MEXICO

PERMANENT MISSION OF MEXICO
 
 

  THE GENERAL INTERCHANGE OF OPINIONS OF THE CONFERENCE ON MEASURES TO FACILITATE THE TAKE EFFECT OF THE TREATY OF COMPLETE PROHIBITION OF THE NUCLEAR TESTS (CTBT).
 
 

INTERVENTION OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF MEXICO,
AMBASSADOR OLGA PELLICER
 

New York, NY
11 of November of 2001.

 

Sir President,

For Mexico, this Conference is a link in the chain of efforts in favor of international La Paz and the security. The CTBT, whose take effect we wished to encourage, is a key piece for the disarmament and the nonproliferation of the nuclear weapons. Objectives that, for decades, have been occupying a high-priority place in the foreign policy of Mexico.

The adoption of the Treaty, already five years ago, was a clear recognition on the part of the international community of the danger that represents the accomplishment of nuclear tests. Its complete prohibition, when preventing the development and qualitative improvement of new arms, is a significant measurement for the international security and a step advanced in ' the systematic process to obtain the nuclear disarmament.

Sir President,

When finalizing the cold war, like many of the States reunited in this Conference, we had the hope of which could fortify the measures in favor of La Paz and the development and advance towards the materialization of our aspirations in the matter of disarmament.

Today, when beginning the new millenium, we stated that our expectations are far from becoming in fact. While new and complex problems increase the insecurity in the world, the interest persists in some circles to develop nuclear weapons and resurge theories that grant to the possession and improvement of these arms a strategic paper for the national security.

In such circumstances, one accentuates the threat of the use and proliferation of nuclear weapons. Frightful perspective to the light of which the intention acquires all its sense that it has summoned to us here to work in favor of the take effect of the CTBT.

Sir President,

The support of a great number of States to the objectives of the Treaty has been unquestionable. In forums of great political relevance, like the General Assembly of the UN, the Security Council, the Conference of Examination of the Treaty on the nonProliferation of the Nuclear weapons celebrated in 2000 and other conferences and meetings of high level, the States are had it jeopardize to work for their take effect and to maintain, while this happens, a moratorium of nuclear tests.

With a support of such magnitude, we must be asked then what it has prevented that the Treaty between in vigor. The answer to this question is not simple. The Treaty establishes a complex system of verification and perhaps many States require of a special attendance to improve their understanding, to identify the concrete benefits that are derived from the same one and, of this form, to accelerate their procedures of ratification. For these countries, it is possible to fortify the activities that already are carried out in the frame of the program of external relations and international cooperation of the Preparatory Commission of the Organization of the Treaty.

Perhaps other countries find that the ratification of the Treaty does not occupy a high-priority place in its internal agendas to the light of necessities of more urgent character. It is necessary that these countries take into account the fundamental value from the Treaty within the continuous and systematic process of disarmament and not-proliferation of nuclear weapons and contribute surely with their ratification to the consolidation of a world but.

Possibly some States hope that those are others that take the initiative and ratify the first Treaty, before committing they themselves with their postulates. We hoped that these States reconsider that attitude and that its ratification of the Treaty becomes an example to follow.

However, it is clear that the greater responsibility for the take effect of the Treaty falls to the States possessors of nuclear weapons. Certain that the take effect concerns all the States the same, in individual those that are listed in Annexed the II of the same one. But the ratification of the Treaty on the part of the nuclear powers that have not even made it an act serious whose dimensions and positive impact we cannot avoid.

In that context, Mexico laments the announcement of one of the nuclear powers in the sense of not impelling its process of ratification. We are convinced that the world would be but safe if takes effect the complete prohibition of nuclear tests and for that reason we make a call urgent reconsider that position.

We do not let warn, the responsibility that falls on all those listed States to the Annexed I! that they have not signed the Treaty, or that being it signed, they have not even ratified it. To all of them, the same, we make a call to accelerate its processes of company/signature or ratification.

Sir President,

While the Treaty takes effect, a moratorium of nuclear tests must stay. To the light of the lengths and constants efforts of the community to count on a Treaty of Complete Prohibition of Nuclear Tests, he is unquestionable that the accomplishment of tests would be a threat for La Paz.

Sir President,

The commitment of Mexico with the Treaty, the not-proliferation and the nuclear disarmament will stay, independently of the difficult situations that appear to us in the future. This Conference constitutes a forum to authenticate our support to the cessation of nuclear tests and to fortify the joint work to reach the take effect of the Treaty. We do not let pass this opportunity historical.