Mr. President,

Distinguished Delegates,

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

I feel very honored and privileged to address` the Conference on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty on behalf of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This all the more so as my country has joined this important Treaty only recently.

Before I take up the issues at hand, I would also like to congratulate Mr. Marin Bosch on his election as President of the Conference, as well as the other officials of the Conference on their election.

Mr. President,

The impressive count of 161 nations that are now full members of the CTBT is a telling reflection of the need and the desire of the international community to take effective action in the field of nuclear disarmament the CTBT is, no doubt, an important link in the chain of nuclear non-proliferation and a key precondition of genuine nuclear disarmament. We should seek to -make the Treaty a universal instrument as it reflects the concerns of each and every individual of our planet.

There is another important aspect of this Conference that I would like to point out. It has been convened at a very challenging time when the country that has accorded us all its hospitality has been shattered by a most cruel tragedy that has
taken the lives of thousands of its citizens, as well as the citizens of more than 80 other countries, including mine. And indeed, Mr. President, the calamity that befell New York and Washington only two months ago has much wider implications that reverberate worldwide. It has also brought to the fore of our interest and concern the possibility that those who committed this atrocity may one day, or this very day, for that matter, come into possession of nuclear weapons. Bearing that in mind, it is my honest hope that one of the results of this Conference, as well as our common responsibility, will be to prevent such possibility from ever happening indeed. The fact that we stand together today in the struggle against terrorism should also inspire us to stand together in the effort to strengthen the process of non-proliferation, in particular of the weapons of mass destruction. We would make a great stride in that direction if we addressed a call to all the countries that have not signed, or have not yet declared their intention to sign, the Treaty to do so as soon as possible.

 Mr. President,

In its decision to accede to the CTBT, Yugoslavia has been guided by the desire to support international efforts in this field. Although not a nuclear-weapon State itself and not intending to become one in the future, my country is well aware of the potential of nuclear power for improving human life and supports its use for peaceful purposes in full accordance with relevant international standards.

Yugoslavia signed the CTBT on 8 June this year and the procedure for the ratification of the Treaty is now under way. Our signature was made in a firm belief that we were demonstrating our commitment to the current international efforts to improve international peace and security, which, by the same token, has put my country in the company of nations resolved to see the world in the XXI century rested on cooperation and mutual understanding, respect for the rule of law and on freedom and individual dignity. This endeavor is also a part of our overall efforts to re-integrate the country into the international community. We shall be ready very soon to inform you of the establishment of our national focal point responsible for the implementation of this Treaty.

We are fully committed, Mr. President, to working with the other parties to the Treaty to create conditions for the CTBT to enter into force. It is my hope that we shall not have to wait another five years for that to happen and this Conference is an important step along that road.
 
 

Sources

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