(98.06.11)林大使議題１ＣＤ非公式協議ｽﾃｰﾄﾒﾝﾄ

　 First I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Troika for holding a series of consultations on Agenda Item I and, especially, for holding this open-ended consultation. Japan believes that nuclear disarmament is the issue on which the world community expects the most progress to be made and we should make every effort to fulfill this expectation.

　 On this occasion, allow me to state the Japanese Government's basic thinking on nuclear disarmament. We assume that the basic framework for the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation is established by the NPT. The framework of the Treaty is that, on the one hand, all countries except the nuclear weapons States renounce or foreswear their nuclear programs and, on the other hand, nuclear weapons states will reduce their nuclear weapons and finally realize their elimination. In other words, the case where the nuclear weapons States will permanently possess nuclear weapons while prohibiting the majority of the countries from possessing them, that case is not assumed. The reason why an overwhelming number of countries adhere to the NPT is, in fact, I think, that they have thought the Treaty should provide a framework for the process of realizing a world free from nuclear weapons.

　 This commitment was reaffirmed when the NPT was extended indefinitely in 1995 in the famous "Principles and Objectives." In its paragraph 4 (c) it clearly states that "the determined pursuit by the nuclear-weapon States of systematic and progressive efforts to reduce nuclear weapons globally, with the ultimate goal of eliminating those weapons."

　 After the indefinite extension of the Treaty in 1995, the CTBT was adopted and open for signature as agreed at that time. FMCT negotiations should follow. The "Principles and Objectives" again clearly supports this and, in fact, the CD agreed on the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee in l995. It is indeed regrettable that our work did not begin immediately after the decision and up until now the situation remains unchanged.

　 Japan places the highest priority on a FMCT because it was agreed that it would be the next item in the field of nuclear disarmament and because it is a practical and meaningful step towards realizing further nuclear disarmament and also because without it we will not be able to go further down the road. We therefore have been making concrete efforts to create a positive atmosphere for the commencement of negotiations. One example of our efforts is the FMCT Cut-Off Seminar which the Japanese Government hosted and that I reported to the CD on 28 May in its Plenary Meeting. The purpose of this Seminar Conference held last month was to address the technical issues which may arise during FMCT negotiations. I sincerely hope that this initiative will help pave the way to the actual commencement of negotiations. Japan is convinced that the CD should now agree on the establishment of the Ad Hoc Committee under the mandate agreed to 3 years ago and commence negotiations as soon as possible as was proposed by Austria.

　 The famous linkage argument has prevented the CD from starting FMCT negotiations. Japan does not support this argument. Everything should be judged on its own merit and not in relation to something else. A step by step approach is, in our view, the only possible way to produce concrete and tangible results in this field in the near future.

　 Japan proposed the appointment of a Special Coordinator for nuclear disarmament in 1997 with a view to entrusting him with identifying post-FMCT nuclear disarmament issues. We have noted with gratitude that some delegations have made references to our proposal during this year's session.

　 In the 2nd Session of the NPT Preparatory Committee, Japan made a proposal on the practical aspects of nuclear disarmament. We stressed the need for information sharing on the practical issues of nuclear disarmament in order to facilitate it and suggested some concrete actions to be taken by the nuclear weapon states.

　 Japan considers it extremely important that the CD will deal with nuclear disarmament under Agenda item I. We are open and flexible as to where, that is, in what forum, it will be handled. We earnestly hope that arguments to that effect will emerge soon as a result of this consultation.