A/76/PV.100 General Assembly

In accordance with resolution 72/51, of 4 December 2017, the General Assembly will begin its high-level meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day against Nuclear Tests. I will now deliver a statement from the rostrum. Statement by the President

Today we mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests, held on 29 August. That date was chosen to commemorate the closing of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in Kazakhstan 31 years ago, on 29 August 1991. This yearly observance is a means of remembering all those who tragically lost their lives to nuclear tests. On this date, we are also reminded of the serious impacts that these tests have on human health and on the environment, which can last for generations. We must stop nuclear tests for good. We must ensure that we have a strong, united and, most importantly, global front in our mission to ban nuclear testing. We must implement all existing instruments towards that end. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty provides a strong legal framework for that endeavour. Twenty-five years after its adoption, we must redouble our efforts to promote its universalization and implementation. In that regard, let me reiterate my call on Member States that have not yet signed the Treaty to do so without delay. I particularly urge the remaining annex 2 States to do so, as their ratification is needed for the Treaty to enter into force. Our meeting today takes place at a time when we are faced with uncertainty and complex challenges. The global geopolitical landscape, dominated by the ongoing military confrontation in Ukraine, is rife with tension, which in turn has exacerbated the looming threat of a nuclear catastrophe by accident. That has increased the urgency of nuclear disarmament endeavours. I sincerely urge all parties to work to exercise maximum restraint and to promote dialogue and diplomacy. We need to commit to making a nuclear- weapon-free world a reality. The only way to eliminate this ominous threat is by simply eliminating the existence of nuclear weapons altogether. As we speak, there is an estimated stockpile of 13,000 nuclear warheads around the world. That is a major concern and is quite frankly at odds with the values of the United Nations. All Member States, without exception, must fulfil their commitments towards nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. I welcome the holding of the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in New York from 1 to 26 August, after being postponed several times due to the coronavirus disease. While the Conference failed to adopt an outcome document, I commend the parties’ commitment and efforts during the intensive negotiations. Going forward, I hope that the States parties will continue to engage in a constructive and meaningful dialogue to reaffirm their commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty as the cornerstone of the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime. As we mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests, let us recommit by working together and taking concrete action. The only way to bring hope to the people is by delivering a world free of nuclear weapons. Let us work together to achieve that world. In accordance with rule 70 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, I now invite Mrs. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, to address the Assembly on behalf of the Secretary- General, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres. Mrs. Nakamitsu: At the outset, I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to the President of the General Assembly, His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid, for convening this important annual gathering. I would also like to thank the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan for its steadfast efforts in spreading awareness about the hazardous consequences of nuclear testing to both our health and our environment. Nuclear testing is abhorrent, and its legacy is nothing but toxic. The entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) must remain an urgent priority for all States. The inability, last month, of the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to reach consensus on a substantive outcome was a lost opportunity to strengthen the NPT and advance its goals. While the NPT parties were able to engage in sincere and meaningful dialogue at the Conference and were prepared to join the consensus, only one State party had objections to the draft final outcome document. One of the key issues on which States parties were united was their overwhelming support for a global ban on nuclear testing. In the draft outcome document negotiated by States parties, the Conference reaffirmed the importance of the entry into force of the CTBT at the earliest possible date as a means of constraining the development and improvement of nuclear weapons. In the draft, the Conference also welcomed the increased attention devoted in the last review cycle to assistance to the people and communities affected by nuclear weapons testing and environmental remediation. That builds on the obligations regarding victim assistance and environmental mediation contained in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the forward- looking and practical work States parties have done to establish a process for their implementation. A focus on victim assistance is one tangible area of progress that has grown from the International Day against Nuclear Tests. This day has placed a renewed focus on human suffering and the devastating environmental consequences of nuclear testing, which adds a human security dimension to the national and collective security perspectives. I welcome the representative of civil society who, as in previous years, has added a voice from the people of affected communities around the world. As Secretary- General Guterres said on the occasion of this year’s International Day against Nuclear Tests, “[f]rom the steppes of Kazakhstan to the pristine waters of the Pacific Ocean and the deserts of Australia, nuclear testing has long poisoned our planet’s natural environment and the species and people who call it home”. The devastation wrought by explosive nuclear tests have lingered for decades, tormenting not just the people who lived in the era of unrestrained atmospheric and underwater nuclear tests but their succeeding generations. The global norm against nuclear testing has been firmly upheld in the twenty-first century, with one important exception. I join others in calling on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to refrain from further nuclear testing, to join the CTBT and to immediately work with relevant parties towards the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. September 2021 marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the CTBT. In the anniversary year that has followed, I am gratified to see rapid progress made in furthering the universalization of the Treaty. Under the relentless energy of Executive Secretary Floyd, four new States have joined the Treaty. I hope that this will provide motivation for the eight remaining annex 2 States — whose ratification is required for the entry into force of the CTBT — to sign and ratify the Treaty without delay, and the impetus for the rest of the non-annex 2 States, of which fewer than a dozen now remain, to join the Treaty. The times are not good. The risk of the use of nuclear weapons is the highest since the depths of the Cold War. Relationships among nuclear-armed States continue to be corroded and nuclear weapons are assuming greater roles in national security doctrines. There are new reports of a possible resumption of nuclear testing by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. If we are to prevent catastrophe, we must urgently correct course and accelerate efforts to achieve nuclear disarmament. Ending nuclear testing once and for all, by bringing the CTBT into force and making the legally binding prohibition on nuclear explosive tests a permanent reality, is a concrete step we must all strive for. We need to redouble our efforts towards that outcome — one which will help lead us to our collective goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.

