Mr Chairman,
At the outset, I congratulate you on your appointment as chair of the third meeting of the Preparatory Committee of the 2015 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. I can assure you the full support of my delegation to ensure a successful outcome of this meeting.
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Mr Chairman,
Italy attaches great importance to disarmament in its broadest sense and it is fully committed to disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation as essential components of its foreign policy.
Although the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty entered into force more than 40 years ago, it still remains the cornerstone of the international action in this field.
Some critics argue that the NPT is no longer able to tackle new challenges. We want to firmly stress that the NPT is a tool serving a political will.
We should redouble our commitment to achieve progress based on considering the three pillars of the NPT as mutually reinforcing.
In this vein recently the Italian Parliament has adopted a resolution engaging the Government to play an active role in all relevant international fora in support of nuclear disarmament and non proliferation instruments and measures, in particular: the full implementation of the 2010 Action Plan, the strengthening of the international non proliferation regime, the implementation of the negative security assurances system, the entry into force of the CTBT, the starting of the negotiations of a Treaty banning the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons, the universalization of the IAEA Additional Protocol and the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems in the Middle East.
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Mr Chairman,
The responsibilities of nuclear weapons States in moving forward on nuclear disarmament remain unquestionable. We welcome the increased transparency shown by nuclear weapon States as well as the efforts made by the Unites States and the Russian Federation in implementing the New START Treaty.
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Mr Chairman,
The Conference on Disarmament played a crucial role in the field of disarmament and non proliferation.
The current deadlock of the “disarmament machinery” is no longer acceptable.
Therefore, I would like to express our satisfaction for the recent decision of the Conference to re-establish the Informal Working Group with a mandate to produce a programme of work and the adoption of a schedule of activities of the 2014 Session.
Within the framework of the Conference on Disarmament, the negotiations on a treaty banning the production of fissile material remain a priority.
In this vein we welcome the establishment of the Group of Governmental Experts which met the first time in Geneva some weeks ago to advance discussions on this important issue.
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Mr Chairman,
Italy is also fully engaged in supporting the entry into force of the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty that would strengthen the international non-proliferation regime. The New Executive Secretary of the CTBT recently established a “Group of Eminent Persons” to help Member States to facilitate the Treaty’s entry into force. Italy is strongly involved in this exercise. The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Federica Mogherini, as a member of this Group since its establishment, attended the last meeting which took place in Stockholm on April 10-11 2014. She moderated the discussion on how it could best advise and assist the Executive Secretary on securing the entry into force of the Treaty, in order to complete a global, legally-binding prohibition on nuclear weapon test explosions or other nuclear explosions.
The Group of Eminent Persons accepted the invitation of the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Federica Mogherini, to meet in Italy.
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Thank you Mr Chairman.
