Positive environment for nuclear NPT meeting

Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control Georgina te Heuheu is cautiously optimistic an upcoming nuclear non-proliferation meeting will provide a solid basis for a crucial meeting next year to work for a nuclear-free world.

The third and final Preparatory Committee meeting for the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference gets underway in New York today.

‘The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is the cornerstone of the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation system,' Mrs te Heuheu said.

‘The preparatory meeting will lay the ground work ahead of the five-yearly review of the NPT next year when progress toward a nuclear-free world will be reviewed.

‘I hope it provides agreement for a solid foundation for the Review Conference so it can get down to substantive work straight away.

‘The preparatory meeting will take place in a more positive international environment than for some years.

‘We were especially encouraged by the speech which President Obama gave in Prague a couple of weeks ago. His vision of a world free of nuclear weapons is one to which New Zealanders have aspired for many years.

‘But as important as US leadership is, progress cannot be expected without buy-in from all the nuclear-weapon states. A flexible and constructive approach from all NPT members - and above all a real desire to succeed - will be needed,' Mrs te Heuheu said.

The NPT is an agreement between five nuclear-weapon states (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) and non-nuclear-weapon states. In return for a commitment by states with nuclear weapons to reduce and ultimately eliminate them, those without nuclear weapons agree not to develop them.

In addition, the non-nuclear-weapon states will have access to the benefits of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Only India, Pakistan and Israel are not parties to the NPT.