STATEMENT BY MS ANDREA LEONG, DELEGATE TO THE 72nd SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY THEMATIC DISCUSSION ON CLUSTER ONE: NUCLEAR WEAPONS, 12 OCTOBER 2017

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 to a successful conclusion of the meeting.

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

Mr Chairman,

3.       The pathway to nuclear disarmament has been fraught with challenges since the first General Assembly resolution in 1946. While some progress has been achieved over the past 72 years, it seems that for every step forward, we see other setbacks. While progress has been slow, we must continue to show resolve and willingness to come to the table for dialogue, especially as the security environment remains uncertain, and when, as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “global anxieties about nuclear weapons are at their highest levels”.

Mr Chairman,

4.       Singapore believes that there are several concrete steps that we can take to advance nuclear disarmament. First, States must maintain and strengthen commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which is the cornerstone of the international disarmament and the non-proliferation regime. Singapore remains committed to the objectives and the three mutually-reinforcing pillars of the NPT. We must work towards the universalisation of the NPT, and find a way to involve nuclear weapons possessing states that fall outside the ambit of the NPT in disarmament discussions.

5.       Looking ahead, we must lay the groundwork to ensure the success of the Tenth NPT Review Conference in 2020, after making little headway during the last Review Conference. The first Preparatory Committee held in May this year made little substantive progress on issues such as the implementation of the disarmament-related steps agreed to in the action plan adopted by consensus at the 2010 Review Conference. More should be done at the Second Preparatory Committee meeting next year to overcome the divisiveness and mistrust between the Nuclear Weapon States and Non-nuclear Weapon States, as part of our collective efforts to uphold the legitimacy and relevance of the NPT.

6.       Second, we must continue to work towards the entry into force of the Comprehensive-Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). The Tenth Conference on Facilitating Entry into Force of the CTBT was held just last month. This conference has been held ten times too many. While the established norms against testing are reassuring, they do not replace the need for a legally binding instrument to ensure that the solidity of this norm is never tested, especially in our fragile security environment. We strongly urge the eight remaining Annex 2 states to sign and ratify the CTBT.

7.       Third, we need to strengthen support for 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 Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty, which entered into force twenty years ago. Singapore will continue to work closely with the Nuclear Weapon States to resolve outstanding issues, and to work towards the collective signing and ratification of the Protocol to the SEANWFZ Treaty by the Nuclear Weapon States without reservations.

8.       Fourth, we need to continue to work on our common goal of establishing a world free of nuclear weapons.  The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) is one example of the drive towards this goal. Singapore participated constructively in the negotiations, and we regret that our views were ultimately not taken on board. Singapore remains fully committed to the ultimate goal of a world free from nuclear weapons. The priority for us now is not to lose sight of the ultimate endeavour. Therefore, we need to find realistic and complementary ways within the disarmament architecture to realise that endeavour. This will not be easy, given the diametrically differing opinions articulated through the course of our debates.

Mr Chairman,

9.       Finally, we need to support other useful initiatives, such as the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), that can complement and contribute to efforts at achieving our goal of nuclear disarmament. This August, Singapore hosted the PSI Operational Experts Group meeting. Experts from 18 countries were brought together to discuss key counter-proliferation policy issues. The meeting discussed concrete ways to strengthen outreach as well as modernise the initiative. Singapore’s support of this initiative demonstrates our commitment to strengthen international cooperation to disrupt the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their related material.

Mr Chairman,

10.     There are various avenues for progress ahead of us. In 2018, a high-level international conference will be convened to evaluate the progress we have made towards nuclear disarmament and in 2020, a Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT. The Fourth Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament is also on the horizon.  Singapore is committed to keeping an open mind and working constructively during our deliberations, we urge our fellow delegates to do the same. We have a common goal which has the potential to transcend national boundaries and affect generations to come.

11.     Thank you, Mr Chairman.

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