EU Presidency Statement - African Nuclear-Weapon Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba)

Mr. Chairman,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union on the resolution L.11 entitled "African Nuclear-Weapon Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba)". The Acceding Countries (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia), the Associated Countries of Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey and the EFTA Countries of Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this explanation of vote.

The EU attaches great importance to the development and strengthening wherever possible of internationally recognised Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones, based on arrangements freely arrived at among the States of the region. Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones enhance regional and global peace and security and are a means to promote nuclear disarmament, stability and confidence. We welcome and support the signature and ratification by the nuclear-weapon States of the relevant protocols of Nuclear-Weapon Free Zones and look forward to the entry into force of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty at an early date.

Therefore, the EU welcomes the efforts undertaken this year at the First Committee to preserve consensus on this resolution and is satisfied that this has been the case.

Nevertheless, as contemplated in the guidelines adopted by the UNDC in its 1999 substantive session on the «Establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among the States of the region concerned », every zone is the outcome of specific circumstances and must reflect the diversity of situations existing within it. Every nuclear-weapon-free zone must be a well defined geographical entity.

The EU shares Spain's legitimate concern not to be singled out in this resolution. The EU calls upon the parties concerned to resume their efforts to find a solution acceptable to all of them that takes into account the specific circumstances and the diversity of situations existing within the area of application of the Treaty.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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