Mr. President

On behalf of the Government of Lithuania, I would like to extend our warmest congratulations on your election as President of this Conference. We would also like to thank Ambassador Olga Pellicer of Mexico and Ambassador Nobuyasu Abe of Japan as well as staff of Provisional -Technical Secretariat for the preparatory work carried out by them during the year. Lithuanian delegation is willing to co-operate fully and is ready to make its every endeavor towards the success of this conference.

Mr. President,

Lithuania has fully associated itself with the statement delivered by Belgium on behalf of the European Union. I take this opportunity to elaborate on certain important issues.

The adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) by the UN General Assembly in September 1996 created an international norm prohibiting all nuclear test explosions. Ever since the CTBT has constituted one of the essential elements in the global architecture of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Along with the NPT regime, the CTBT contributes to the enhancement of international peace and security.

The events of September 11'h sent a seismic chock all around the world. They painfully reminded that international co-operation is needed and concerted actions are called for to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The entirety of international legal instruments together with global, regional and national measures should be used to make sure that nuclear materials and technologies do not end up in the wrong hands. Export, import and transit control measures should be strengthened. Disarmament process needs to be revitalized, including commencing negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT). However, bringing the CTBT into force and making it universal is urgently called for in order not to let the erosion of the non-proliferation regimes take its toll.

Lithuania was among the first countries to sign the CTBT. Ratification process was completed in February 2000 and followed by further actions in preparing the necessary legislation to implement the obligations of the Treaty at its entry into force. Last year we deposited a ratification instrument of the Additional Protocol to the agreement with IAEA on application of safeguards.

Lithuania welcomes the recent signature of the CTBT by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which completed the process in the Eastern European Group. Moreover, we are pleased by the fact that all Annex 2 countries in this regional group have ratified the Treaty.

Ratification process, apparently, may not be easy due to difficulties, whether legal or technical, involved. Therefore we welcome and encourage continuing efforts, including inter-regional workshops, in maintaining, an active dialogue with countries whenever such obstacles slow down implementation progress. In order to facilitate national ratification and implementation processes the exchange of information on the establishment of national authorities and legislation may be very helpful. As a part of this co-operative approach, all States Parties should be able to participate in and benefit from the International Monitoring System.

 Lithuania addresses this Conference with a mixed sense of satisfaction and concern. On the one hand, we are encouraged by the amount of work and progress achieved by the Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO in establishing the verification regime.

On the other hand, we are concerned that 3 out of 44 states, whose ratification is required for the entry into force, have not yet signed the Treaty. The CTBT is not in force yet, despite 161 signatures and 79 ratification instruments. We strongly believe that the real success of the CTBT depends mainly on its universal adherence.

The CTBT provided us a historic opportunity to ban all nuclear explosions forever and to add momentum to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Lithuania urges all states, including nuclear weapon states that have not yet done so, to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty without delay.

Thank you.
 
 

Sources

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