Mr. President,

Let me join the previous speakers in congratulating you on your election as President of this important Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

I would like on behalf of the Bulgarian government to express once again our solidarity with the United States of America and extend our condolences to the families of the victims of the barbaric acts of terrorism in New York and Washington. We confirm Bulgaria's determination to be part of the efforts and resolute actions of the world community in combating terrorism.

These tragic events have shattered our souls and induced our minds "to think the unthinkable". Now we bear a greater responsibility to have the vision of the new world security agenda and the wisdom to perceive the complexity of the threats to world peace and security. In the global village there are no clear frontlines because the challenge is global. The new counter-terrorism agenda calls for coherent and comprehensive international and national actions. The international community has to use all existing international instruments to limit the scope of the terrorist threat, inter alia by strengthening global norms against the use or proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including by ensuring the universality, verifiability and full implementation of key treaties related to weapons of mass destruction. Bulgaria has been proactive in the battle against terrorism. Let me assure you that as a newly elected non-permanent member of the UN Security Council over 2002-2003, my country will support all efforts in the fight against terrorism as the highest priority on its agenda, including through advancing and reinforcing multilateral non-proliferation agreements.

Five years after the opening for signature of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, this Conference has to send a vital signal to the international community that the entry into force of the Treaty is of decisive importance for the maintenance of international security and stability. The agreement reached on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was a turning point in the decades long international efforts to curb the nuclear arms race and the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Looking towards the future, it is evident that the early entry into force of the Treaty and making the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty Organization fully operational would substantially diminish the risks of nuclear proliferation, including acquiring and testing of nuclear weapons by terrorist groups. With years passing by, this threat increases as reflected by the Latin saying - "Non progredi est regredi "./If one does not advance, one is lagging behind/.

Bulgaria being one of the 44 countries whose ratification is explicitly required for the entry into force of the Treaty was among the first to sign the CTBT in September 1996 and to ratify it in September 1999. By doing so my country met the obligations pursuant to the relevant provisions of the Treaty.

The Bulgarian government highly commends the ratification of the Treaty by two of the nuclear-weapon states in April 1998. We note with satisfaction that since the first Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the CTBT in 1999 one more nuclear-weapon state ratified the Treaty and the number of signatories and ratifiers has notably increased.

My Government welcomes the latest signature of the CTBT by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Now all European countries have signed the CTBT and all European countries whose ratification is needed for the entry into force of the Treaty have ratified it.

We believe that the two of the nuclear-weapon States that have signed but still not ratified the Treaty, will do so in the near future.

The Bulgarian government acknowledges with regret that among the States whose ratification is required for the entry into force of the Treaty there are still three States that have not yet signed it. The nuclear tests explosions conducted by two of them in 1998 caused grave concern all over the world and clearly demonstrated how strong the norm against nuclear tests had meanwhile become. We expect them to join the Treaty without further delay. Bulgaria is seriously concerned that one of those three non-signatory states has not even declared its intentions towards the Treaty. We insistently call upon this State to adhere to the CTBT as soon as possible.

The establishment of an effective verification regime, being the core of the Treaty compliance, is of particular importance for its entry into force. Bulgaria highly appreciates the progress that has been made by the Preparatory Commission towards the establishment of and making operational a verification regime capable to meet the requirements as stipulated in Article IV of the Treaty. We confirm our full support and readiness to contribute to the efforts of the Preparatory Commission to establish the verification regime in timely and effective manner. My country highly commends the work done by the Provisional Technical Secretariat under the guidance of the Executive Secretary Ambassador Wolfgang Hoffmann.

Bulgaria welcomes the Final Declaration to be adopted by the Conference. We hope that the international community will efficiently use the momentum generated by this forum towards the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
 

Thank you, Mr. President.
 
 

Sources

• http://www.un.org/webcast/ctbt/statements/bulgariaE.htm