Discorso pronunciato dall’Ambasciatore Maurizio Massari, Rappresentante Permanente dell’Italia presso le Nazioni Unite, al Briefing in Consiglio di Sicurezza su “Non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty” —
Mister Chair,
I would like to thank Ireland for convening this timely and fruitful briefing of the Security Council about the key topic of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty entry into force. As pointed out by the High Representative Nakamitsu, the CTBTO Executive Secretary Floyd and many Council members, it is of the utmost importance to engage together to reach such a key goal for present and future generations.
Mister Chair,
I would also like to thank Ireland for inviting Italy and South Africa to share with the Council the results of the recent Article XIV Ministerial Conference that we co- presided.
The Conference on Facilitating the entry into force of the CTBT (Article XIV Conference) took place in New York and Vienna, on September 23rd and 24th 2021, in the year that marked the 25th anniversary of the Treaty’s opening for signature.
Each ratifying State seized the opportunity to reaffirm the urgency of the entry into force of the CTBT, and the hope for its universalization, highlighting its essential value as a landmark agreement on the path towards disarmament and non-proliferation.
The Final Declaration of the Conference was adopted by consensus. It reiterates the States’ overwhelming support for the Treaty’s universalization and the urgency of its entry into force, recalling the relevant UN General Assembly Resolutions and the recommendations for follow-up actions of the 2010 NPT Review Conference, as well as the calls for the entry into force of the CTBT made during the process leading to the 2020 NPT Review Conference.
It hails progress made towards the Treaty’s universalization since the last Article XIV Conference and attaches significant importance to the signature and ratification by Cuba and the ratification by the Union of Comoros, which brought the number of ratifying States to 170, and that of States signatories to 185.
It urges the eight remaining Annex-II States to sign and ratify the Treaty without further delay and calls on all States to refrain from nuclear test explosions.
Furthermore, the Final Declaration expresses condemnation for the six nuclear tests conducted by the Democratic Republic of Korea since 2006 and reaffirms the significance of the full implementation of all relevant Security Council Resolutions and of a complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
The Declaration reaffirms the commitment of all States to provide political, technical, financial support to the CTBTO PrepCom, and commends the establishment and functioning of the International Monitoring System and the International Data Centre as core facilities in a view to enhancing on-site inspection capabilities and forging a global and fully operational verification regime.
It sets out concrete and actionable steps toward the swift entry into force of the Treaty and its universalization, among which:
encouraging further signature and ratification of the Treaty, even through the designation of coordinators to promote the Treaty’s universalization;
recognizing the role of the Group of Eminent Persons in assisting the promotion of the Treaty’s objectives;
encouraging the organization of regional activities, as well as education and training initiatives;
encouraging cooperation with intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as the civil society.
Mister Chair,
State Parties underscored the significant results the CTBTO has accomplished to date: establishing a global norm on nuclear testing, building up an effective verification regime, identifying civil and scientific applications.
States Parties invoked the need to continue to observe the de facto moratorium on nuclear tests and explosions, and to redouble efforts in this regard, until the entry into force of the Treaty.
States Parties reaffirmed the crucial role of the International Monitoring System in providing a cost-effective, verifiable, and sustainable verification system.
They also commended the verification regime as a key tool in addressing broader challenges, as it is the case for climate change, thanks to the tsunami warning system.
Mister Chair,
in line with its role as Article XIV co-Coordinator for the upcoming two-year period, Italy reiterates the plea to the eight remaining Annex-II States to sign and ratify the Treaty in a timely manner.
Italy also welcomes the US commitment, expressed during the Article XIV Conference, to supporting the entry into force of the CTBT through dedicated outreach initiatives and education.
Italy calls on the international community to keep supporting the completion of the CTBT’S monitoring system even prior to the entry into force of the Treaty, in order to improve its capacity to provide accurate data analysis.
In this regard, Italy remains firmly committed to the strengthening of the IMS, including through our national seismic station and radionuclide laboratory.
Mister Chair,
Italy attaches great importance to the CTBT’s contribution to multilateralism, and the view that disarmament and non-proliferation are undertakings that involve responsibilities shared by all States.
I thank you, Mister Chair.
