STATEMENT BY MR BENSON LIM, DELEGATE TO THE 71ST SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY THEMATIC DISCUSSION ON CLUSTER 1: NUCLEAR WEAPONS, FIRST COMMITTEE

Mr Chairman,

1                 Please allow me to congratulate you and your colleagues on your appointments in the First Committee Bureau.  My delegation is confident that you will lead the committee towards a successful conclusion of the meeting.

2                 Singapore aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Philippines, on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Mr Chairman,

3                 This year marks the 40th anniversary of Singapore’s ratification of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).  We remain committed to the objectives and the three mutually-reinforcing pillars of the NPT.  We have supported efforts to enhance the non-proliferation regime.  Singapore participated constructively in the series of Nuclear Security Summits (NSS), which have made a significant contribution to increasing our preparedness against nuclear terrorism.  In September this year, Singapore hosted Exercise Deep Sabre 2016.  This is our third multinational Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) exercise and featured a nuclear terrorism scenario.  More than 800 personnel from 21 countries participated in this exercise.  These exercises form part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen international cooperation and vigilance against the increasing risks of a terrorist attack involving WMD.

4                 Singapore reaffirms the inalienable right to the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology as provided under the NPT.  We recognise the central role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and strongly support the work of the IAEA in setting international norms and standards on nuclear safety and security issues.  Singapore is committed to working with the IAEA to assist fellow developing countries in the safe and peaceful application of nuclear technologies.  Under the enhanced Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Singapore-IAEA Third Country Training Programme, Singapore will jointly work with the IAEA to support nuclear-related capacity building throughout the Asia and the Pacific region and beyond.  To date, we have organised under the MOU 17 scientific visits, 92  fellowship attachments, and 3  regional training events in areas such as nuclear medicine, radiotherapy and radiation protection.  We will continue to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technologies.

Mr Chairman,

5                 Singapore believes that much more can be done on nuclear disarmament.  We propose four steps towards achieving our common goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. 

6                 First, Members States must look beyond the failure of the Ninth NPT Review Conference and work constructively to lay the groundwork to ensure that the next NPT Review Cycle will be successful.  As long as some countries possess nuclear weapons and others do not, a sense of insecurity will persist.  The lack of progress exacerbates the mistrust.  Nuclear Weapon States (NWS) need to do more to assure Non-Nuclear Weapon States that they are taking concrete steps towards nuclear disarmament.  One possible way is for the NWS to undertake commitments to significantly reduce their nuclear arsenals in a transparent, irreversible and verifiable manner.  We have to also continue to work towards the universalisation of the NPT as a matter of priority. 

7                 Second, Singapore takes note of the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 2310 and supports the call for all states that have either not signed or ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), particularly the eight remaining Annex 2 States, to do so without delay.  In August this year, CTBTO Executive Secretary Lassina Zerbo said that the CTBT is a “low hanging fruit”.  There is no reason why this low hanging fruit should not be harvested after twenty long years.  Its entry into force will bring us one step closer to a world without nuclear weapons.  It will be a small, but important step.   

8                 Third, we need to continue to consider pragmatic options to take our work on nuclear disarmament forward.  Singapore acknowledges the open and comprehensive work of the Open-Ended Working Group on Taking Forward Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament Negotiations (OEWG).  The OEWG discussed possible approaches to reach our common goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.  We recognise that the proposal for the General Assembly to convene a conference in 2017 to negotiate a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading to their total elimination, received widespread support in Geneva.  Singapore supports such a conference as a possible avenue to take multilateral disarmament negotiations forward.  Nevertheless, for any instrument to be effective, all relevant parties have to come on board, or at the very least, subscribe to its principles and objectives.  If not, the instrument will not be meaningful.  In this regard, we call on all relevant parties to engage in discussions constructively. 

9                 Lastly, Singapore supports the establishment of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones, which are pragmatic steps under Article VII of the NPT. We encourage efforts to achieve genuine and lasting peace in a nuclear-weapon-free Middle East through open and constructive dialogue involving all relevant parties.  Closer to home, Singapore has consistently emphasised our resolve to preserve Southeast Asia as a nuclear-weapon-free-zone.  We reaffirm our commitment to the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty.  Singapore will continue to work closely with the NWS to resolve outstanding issues, and to work towards the collective signing and ratification of the Protocol to the SEANWFZ Treaty by the NWS without reservations.

Mr Chairman,

10               Singapore urges delegates in the First Committee to keep an open mind and work constructively during our collective deliberations.  We should remind ourselves of the importance of setting aside self-interest in the hope of achieving a larger goal.  Let us strive to generate momentum towards a nuclear-weapon free world during this 71st UNGA session.

11               Thank you, Mr Chairman.

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