STATEMENT BY MRS. HISAMI KUROKOCHI

AMBASSADOR OF JAPAN

TO THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT

Geneva, 1 February 1996

　

　

Mr. President,

　

　 I have asked for the floor today to convey to the Conference on Disarmament the statement made by the official spokesman of my government, the Chief Cabinet Secretary, on President Chirac's announcement on January 29 to end France's nuclear testing permanently.

　

　 The statement reads as follows.

　

"1. Since France decided to resume nuclear testing in June last year, the Government of Japan has, at every opportunity, strongly urged France to reconsider that decision and strongly requested it to stop nuclear testing every time it was conducted. The U.N. resolution calling for the immediate cessation of nuclear testing, which was adopted at the U.N. General Assembly last year with the support of many countries, indicates the sincere will of the international community for the cessation of nuclear testing. It is extremely regrettable that France has conducted nuclear tests as many as six times despite repeated appeals from the international community including Japan.

　

2. I sincerely hope that France will redouble its efforts toward an early conclusion of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and for promoting nuclear disarmament leading to the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons. Japan, on its part, will continue its efforts, aiming at the completion of the negotiations on substantive matters by this spring and the signing of the Treaty by autumn. "

　

　 Taking this opportunity, I would like to reiterate Japan's position that no nuclear test should be conducted by any state.

　

Mr. President,

　

　 Now I would like to draw the attention of the Conference on Disarmament to another issue. Let me read the statement made on January 28 by the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the ratification of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty II by the United States of America.

　

"1. Japan wholeheartedly welcomes the ratification of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty II by the Senate of the United States of America on 26th January as a major contribution to advancing nuclear arms reduction.

2. Japan hopes that the Russian Federation will follow the United States and ratify the START II so that this treaty can come into effect at the earliest possible date."