good faith efforts to that end. Our firm conviction remains that the total elimination of nuclear weapons, in a verified and irreversible manner, is the only way to guarantee our collective safety from the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of their use, including the rising risk of nuclear war. So long as nuclear weapons exist, there is a risk they will be used.
In order to advance our collective understanding of the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences that would result from a nuclear war, New Zealand and Ireland are leading a new resolution to mandate a comprehensive and up-to-date scientific study on Nuclear War Effects and Scientific Research. We thank delegations for their detailed engagement, and we commend it for the widest possible support.
New Zealand is also leading this year’s resolution on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty, alongside Australia and Mexico. Given the extensive legacy of nuclear testing, including the inter-generational human and environmental impacts in the Pacific, we reiterate the importance of this Treaty and the work still required for entry into force. We call on States that have not joined the Treaty, or which de-ratified it in Russia’s case, to accede. And we urge all member States to support this resolution.
We reaffirm our commitment to the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone established under the Treaty of Rarotonga. This is a symbol of our region’s longstanding opposition to nuclear weapons, and it is our shared expectation that our region remains peaceful, stable and secure. We regard the recent termination of a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile test inside the Zone as a concerning and unwelcome development.
Chair,
Rather than wait for a hypothesised improved security environment, as some claim is necessary, nuclear arms control and disarmament-related actions and agreements are needed now. We acknowledge that initially these would almost certainly be modest. But they would contribute to building greater trust, and scope for new nuclear arms reductions with a view to their total elimination.
Over the course of this year, the New Agenda Coalition provided concrete recommendations to fulfil nuclear disarmament commitments, including in our resolution to this year’s First Committee, which we once again recommend to you. We also highlight resolutions on the ethical imperatives for nuclear disarmament, and on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, which New Zealand is pleased to co-sponsor.
Chair,
To conclude on a positive note, membership to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) continues to grow. We congratulate the Solomon Islands, Indonesia, and Sierra Leone as the most recent states to ratify this landmark Treaty.
New Zealand urges all countries to join the TPNW and pursue its objectives with us. We encourage your support for the corresponding resolution in this Committee.