Statement by Ambassador U Wunna Maung Lwin,Permanent Representative of the Union of Myanmar to the Conference on Disarmament

 (11 February 2008 )

Mr. President,

          Since I am taking the floor for the first time of the present session, I would, first of all, like to congratulate you, Mr. President on your assumption of the Presidency of the CD. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation for the excellent work that you and the members of P6 have done so far. I am sure that your collective leadership will bring tangible results that will bring CD back on the track and enable us to move forward.

          My delegation associates itself with the statement on nuclear disarmament delivered by Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Syria on behalf of the G21 on 26 February 2008.

Mr. President,

          Nuclear disarmament remains the highest priority on the international agenda of arms control and disarmament. This has also been consistent policy of our country. Nuclear weapons impinge on the security of all nations. We are of the view that the continued existence of nuclear weapons poses a grave danger to mankind. Therefore, it is our firm belief that the only effective defensive against nuclear catastrophe is the total elimination of these weapons.

          As Myanmar is fully aware of the priority and importance of nuclear disarmament to the international community, Myanmar has tabled a comprehensive draft resolution on “ Nuclear disarmament” at the General Assembly of the United Nations since 1995. Our resolution enjoys a broad support of cosponsors from NAM countries as well as other interested countries on Nuclear Disarmament. Resolution No. 62/42 entitled “ Nuclear disarmament” adopted by the Sixty-Second Session of the UN General Assembly last year is comprehensive in scope and includes essential interim steps for reducing the danger of nuclear weapons. In addition, it calls on the Conference on Disarmament to establish an ad hoc Committee to negotiate a phased program of nuclear disarmament.

          In this regard, my delegation reiterates its full support to the proposal of the G-21, as contained in documents, CD/ 1570 and CD/ 1571. We would like to suggest all the members of the Conference on Disarmament to revisit this proposal.

Mr. President,

          Myanmar consistently attaches paramount importance to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We believe that the two processes of nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation are substantively interrelated and mutually reinforcing and that these two processes must go hand in hand in a sustainable, balanced, coherent and effective manner. These are global issues affecting all of us and it is therefore the task of the international community as a whole to face these challenges and find ways and means to overcome them.

Mr. President,

As a state party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Myanmar is firmly committed to nuclear disarmament. There is, indeed, in the Final Document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference, the “unequivocal undertaking” by the nuclear weapon states to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament. The will to fulfil this “unequivocal undertaking” needs to be demonstrated by the full implementation of the “13 practical steps”. Progressive and systematic steps to dismantle and eliminate nuclear weapons, irreversibility of nuclear reduction and disarmament measures, further reductions of the operational status of nuclear weapons, diminishing the role of nuclear weapons, accountability and verifiability — all these must be an integral part of such a nuclear disarmament process.

Mr. President,

Pending the total elimination of nuclear weapons, we should aim, inter alia, at pursuing efforts on the following measures:  

-          A conclusion of a universal, unconditional and legally binding instruments on security assurances to Non-Nuclear Weapon States (NNWS).

-          Encouragement of nations to accede to the NPT which is a cornerstone of nuclear non-proliferation and essential foundation for the achieving nuclear disarmament.

-          Strict adherence to the provisions of the NPT by States Parties to the Treaty.

-          The establishment and strengthening of nuclear-weapon-free zones.  

-          Recognition and encouragement of unilateral measures taken by Nuclear Weapon States (NWS) for nuclear arms limitation and to urge them to take further steps in this regard.

-          Dealerting and deactivating immediately their nuclear weapons and to take other concrete measures to reduce further the operational status of their nuclear-weapon systems.

-          Diminishing the role of nuclear weapons in strategic doctrines and security policies to minimize the risk that these weapons will ever be used and to facilitate the process of their total elimination.

In our perception, these measures represent some practical important contribution towards nuclear disarmament.

Mr. President,

We take note with regret that the work programme of the CD could not be agreed upon by the member states. We also regret that the CD 2007 session was not able to submit its substantive report to the First Committee. In this regard, we are of the view that the parties concerned will demonstrate their unwavering commitments to the process of disarmament and exercise the firm political will to overcome this deadlock.

However, we would like to express our sincere appreciations to the Presidents of the CD in 2007 who had conducted intense consultations and attempted various initiatives in order to reach a consensus on a programme of work, inter alia, the convening of formal and informal plenary meetings and interactive sessions on issues of the agenda and other issues relevant to the the international security climate.

Mr. President,

It is our sincere hope that with the concerted efforts of the P6, the Conference will soon commence its substantive work during the 2008 session and that the CD could arrive at a decision to start negotiations at an early date on a phased program for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons with a specified framework of time including a Nuclear Weapons Convention.

Mr. President,

          In conclusion, despite the impasse in the work of the CD, we must not let our resolve be weakened by the negative trend, and instead work constructively with renewed determination and political will to address the legitimate security concerns of the international community.

I thank you, Mr. President