Original source: Akahata (Japan)

Shii: NPT Review Conference outcome is important step toward a world free of N-weapons

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on May 29 published a statement on the Final Document of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference closing on May 28. The full text is as follows:

1. The NPT Review Conference in its final document, unanimously adopted on May 28, agreed on the “‘Action Plan’ for nuclear disarmament which includes concrete steps for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.”

The “Action Plan” in the Final Document clearly states that the Conference “reaffirms the unequivocal undertaking of the nuclear-weapon States to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament,” which was confirmed by the 2000 NPT Review Conference.

The “Action Plan” in the Final Document also states that the Conference “affirms that all States need to make special efforts to establish the necessary framework to achieve and maintain a world without nuclear weapons.” The Conference “encourages in particular those States with the largest nuclear arsenals to lead efforts in this regard.”

These reaffirmed points represent important progress toward a “world without nuclear weapons.”

2. In the process of the NPT Review Conference, the Main Committee 1 (on nuclear disarmament) on May 14 came out in its draft report with a proposal to start international negotiations to establish a roadmap toward the total elimination of nuclear weapons. This proposal has not been included in the Final Document due to the failure to get the agreement of some nuclear weapon states. However, the fact that this was proposed while discussions were going on and that many member states have supported it is epochal and is a reflection of the changing world opinion. It shows that the call for the start of international negotiations to eliminate nuclear weapons is becoming the world’s mainstream demand.

That the call belongs to the world’s mainstream is shown in the following references in the Final Document: “The Conference notes the new proposals and initiatives from Governments and civil society related to achieving a world free of nuclear weapons;” “The Conference notes the proposals for nuclear disarmament of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to inter alia consider negotiations on a nuclear weapons convention or agreement;” and “The Conference affirms that the final phase of the nuclear disarmament process and other related measures should be pursued within an agreed legal framework, which a majority of States parties believe should include specified timelines.”

3. The JCP has made the following two requests to the NPT Review Conference: (1) to reaffirm the unequivocal undertaking of the nuclear weapon states to achieve the total elimination of nuclear weapons which the 2000 NPT Review Conference confirmed; (2) to set up an agreement on starting international negotiations to eliminate nuclear weapons. We believe that the activities which the JCP has carried out along with non-government organizations (NGOs) in Japan and the rest of the world have encouraged the NPT Review Conference to come out with a conclusion representing an important step forward.

4. Since the international community has reaffirmed the need to “make special efforts to establish the necessary framework to achieve and maintain a world without nuclear weapons,” the international community will hereafter be urged to establish this objective by implementing specific measures.

In cooperation with anti-nuclear peace movements in Japan and the rest of the world, the JCP will continue to firmly demand that international negotiations be immediately started to eliminate nuclear weapons to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons.