STATEMENT BY MR JOHNSON SEAH, DELEGATE TO THE 69th SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY THEMATIC DISCUSSION ON OTHER WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION FIRST COMMITTEE, 27 OCTOBER 2014

Mr Chairman,

1                 Allow me first to congratulate you and your bureau on your appointments. My delegation looks forward to working with you, and all other colleagues.

Supports Non-proliferation of WMDs

2                  Singapore supports disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Efforts towards nuclear disarmament, global and regional non-proliferation initiatives, and confidence building measures complement one another, and should, as far as possible, be pursued simultaneously.

3                 As a State Party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction, and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction, Singapore was the first country in Southeast Asia to put in place a stringent export control regime.  This regulates the flow of strategic goods, and safeguards against the illicit movement of goods and technology to do with the development, production and use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, missiles capable of delivering such weapons, and conventional arms and military equipment.

4                 We therefore welcome the completion of the mandate and operations of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and United Nations (OPCW-UN) Joint Mission on the elimination of Syrian chemical weapons on 30 September 2014, and acknowledge the efforts made by all parties involved.  We see a greater urgency to address the threat of non-State Actors acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction, given the brutal aggression and ambition of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Middle East. Singapore has consistently co-sponsored the United Nations General Assembly resolution on Measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, and will continue to do so.

Multilateral Cooperation

5                 As a small, highly globalised state, Singapore is aware that the international security challenges that we face today cannot be resolved through unilateral action. Singapore is therefore active in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which was established in 1994 as a platform for ASEAN to intensify its external dialogues in political and security matters, build cooperative ties with states in the Asia-Pacific region, and foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues. The ARF[1] comprises twenty-seven member States today and provides a platform for confidence-building measures and multilateral cooperation on non-proliferation and disarmament issues, through capacity building programmes and open discussions to coordinate efforts and build common understanding.

6                 The ARF hopes to institutionalise the discussion on non-proliferation and disarmament issues around the three central pillars of the global non-proliferation regime: preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, namely, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN), promoting the peaceful use of nuclear technology, and advancing global disarmament efforts. 

National Efforts

7                  As a strategically located global transhipment hub, Singapore recognises that we have an important part to play in preventing the proliferation of WMD, their delivery systems and related materials. Our Strategic Goods (Control) Act regulates the flow of strategic goods, and safeguards against the illicit movement of goods and technology that relate to the development, production, and use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. It is expanded and updated annually to ensure that it remains robust, and consistent with international best practices. Singapore actively participates in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), which encourages international cooperation in the interdiction of WMD-related material shipments, in accordance with relevant international law and national legislation.

8                  Singapore welcomes the unanimous adoption of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2178, which aims to prevent and suppress the recruiting, organising, transporting or equipping of foreign terrorist fighters who plan to commit terrorist acts in other States.  Singapore co-sponsored this resolution, as we believe that foreign terrorist fighters are a clear threat to international peace and security.  Singapore firmly supports all international and regional cooperation to combat terrorism, including the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-terrorism strategy, and all UNSC resolutions related to counter-terrorism.  We will play our part to counter the threat of global terrorism.

Conclusion

Mr Chairman,

9                 With the continuation of armed conflict in Ukraine and unrest in the Middle East, we, as members of the international community, need to demonstrate our commitment to disarmament.  In this era of increasing interdependence, Singapore calls upon the international community to implement effective and useful disarmament and non-proliferation regimes, and continue to work together to achieve a more peaceful global environment for us and our children.

10                Thank you.    

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[1] Australia,  Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, China, European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea, Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan,  Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russian Federation, Singapore,  Sri Lanka,  Thailand, Timor Leste, United States, and Vietnam.