Mr. President,

I wish to congratulate you on your unanimous election to this high office and to assure you and your Bureau that the Greek Delegation will stand on your side for any assistance you might need to bring this Conference to a success.

Mr. President,

In these challenging times, in particular after the recent tragic events on 11 September that the international community, as a whole, is facing, in the beginning of the twenty first century, we believe that it is most appropriate now to build a common multilateral response to the global threat in the area of disarmament and non proliferation, which constitutes an essential element for the world peace and stability.

Five years have elapsed, since the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty was signed. Five years, which have brought us to a new century, indeed, to a new era. CTBT itself has marked the completion of a particular process within the evolving concept of the nuclear security. A concept buffeted for the last 55 years between humanity's fear of the nuclear weapons and the urge to fully exploit the advantages of their possession.

The long way between the 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty and the 1996 Comprehensive one indicates and reflects a major and global evolution in modern history. Technological, economic and social progress coupled with increasing awareness of the public opinion, shaped by visionary leaders into political developments and reflected in international instruments, mark this evolution.

CTBT, born after the end of the cold war, is both an indicator and a component of a new security conception, phasing out the nuclear fear of the past and ushering in the hope of a new nuclear safer century.

Mr. President,

My country has ever been particularly sensitive to the developments in the World security and specifically to the nuclear safety challenges. During the cold war, Greece with Sweden, Mexico, Tanzania, Argentina and India had taken an initiative to halt further nuclear build up. Greece has, in full awareness of the above, signed and ratified, among the first, both the Non Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

The European Union and my country strongly believe and support the principles incorporated in the CTBT. This treaty should come into force as soon as possible.

I, therefore, entirely associate myself with the statement made by the President of the European Union. We urge all states, which have not yet signed or ratified the CTBT, to do so, as soon as possible.

This is the only way to control vertical and horizontal proliferation of nuclear weapons. An essential investment to building trust and the indispensable condition of nuclear - free from fear - security.

Indeed, we have gone a long way, almost half a century, to overcome the balance of terror and to bridge the gap of mistrust and suspicion dominating the World after the Second War. Internationally expanded verification systems, in particular the one provided by the CTBT, are perhaps the latest and best instrument in this long effort.

Mr. President,

The CTB Treaty is a part of a comprehensive Nuclear Security concept with interrelated elements - International Treaties included - which constitute the modern Global stability and security system.

It is a long and laborious effort that the International Community came to this concept and system. It is after decades' labor that we have brought to existence the CTB Treaty. Let all concerned, all those who can contribute, give real hope in creating an international community free of the nuclear fear.
 

Sources

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