I thank Mrs. Nakamitsu for her statement. Before proceeding further, and as indicated in my letter dated 2 September 2022, I should like to consult members with a view to inviting the following speakers to deliver keynote addresses at this commemorative meeting: Mr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization; Ms. Vivian Okeke, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency Liaison Office in New York; and Mr. Benetick Kabua Maddison, Executive Director of the Marshallese Education Initiative. If there is no objection, may I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly, without setting a precedent, to invite these speakers to make statements at this commemorative meeting? It was so decided (decision 76/574).

I now invite Mr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- Ban Treaty Organization, to make a keynote statement.

I thank you, Mr President, for inviting me to address the General Assembly on the critical issue of banning nuclear tests. I also thank High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu for delivering her opening remarks, as well as for her kind words. The date of the International Day against Nuclear Tests marks the closing, on 29 August 1991, of the nuclear test site in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan. Last year, when I addressed the high-level meeting of the General Assembly (see A/75/PV.101), I recalled the indelible impression that had been left upon me, having stood at one of the ground zeros at Semipalatinsk. It was an experience I will never forget and a stark reminder of why we must do everything in our power to prevent nuclear tests in the future. And yet, one year later, it is not clear that we are on more stable ground in that regard. Ominous dark clouds of concern are gathering. Ongoing conflicts conjure fears of the return of nuclear brinkmanship, and another nuclear test may be on the horizon. Indeed, Secretary-General António Guterres recently warned that humankind is “just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation”. These grave geopolitical tensions have rightly shaken us out of our complacency. The existential threat posed by nuclear proliferation cannot be ignored. While the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) recently concluded deliberations without consensus on a final document, I actually see cause for optimism because, despite the disappointing outcome, I observed the sincere and tireless efforts made by so many as they sought to bridge the chasm that divides the international community on this important topic, and I heard the resounding calls for action. Those four weeks of intense negotiations have laid the groundwork for real progress in the future. We have an opportunity and a responsibility to build on that foundation and carry it forward. Regarding the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), I was heartened to see an increasingly fervent swell of support expressed by NPT States parties. Indeed, the draft final document recalled the importance of the entry into force of the CTBT and reaffirmed the responsibility of all States that have ratified the Treaty to promote the CTBT. This is a call to action to help us achieve universalization and entry into force. I trust that it will not fall on deaf ears. And yet, there is already much to celebrate. In this, the twenty-fifth anniversary year of the opening for signature of the CTBT, I set a goal for us all to strive towards: to see at least five new ratifications of our Treaty in one year. So far, there are four. Dominica, the Gambia, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu have stepped up to ratify the CTBT, and there are many more States on the way. With Dominica’s ratification, we have complete adherence to the CTBT in the Latin American and Caribbean region. With Timor-Leste’s ratification, we have complete adherence in South-East Asia. Those are historic milestones. I applaud those countries for their efforts. They are convinced that the international community’s best protection against nuclear threats is to strengthen and reinforce the global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime. They also recognize that the CTBT, with its unique means of verification, is undeniably a key element of that regime. The CTBT’s means of verification comprises the state-of-the-art International Data Centre in Vienna and a global network of monitoring stations, which have proven their efficacy time and again. This critical asset will continue to deliver on the CTBT’s promise to detect any nuclear explosion, anytime, anywhere. For that reason, it must be properly sustained. And it has more to offer. The data gathered contributes to tsunami warning systems, earthquake and climate change studies, and a multitude of other civil and scientific applications. Our monitoring system can help reduce deaths from natural disasters. That is why I have launched the National Data Centres for All initiative — an effort supported by so many States, to ensure that all States signatories of the CTBT can use this data to the fullest, for the benefit of all, particularly the smallest of States. Despite these impressive achievements and exciting initiatives, our work is not yet done. The International Day against Nuclear Tests provides us with an important opportunity to both soberly reflect and to take stock of our efforts towards creating a world free from nuclear test explosions. It is our historic responsibility to see that our planet never again suffers the disastrous consequences of nuclear testing. Never again. The only way we can put in place an enduring and verifiable prohibition on nuclear testing is through the entry into force of the CTBT. I therefore say to each Member State and the nations of the world that they represent, let us recommit ourselves to this noble cause and let us finish what we have started.

I now give the floor to Ms. Vivian Okeke, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency Liaison Office in New York.

