Istanbul Statement of the Foreign Ministers of Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative

Istanbul, 16 June 2012

1. We, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, Chile, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates reconfirm our commitment to addressing nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation issues of common concern; reaffirm our deep commitment to the Treaty on theNon-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as the essential foundation for the achievement of nuclear disarmament, the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and the basis for the development of the peacefuluse of nuclear energy.
2. Committed to the universalization and effective implementation of the NPT across all its three pillars, we reiterate our pledge to actively work towards the implementation of the conclusions and recommendations for follow-on actions contained in the Final Document of the 2010 NPT Review Conference (RevCon).
3. We welcome the deliberations and results of the First Session by the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) of the 2015 RevCon that took place from 30 April-11 May 2012 in Vienna. The factual summary of the Chairman of the PrepCom, acknowledged some progress in the implementation of the commitments contained in the 2010 Final Document, but at the same time clearly recognized what remains to be done. In this light we highlight that the NPDI as a group played a visible and constructive role during the NPT PrepCom including through its submission of working papers to the PrepCom.
4. We take note of the information provided by some nuclear-weapon States to the PrepCom on their concrete steps towards disarmament taken or announced since the 2010 RevCon. We stress the need for continued and systematic reductions in all nuclear weapons categories, including non-strategic nuclear weapons. We call upon all nuclear-weapon States to intensify efforts to reduce and eventually eliminate all types of nuclear weapons, deployed and non-deployed, in a transparent, verifiable and irreversible manner.
5. We also take note of the continued discussions by the nuclear-weapon States on the issues of transparency, mutual confidence and verification with a view to reporting to the 2014 PrepCom. We look forward to a transparent outcome of the third P5 conference in Washington on 27-29 June 2012, particularly on possible steps to make tangible progress in the implementation of issues outlined in Actions 5 and 21 of the 2010 NPT Action Plan. We urge transparency in their work and express particular interest in their perspectives on reducing the size of nuclear arsenals, role of nuclear weapons in military and security policies, and the operational status of nuclear weapon systems, transparency and confidence building.
6. We recall the development by the NPDI in 2011 of a draft standard reporting form to encourage progress in the implementation of Action 21 on confidence building. We have today agreed to seek further responses to the form in the capitals of nuclear-weapon States and to continue to contribute to discussions on the implementation of Action 21.
7. While the nuclear-weapons States have a special responsibility in nuclear disarmament, the development of the draft reporting form is an example of the contribution that the non-nuclear-weapon States can make.
8. We express our deep concern and frustration with the continued stalemate in the Conference on Disarmament (CD). The CD must agree on and implement a comprehensive Program of Work that starts substantive work on the CDs four core issues, notably the immediate commencement of negotiations on a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices (FMCT) on the basis of document CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein. Such a treaty remains an essential step towards a world without nuclear weapons.
9. We call upon all nuclear-weapon States and States not party to the NPT to declare and maintain voluntary moratoria on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons and other explosive devices, pending the negotiation and entry into force of an FMCT. We also welcome and fully support steps taken to remove fissile material from military programs. However, in light of continued production of fissile material for weapons purposes by some States, we underline, at the same time, that such unilateral measures cannot substitute comprehensive, non-discriminatory, multilateral, legally binding, irreversible and effectively verifiable commitments. We underline the need to commence FMCT negotiations without further delay and, on the basis of UN General Assembly resolution 66/44, we are prepared to consider options should the CD fail to agree on and implement a comprehensive Program of Work by the end of its current session. We intend to address this issue in further detail at the next NPDI Ministerial meeting.
10. In view of the UN General Assembly Resolution 66/44 and building on previous initiatives by NPDI members to examine technical aspects of an FMCT, we support expert-level meetings in Geneva initiated this year by Germany and the Netherlands in support of the commencement of negotiations. We encourage all States to actively participate in and contribute to such meetings.
11. The cessation of nuclear-weapon test explosions and any other nuclear explosions constitutes the core element of the international non-proliferation and disarmament regime. We pursue determined efforts for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and its universalization, as an essential component of our broader work towards reducing and eventually eliminating all nuclear weapons. We appeal to all countries that have not yet become parties to the CTBT, in particular to the remaining Annex II States whose ratifications are required for the entry into force of the Treaty, to sign and ratify it unconditionally and without delay. We welcome, in this respect, the ratification of the Treaty by Indonesia on 6 February 2012. We also welcome the recent ratifications of Ghana, Guinea, Trinidad and Tobago, the Central African Republic and Guatemala, as well as the signature by Niue. We express hope that other States moving forward toward ratification will soon finalize their internal procedures and follow suit.
12. Pending the CTBT's entry into force, all CTBT undertakings contained in the 2010 NPT Action Plan should be duly fulfilled. We call upon all States to uphold and maintain moratoria on nuclear weapon test explosions and any other nuclear explosions. We underline, however, that while moratoria serve as important confidence building measures, they cannot take the place of legally binding commitments that are indispensable for the effectiveness and verifiability of the regime. We express continued support for the substantial work undertaken by the Preparatory Commission of the CTBT Organization in building up all elements of the Treaty’s verification regime, in particular its International Monitoring System and on-site inspections.
