Intervention by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations, Minister Plenipotentiary Gabriela Martinic
27 de marzo
Mr. Moderator,
Allow me first to thank the panelists of today´s event: Undersecretary for Human Rights and Multilateral Affairs of Mexico, Amb. Ruiz Cabañas, the Secretary General of OPANAL, Amb. Macedo Soares, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Mr. Kim, and Ms. Pia Devoto, Representative of the Civil Society.
Mr. Moderator,
In light of historical experience, it is legitimate to affirm that the contribution of the Tlatelolco Treaty has been real and effective, since it strenghened the compromise of all in Latin-america and the Caribbean with non prooliferation and disarmament, and achived through its protocols system to bind nuclear arms possesors in order for them not to violate the military denuclearization status.
Latin America has always been, Mr. Moderator, at the fore front of efforts towards peace and disarmament.
A few months ago we celebrated 25 years of the Brazilian-Argentina Agency for Accountability and Control of Nuclear Materials (ABACC), which is the only system at the global level by which two countries submit all their nuclear instalations to control and mutual inspections, in cooperation with the international atomic energy agency and it is important to keep in mind here that the bilateral process with our brazilian brothers, facilitated understantings that bring us definitely to Tlatelolco.
Our compromises are verifiable with facts and institutions, OPANAL and ABACC, are not purely promises.
Mr. Moderator,
Anniversaries help us to place and think ourselves in the circunstances that we face. Especially when those circunstances challenge multilateralism.
There are important pending tasks in the field of non proliferation and disamament that cannot be put off. Always speaking about anniversaries, a few months ago we recalled in Vienna 20 years of the conclusion of an unfinished task: the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty (CTBT), which has not yet entered into force.
It was a conmemoration but not a celebration.
There cannot be any more nuclear tests. Unilateral moratorias are paliatives and CTBT must enter into force as soon as possible.
Mr. Moderator,
The UNGA has launched a process to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons towards their total elimination.
And another process that starts this year is the NPT Review. The non proliferation regime must be reinforced, especially after the bitter experience of 2015. Argentina has presented the candidacy of Amb. Rafael Grossi to chair the 2020 review conference, and we thank GRULAC for its generous endorsement.
The international community has to join efforts to create instances of fruitful dialogue and negotiations between the 5 nuclear weapons posesors under the NPT and the non posesors. The next cycle of the NPT review, in complementarity with the UN conference to negotiate a ban treaty on nuclear weapons, will be the suitable environment to promote the work as a group and an unique opportunity to overcome divisions among the international community. The participation and compromise of all will make possible to achieve a nuclear weapons free world.
All these are, Mr. Moderator, milestones of the highest importance, and countries of OPANAL will be once again up to the task in favour of peace and disarmament.
Thank you.