(October 24, 2005, New York)

Mr. Chairman,

Before voting on the three nuclear disarmament draft resolutions A/C.1/60/L.36,A/C.1/60/L.4 and A/C.1/60/L.28, the Chinese delegation would like to explain its voting position in the context of China's basic positions and policy towards nuclear disarmament.

China has all along stood for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. China maintains that the following measures should be taken in order to further promote the process of nuclear disarmament:

First, an international legal instrument on the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons should be concluded at an early date.

Second, nuclear disarmament should be a just and reasonable process of gradual reduction towards a downward balance. The two states possessing the largest nuclear arsenals bear special and primary responsibilities for nuclear disarmament. They should earnestly comply with the treaties already concluded on reduction of nuclear weapons and further reduce their nuclear arsenals in a verifiable and irreversible manner so as to create conditions for achieving the ultimate goal of complete and thorough nuclear disarmament.

Third, before the goal of complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons is achieved, nuclear-weapon states should commit themselves to no first use of nuclear weapons and undertake unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones.

Fourth, nuclear-weapon states should abandon the policies of nuclear deterrence based on the first use of nuclear weapons and reduce the role of nuclear weapons in their national security.

Fifth, nuclear disarmament measures, including intermediate measures, should follow the guidelines of maintaining global strategic balance and stability and undiminished security for all.

Sixth, preventing the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space would be conducive to promoting the process of nuclear disarmament.

Seventh, the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva should reach an agreement on its program of work at an early date so as to establish Ad Hoc Committees on nuclear disarmament, security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon states, fissile material cut-off and prevention of an arms race in outer space, and start substantive work on these issues.

Mr. Chairman,

We support the main thrust, objective and content of the draft resolutions A/C.1/60/L.36,A/C.1/60/L.4 and A/C.1/60/L.28 on promoting nuclear disarmament and realizing a nuclear-weapon-free world at an early date. However, they have not fully reflected the basic principles of nuclear disarmament as mentioned above, thus there is still room for further improvement.

As for the draft resolution L.36, entitled "Nuclear disarmament", and L.4, entitled "Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments", we would vote in favor.

We have some reservations and will abstain on the draft resolution L. 28, entitled "Renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons", as a few measures it advocates are premature to be implemented under the current international situation.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.