13. We have long supported the widest adherence to key nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation instruments and have been active individually to encourage States that have not concluded these instruments to do so. Building on this work, we have now agreed to act collectively and systematically and have resolved to develop a Work Program to encourage the widest adherence to these instruments by the time of the 2015 NPT RevCon.
14. We continue to work on practical steps that the NPDI could take on strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the IAEA safeguards system, which constitutes a key component of the global non-proliferation regime. Recognizing the particular role of the Additional Protocol as an effective confidence building measure, as well as an early warning mechanism, we call upon all States that have not yet concluded an Additional Protocol to do so without delay. We encourage them to start voluntarily implementing the provisions of the Additional Protocol pending its entry into force. We continue to share our experience and best practices, as well as to offer legal and practical assistance in the conclusion and implementation of additional protocols, to interested States in concert with the IAEA. We will continue to actively promote the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement in combination with an Additional Protocol as the international verification standard.
15. The role of export controls is crucial to achieving nuclear non-proliferation obligation under paragraph 2 of Article III of the NPT. We urge all states to establish, develop, review and maintain appropriate effective national export controls over both nuclear and nuclear-related dual-use items and technology, including as described by UNSC Resolution 1540. We will share our experience and information in the field of export controls.
16. We remain committed to the objective of a nuclear weapons free world. We are resolved to support efforts towards reducing nuclear proliferation risks by ensuring compliance with the international non-proliferation regime. Deeply concerned by specific longstanding non-compliance issues, we strongly urge the immediate resolution of all cases of non-compliance with safeguards obligations in full conformity with the IAEA Statute and member States’ respective legal obligations. We discussed issues of particular concern to the NPT regime.
17. As an important model of cooperation and effective confidence-building measure, we encourage and support the establishment of internationally recognized and effectively verifiable nuclear-weapon-free-zones, on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among states of the regions concerned and in accordance with the 1999 Guidelines of the UN Disarmament Commission.
18. We affirm our support for the practical steps endorsed by the 2010 RevCon on the implementation of the 1995 NPT RevCon Resolution on the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, including the convening of a conference in 2012 to be attended by all States of the region. We welcome the appointment of Undersecretary of State Jaakko Laajava of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland as facilitator and the designation of Finland to host the conference. We take note of the report submitted by Ambassador Laajava and subsequent discussions at the 2012 PrepCom. Having had further exchanges in the course of our Istanbul Meeting with his representative, we express our full support for the Facilitator's efforts and broad consultations to prepare common ground for a successful conference and call upon all stakeholders to engage in the process inclusively and transparently. Mindful of the importance of a successful conference, we call for genuine and constructive engagement by, first and foremost, all States of the region as well as the internatıonal community.
19. We recall the inalienable right of States Parties’ to the NPT to develop and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, in full compliance with theır NPT oblıgatıons, without undue restrictions. We support efforts to expand the peaceful applications of nuclear energy, science and technology to the benefit of all humanity. We underline the central role of the IAEA in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy and are determined to ensure that the IAEA continues to have the expertise, authority and resources needed to fulfill its statutory functions in facilitating technical cooperation and in coordinating international efforts to strengthen global nuclear safety and security.
20. We welcome the successful convening of the Second Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in Seoul on 26-27 March 2012 on strengthening nuclear security, preventing illicit trafficking of nuclear materials and reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism. We fully support the objectives of the NSS and welcome the hosting of the 2014 Summit in the Netherlands. We also support efforts by the IAEA to strengthen the international nuclear safety framework, including through the implementation of the IAEA Nuclear Safety Action Plan. We are prepared to work with other countries for the success of the Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety to be held in December 2012 for further strengthening of nuclear safety worldwide.
21. We welcome the efforts of the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction in implementing concrete projects to address the threat posed by the proliferation of weapons and materials of mass destruction as well as related knowledge. We also recognize the contributions of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism in countering the challenges posed by nuclear terrorism and illicit trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials.
22. Expressing concern about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and in full cognizance of their longstanding, far reaching and irredeemable effects and also in order to raise greater awareness about our policies in support of nuclear non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament and to ensure broad support for these principles at national, regional and global levels, we underline the importance of promoting and maintaining a culture of peace in our societies. We are further resolved to empowering members of our societies with the necessary awareness, knowledge and skills to make their own contribution, as national and world citizens, to the realization of the global disarmament and non-proliferation objectives. We, therefore, recognize the importance of disarmament and non-proliferation education as an integral part of our joint work. We welcome and look forward to the Global Forum on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education, which will be held in Nagasaki in August.
23. Civil society has an important role to play in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We welcome the active participation of civil society in the 2012 PrepCom and recognize their substantial and enduring contributions to the NPT review process. We will intensify our outreach activities to promote the objectives of the NPDI, as well as to develop political dialogue and practical cooperation with partners who can contribute to our efforts.
24. We agree to meet again in September, on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York, to review the progress achieved and identify future prospects. The 2013 and 2014 ministerial meetings of our initiative will be hosted by the Netherlands and Japan respectively.