Thank you to the briefers: High Representative Nakamitsu, Executive Secretary Floyd and Ms. Magdalene Wangui Wanyaga.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty has been a centerpiece of the disarmament and non-proliferation regime for 25 years now. And although the Treaty has still not entered into force, it has established an important norm against nuclear tests.
Despite this, we cannot forget or ignore the utterly unacceptable human and environmental consequences of nuclear testing.
And this is also why a norm, or a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear testing, can never be a substitute for a comprehensive, universally binding, legal agreement. It remains imperative that we spare no effort to encourage further signatures and ratifications of the Treaty, so that it may enter into force as soon as possible. The 10th review conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, has an important role to play. State parties should reaffirm the essential role of the CTBT within the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime; and call for its entry into force without delay.
President,
We must also continue our efforts to complete the verification regime. There are encouraging signs. Even on a provisional basis, the monitoring and analytical elements of the verification regime have contributed to regional stability. And represent a significant confidence-building measure. The International Monitoring System - the IMS - and the International Data Centre - the IDC - have already brought tangible scientific and civil benefits: such as tsunami warning systems.
And Norway is proud to contribute. We have fulfilled our responsibilities under the IMS: there are six monitoring stations on Norwegian territory - all of which are transmitting their data continuously to the IDC. We also continue to contribute financially to CTBT capacity-building, including training courses for developing countries.
President,
Norway welcomes the appointment of Dr. Robert Floyd as Executive Secretary of the CTBTO. And I wish him the best of luck in leading efforts to ensure that the verification regime will be operational upon the Treaty’s entry into force. In the interim period, it is important to uphold the self-imposed moratorium on testing.
In this regard, Norway notes with regret the statement made by the DPRK in January of last year, in which it declared that it no longer considered itself bound by such a commitment. And we are gravely concerned about the DPRK’s publicly stated intentions, and continued efforts, to develop weapons of mass destruction. We urge the DPRK to abandon its nuclear and ballistic programmes- in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner - as outlined by several UN Security Council resolutions. We also urge the DPRK to re-commit to meaningful negotiations towards this end.
Finally President,
Allow me to underline the importance of innovative partnerships in order to achieve entry into force of the CTBT. This cannot be a government-only affair. We must involve civil society, academia, and the private sector if we want to achieve results.