STATEMENT BY H.E. MR. YOSHITOMO TANAKA

AMBASSADOR OF JAPAN TO THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT

Geneva, 26 August 1993

　

　

Mr. President,

　

　 I already took the floor under your presidency last week to make a short intervention, but I did not avail myself of that opportunity to properly greet you. Therefore, let me, at the outset, extend my delegation's heartfelt congratulation to Your Excellency on your assumption of the presidency and assure you of our continued cooperation.

　

Mr. President,

　

　 I have taken the floor today to introduce to the Conference the statement relating to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament made by Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa of Japan in his first policy speech at the Diet on 23 August 1993. The provisional translation of the relevant part of his statement reads as follows:

　

"The non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is an urgent security imperative for Japan and the whole of the global community, and I intend to support the indefinite extension of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. Going beyond that, I believe world peace depends upon the ultimate elimination of all nuclear weapons from the earth and global disarmament, and I intend to engage in more active foreign policy efforts to that end."

　

Thank you, Mr. President.