2-27 May 2005, New York

 

1.Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

The Chinese Delegation hereby requests that the following elements be incorporated in the report of Main Committee II and the Final Document of the Review Conference.

1. Prevention of nuclear weapons proliferation is conducive to preserving regional and international peace and security. It is in the common interests, and is a shared responsibility of the international community.

2. Prevention of nuclear weapons proliferation is also an effective and necessary step towards complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. Efforts exerted by the international community to prevent nuclear weapons proliferation are an indispensable part of the international nuclear disarmament process.

3. All states should devote themselves to building a global security environment of cooperation and mutual trust, developing a security perception based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, and ensuring common security for all members of the international community; thereby removing motivations of states to acquire, develop or maintain nuclear weapons.

4. To achieve the goal of prevention of nuclear weapons proliferation, states, as equal members of the international community, should promote dialogue and cooperation as well as develop and improve international nuclear non-proliferation regimes.

5. All concerns related to proliferation of nuclear weapons should be addressed peacefully through political and diplomatic means within the framework of existing international laws. States should refrain from willful threat or use of force.

6. Double standards on nuclear non-proliferation must be discarded. It is essential to ensure the fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory nature of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. Efforts to strengthen the international nuclear non-proliferation regimes should follow the principle of multilateralism, and be carried out through broad consultations. Great importance should be attached and full play given to the role of the United Nation and other international organizations in these endeavors.

7. Nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy would promote each other. On the one hand, legitimate rights of using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes should be guaranteed, subject to full compliance with the nuclear non-proliferation obligations; while on the other, efforts should be made to prevent any country from engaging in proliferation activity under the pretext of peaceful use.

8. For the sake of the effectiveness and integrity of the NPT, each and every obligation of this treaty should be strictly abided by and fully implemented.

9. Universality of the NPT is an important component of preventing nuclear weapons proliferation. The accession to the NPT by Cuba and Timor Leste are welcome and appreciated in this regard. Countries that have not done so yet are urged to join the NPT as non-nuclear-weapon states as soon as possible and place all their nuclear facilities under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in accordance with the NPT provisions.

10. IAEA safeguards is an effective and significant means in preserving international nuclear non-proliferation regime. The universality of comprehensive safeguards agreements and additional protocols should be promoted.

11. All states should honestly implement Resolution 1540 of the United Nations Security Council and enhance and consolidate international cooperation on the basis of existing international law, so as to properly deal with illicit trafficking of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery, and related materials by non-state actors.

12. Measures should be taken to further strengthen nuclear export control regimes and to support efforts by the Zangger Committee and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in this regard.

13. Effective measures should be taken to guard against and counter nuclear terrorism, support IAEA efforts in preventing nuclear terrorism and to conclude negotiations on amendments to the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material at the earliest date.

2.Security Assurances

The Chinese Delegation hereby requests that the following elements be incorporated in the report of Main Committee I and the Final Document of the Review Conference.

1. In order to free the world from the threat of nuclear weapons and the risk of nuclear war, all nuclear weapons should be subjected to complete prohibition and thorough destruction. Before this objective is achieved, all nuclear-weapon states should undertake not to be the first to use nuclear weapons and not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones at any time and under any circumstances.

2. Legally binding security assurance by nuclear-weapon states to the non-nuclear-weapon states is conducive to strengthening the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. International legally binding instruments on these issues should be concluded as early as possible.

3. Nuclear-weapon states should lower the role of nuclear weapons in their national security strategies and not list any countries as targets of nuclear strike.

4. Nuclear-weapon states should support non-nuclear-weapon states' efforts to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones and undertake corresponding obligations.

5. The Conference on Disarmament should re-establish an ad hoc committee on negative security assurances and start substantive work and negotiations without delay.

3.Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy

The Chinese Delegation hereby requests that the following elements be incorporated in the report of Main committee III and the Final Document of the Review Conference.

1. It is one of the important objectives of the NPT to promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy and the relevant international cooperation. Enhanced efforts in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy are conducive to a comprehensive realization of all the objectives of the NPT and will be helpful in promoting nuclear disarmament and preventing nuclear weapons proliferation.

2. The prevention of nuclear weapons proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy are mutually complementary and inseparably linked with each other. Non-proliferation efforts should not undermine the legitimate rights of countries, especially the developing countries, to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

3. A proper balance between the safeguards and the international cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will entail more chance for active support of and participation in the IAEA's activities.

4. Technical assistance to the developing countries on peaceful uses of nuclear energy should be further strengthened.

5. Adequate fund should be guaranteed for IAEA's promotional and technical cooperation activities. All states parties should contribute to the Technical Cooperation Fund in full and in time.

6. Governments should take primary responsibility of physical protection of nuclear material and facilities. International cooperation in this field should be strengthened and supported, including the efforts by IAEA. Resources requires to achieve these goals should be allocated through means other than compromising the key activities of IAEA, particularly its promotional activities.

4.Nuclear Disarmament and

Reduction of the Danger of Nuclear War

The Chinese Delegation hereby requests that the following elements be incorporated in the report of Main Committee I and the Final Document of the Review Conference.

1. A security concept based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation should be pursued, so as to ensure common security for all and create a favorable regional and international environment for nuclear disarmament.

2. The international legal framework governing arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation should be preserved, and the predictability of the development in international security should be enhanced.

3. Adhering to multilateralism is the right path to maintaining and promoting international arms control and disarmament, including nuclear disarmament.

4. Efforts in nuclear disarmament, preventing proliferation of nuclear weapons and peaceful uses of nuclear energy are mutually complementary and reinforcing.

