Malta co-sponsors Statement on the Nuclear Tests by India and Pakistan

Malta joined 45 other countries, Members and Observers of the Conference on Disarmament in a Statement to the Plenary Meeting of the Conference held in Geneva on the 2nd June 1998, in expressing alarm and deep concern at nuclear testing conducted by India and Pakistan.

New Zealand, speaking on behalf of the other forty-five countries, stated that they condemn all nuclear testing and consider such acts to be contrary to the international consensus which bans the testing of nuclear weapons and other explosive devices. The tests undertaken by India and Pakistan's decision to respond with its own tests, blatantly undermine the international regime of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, threaten the process of disarmament and the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons all together.

India and Pakistan were called upon to announce immediately a cessation to all further testing of these weapons, renounce their nuclear programmes and sign and ratify, unconditionally, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

The countries that co-sponsored this Statement together with Malta, included the following: United States, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Ukraine, Canada, Greece, Slovakia, Hungary, Sweden, Belarus, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Norway, Philippines, Denmark, Italy, Romania, Croatia, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Japan, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Mongolia, Russian Federation, Republic of Korea, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Chile, Ireland, Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, Portugal, Slovenia, France, China, Turkey, Australia, and New Zealand.

The co-sponsors of the Statement called upon India and Pakistan to abandon immediately the course of action they are pursuing and to settle their security concerns and differences through political engagement.

Malta's co-sponsorship of the initiative in the Conference of Disarmament follows the two official statements issued by the Government of Malta on 13th May and 1st June 1998 in relation to the nuclear testing carried out by India and Pakistan respectively, and in line with Malta's clear, consistent and unequivocal position on the question of nuclear weapons.

The full text of the statement delivered by New Zealand on behalf of the forty-five countries follows:-



STATEMENT

The following Member States and Observers of the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva

(as per attached list of countries in press release, namely: United States, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Ukraine, Canada, Greece, Slovakia, Hungary, Sweden, Belarus, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Norway, Philippines, Denmark, Italy, Romania, Croatia, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Japan, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Mongolia, Russian Federation, Republic of Korea, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Chile, Ireland, Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, Portugal, Slovenia, France, China, Turkey, MALTA, Australia, and New Zealand)

are alarmed and deeply concerned at nuclear testing by India and Pakistan.

They condemn all nuclear testing and consider such acts to be contrary to the international consensus which bans the testing of nuclear weapons and other explosives devices.

The tests undertaken by India and Pakistan's decision to respond with its own tests, blatantly undermine the international regime of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. The actions of India and Pakistan threaten and undermine the process of disarmament and the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons all together.

The testing of nuclear weapons by India and Pakistan is totally irreconcilable with claims by both countries that they are committed to nuclear disarmament.

International security will not be enhanced by provocative and dangerous acts. Nor will regional or global security be improved or maintained by indulging in competitive manoeuvres to further develop nuclear capability and delivery systems. The approach that India and Pakistan seem determined to pursue belongs to a by-gone age.

Peace in the Asia region is a global concern. Tensions will only be resolved permanently through constructive dialogue and negotiation.

It is now crucial that India and Pakistan announce immediately a cessation to all further testing of these weapons, renounce their nuclear weapons programmes and sign and ratify, unconditionally, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. This is a matter of urgency and essential for generating the confidence necessary for security differences to be resolved through dialogue and negotiation.

We also call on India and Pakistan to accede, without delay, to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, to join all States in ensuring the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and to engage in negotiations to conclude a ban on the production of fissile material. These are further essential steps that should be taken in the process of working collectively and constructively towards the elimination of nuclear weapons.

This is a moment for all countries to exercise calm and maximum restraint. We call on India and Pakistan to abandon immediately the course of action they are pursuing and to settle their security concerns and differences through political engagement. Such an approach will have the full support on the international community which is striving towards nuclear disarmament.