Kuwait has welcomed efforts resulted in the adoption of the Convention on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (CPNW). This came in a speech delivered on Tuesday by Kuwait’s Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna Sadeq Marafi during the meeting of the third Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
Marafi stressed Kuwait’s firm stance towards international peace and security as well as the issues related to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. This is based on Kuwait’s absolute respect of international conventions and its belief in backing and maintaining them, he said.
The world agrees that the NPT is the cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament system, he said. He added that it is urgently needed today to reaffirm the credibility of this treaty and maintain its effectiveness, mainly in the face of developments as the world is about to mark the 15th anniversary of the NPT.
Maintaining this treaty is a responsibility of all people, he said, referring to rapid and dangerous developments over the last period as some nuclear-weapon states declared they would continue developing and modernizing their nuclear arsenals. He stressed that Kuwait strongly condemns any nuclear experiments contribute to undermining human safety, and any behaviors or provocations aiming to harm international peace and security.
Marafi also noted that Kuwait underlined the importance of achieving the universality of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and accelerating the treaty be in force as soon as possible, through the ratification by countries, mainly nuclear-weapon states. He indicated that the commitment of non-nuclear-weapon states parties to the NPT to non- proliferation was proof of their abidance by to the treaty and their belief in the dangers of nuclear weapons.He called on all countries to join the treaty, adding that Kuwait contributed to efforts by the Arab countries to implement the 1995 resolution and establish a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.
Marafie pointed out that the 2010 Review Conference approved a plan of action to execute the Middle East resolution.The conference assigned UN Secretary-General and the three countries, which endorsed the move, to hold a conference on establishing the zone, he made clear.The absence of the political will and seriousness of all parties assigned – and Israel – to hold the conference led to the failure of holding the conference as planned and adjourned it indefinitely, he said.
The 1995 resolution on the Middle East, on which the indefinite extension of the NPT was made, will remain valid until its goals and objectives are achieved, he noted.Kuwait affirmed its commitment to the outcomes of the Review Conferences of 1995, 2000 and 2010, Marafie said. He stressed the need of holding the conference with the participation of all concerned states in general and the three sponsors of the 1995 resolution in particular by the end of this year to ensure that the 2020 Review Conference would produce positive results that would strengthen the role of the NPT.
All countries parties to the treaty have rights to develop studies and researches as well as own and use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, he stressed, warning that the re-interpretation of this right is prohibited. The exercise of this right should be fully consistent with the legal obligations of states and agreements signed with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said.
He commended the IAEA’s role, stressing the importance of the agency’s technical cooperation programs which contribute to building capacities of developing countries and ensure the transfer of nuclear technology with peaceful uses for achieving development objectives of these countries. He finally said that Kuwait has paid much attention to technical cooperation programs and contributed to supporting the agency’s activities.
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