5. The goal of complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons should be achieved at an early date and an international legal instrument thereupon should be concluded, thus realizing a world free of nuclear weapons.

6. Nuclear disarmament should be a just and reasonable process of gradual reduction towards a downward balance.

7. States possessing the largest nuclear arsenals bear special responsibility for nuclear disarmament and should take the lead in drastically reducing their nuclear arsenals in a verifiable, irreversible and legally binding way.

8. Nuclear disarmament undertakings, including intermediate steps, should follow the guidelines of promoting global strategic balance and stability and undiminished security for all.

9. The missile defense program should not affect global strategic balance and stability, or impair regional and international peace and stability.

10. Prevention of weaponization of and an arms race in outer space is in the interests of all countries, and the Conference on Disarmament (CD) is urged to negotiate and conclude relevant international legal instrument(s) as soon as possible so as to prevent the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space, and to promote nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation.

11. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is an important step in nuclear disarmament process, countries that have not done so to should sign and ratify the Treaty as soon as possible so that it may enter into force at an early date according to its provisions, and the nuclear–weapon States should continue to observe their moratoria on nuclear testing.

12. The CD should reach an agreed program of work so as to begin at an early date substantive work on nuclear disarmament, banning the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons, prevention of an arms race in outer space and negative security assurances.

13. The Conference agrees to undertake the following measures to promote nuclear disarmament, reduce the danger of nuclear war and diminish the role of nuclear weapons in national security policy:

• to abandon the policies of nuclear deterrence based on the first use of nuclear weapons and lowering the threshold of using nuclear weapons.
• to honor their commitment not to targeting their nuclear weapons against any countries, nor to list any countries as targets of nuclear strike.
• to undertake that at any time or under any circumstances, not to be the first to use nuclear weapons; not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones and conclude relevant international legal instrument thereupon.
• not to develop easy-to-use low-yield nuclear weapons.
• to withdraw and return home all the nuclear weapons deployed outside their own territories.
• to abandon the policy and practice of "nuclear umbrella" and "nuclear sharing".
• to take all necessary steps to avoid accidental or unauthorized launches of nuclear weapons.

14. The realization of universality of the NPT is of extreme importance and countries that have not yet done so should accede to the Treaty as non-nuclear-weapon states at an early date.

5.Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone

The Chinese Delegation hereby requests that the following elements be incorporated in the report of Main Committee II and the Final Document of the Review Conference.

1. Nuclear-weapon-free zones are of great significance in promoting nuclear disarmament, preventing proliferation of nuclear weapons and enhancing regional and global peace and stability.

2. All nuclear-weapon states should undertake unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones, and conclude international legal instrument thereupon.

3. The guideline on establishing nuclear-weapon-free zone adopted by the United Nations Disarmament Commission in 1999 should be honestly observed.

4. The steps taken by the non-nuclear-weapon states concerned since 2000 to establish new nuclear-weapon-free zones are welcome and should be supported. Non-nuclear-weapon states should be encouraged to continue to make efforts and advance proposals on establishing new nuclear-weapon-free zones.

5. The international community should support efforts made by states of the regions concerned to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones in accordance with the regional situation and on a voluntary basis.

6. The nuclear-weapon states should respect the legal status of nuclear-weapon-free zones, and undertake corresponding obligations in a legally binding manner.

7. The establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones and the signature and ratification of the protocols to nuclear-weapon-free-zone treaties by the nuclear-weapon states have played important roles in extending security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon states in the zones concerned. The nuclear-weapon states should take effective measures to carry out their security assurances stipulated in all nuclear-weapon-free-zone treaties and relevant protocols.

6.Nuclear Issues in the Middle East

The Chinese Delegation hereby requests that the following elements be incorporated in the report of Main Committee II and the Final Document of the Review Conference.

1. Regional security and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including nuclear weapons, are closely interrelated. Therefore, all the parties concerned should make further efforts to promote the peace process in the Middle East in a spirit of reconciliation, in order to enhance substantively the peace and stability in the region. Supports should be given to the United Nations, in particular the Security Council, in playing a more active role in Middle East peace process. The parties concerned should seize the favorable opportunities to pursue a final proper solution to the Middle East questions on the basis of relevant resolutions of the United Nations (UN) and the principle of "land for peace".

2. The proposals of and efforts by Middle East countries to establish a zone free of nuclear weapons and other WMDs in the Middle East should be supported. Concrete efforts should be made to promote the establishment of such a zone in accordance with the UN General Assembly resolutions, the Resolution on the Middle East adopted at the 1995 NPT Review Conference, and relevant provisions of the Final Document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference.

3. The Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved reasonably through dialogue within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran should be encouraged to continue its comprehensive cooperation with the IAEA in order to solve all the outstanding issues properly. Supports should be given to Iran and the three European Union countries, supported by the High Representative, in their negotiations on a long-term solution. The resolves of Iran and EU to handle this issue through negotiations are appreciated. We hope that the negotiations will have concrete results at an early date.

4. Libya's abandonment of its WMD programmes and acceptance of IAEA inspections is a remarkable achievement of international efforts in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons through peaceful means. Libya's decision is of great significance to consolidating and strengthening the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.

5. Israel should access to the NPT as a non-nuclear-weapon state and place all its nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards without delay. The states concerned in this region should sign and ratify Comprehensive Safeguard Agreement with IAEA and the additional protocol. All these measures are essential for strengthening the international non-proliferation regime and establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons or other WMDs in the Middle East.