I thank Mrs. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary- General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, and Executive Secretary Robert Floyd. On behalf of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mr. Rafael Mariano Grossi, I commend the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Abdulla Shahid, for convening this meeting to mark the observance of the International Day against Nuclear Tests. We also commend the Government of Kazakhstan for its commitment over the years to the promotion of the observance of the International Day against Nuclear Tests, having experienced first-hand the devastating effects of nuclear testing on its territory of Semipalatinsk. Ensuring that nuclear science and technology are used exclusively for peaceful purposes is the basic pillar upon which the IAEA was established. For the past six decades, the IAEA has helped to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons while making nuclear science and technology available for peaceful purposes, especially to developing countries. Nuclear science and technology contribute directly to more than half of the Sustainable Development Goals and indirectly to all of them. It cures diseases, helps feed the hungry, protects the environment and powers progress without harming the planet. The IAEA responded quickly and expediently to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic by delivering to member States the biggest emergency response programme in its near seven-decade history. As we were delivering urgently needed PCR equipment and training to every continent to tackle the pandemic, the IAEA launched the Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action initiative. That flagship initiative by Director General Grossi helps countries to prepare and respond more quickly to the next outbreak of zoonotic disease, be it monkeypox, Ebola or one yet to be discovered. As COVID-19 has shown, health challenges are harrowingly unjust. Cancer is a crisis threatening to overwhelm developing countries and erase many of the gains they have made. This year, in Addis Ababa, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi launched with President Macky Sall of Senegal, in his capacity as Chair of the African Union, the Rays of Hope initiative. This project steps up the IAEA’s commitment to cancer control and galvanizes the international community to address this silent pandemic. It has the strong support of African Union leaders and the World Health Organization. In all our endeavours it is vital that everyone, regardless of gender, be able to fully contribute their talents. The IAEA Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme offers financial support to women studying towards a Master’s degree in nuclear subjects. It is essential that nuclear technology be used safely and securely. While nuclear safety and security are national responsibilities, the IAEA serves as the international forum in which countries work together to develop safety standards and security guidance and to share best practices. The IAEA helps its member States to fulfil their responsibilities in these areas by developing safety standards that may be used as the basis for national regulations and by providing, upon request, a variety of services, including expert review missions. In addition, the IAEA plays a leading role as the global platform for strengthening nuclear security. Countries increasingly seek our help in minimizing the risk of nuclear and other radioactive material falling into the hands of a terrorist. We provide nuclear security training, help countries to improve the physical security of facilities at which nuclear materials are held, and maintain the most authoritative global database on illicit trafficking in nuclear and other radioactive materials. Another core function of the IAEA is to verify that countries are not working to acquire nuclear weapons. Agency inspectors conduct verification at nuclear facilities all over the world. They bring back samples that are analysed for possible traces of nuclear material. The IAEA is the competent authority the international community has entrusted to verify States’ compliance with their non-proliferation obligations to maintain exclusively peaceful nuclear programmes. We do that by implementing safeguards — internationally approved legal and technical measures — in 187 States, 184 of which are States parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Besides that, 139 of those 187 States have brought additional protocols into force, giving the Agency greater access to locations and information. The Director General has strengthened outreach activities with States parties, including by sending letters recalling these obligations under the NPT, for instance calling on States with small quantities protocols based on the old standard text to amend or rescind them. That is essential to addressing a weakness in the IAEA safeguards system recognized by the Board of Governors more than 15 years ago. The old standard small quantities protocol is not adequate for our current safeguards system. Having outlined the IAEA’s vital work on nuclear safety, security and safeguards, I would be remiss not to mention in particular our tireless efforts in Ukraine. Last week, the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhya, led by Director General Grossi, travelled to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant to assess the nuclear safety and security situation at the plant. The IAEA has now set up a continued presence at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Yesterday, Director General Grossi issued a second report detailing the IAEA’s actions, findings and concrete recommendations with regard to nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine, which includes a call for the urgent establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. He also briefed the Security Council on this crucial matter (see S/PV.9124). A key milestone in the IAEA’s work was the establishment of a low enriched uranium bank in Kazakhstan, which has been operational since December 2019. The bank is a mechanism of last resort for member States in case the supply of low enriched uranium to a nuclear power plant is disrupted due to exceptional circumstances that prevent them from securing the fuel from the commercial market or any other supply arrangement. The IAEA would like to thank the Government of Kazakhstan once again for hosting that important facility and for the excellent cooperation with the Agency in that regard. Finally, let me note that the IAEA continues to assist States in characterizing residual radioactivity in areas affected by nuclear weapons tests to assess whether the safe use of such land is possible or if remedial actions are needed. For example, the IAEA has assisted the Government of Kazakhstan over the years in assessing the radiological contamination of land affected by nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk site and surrounding areas. The IAEA is currently implementing a technical cooperation project focused on strengthening national capabilities to assess the feasibility of releasing parts of the Semipalatinsk test site to normal economic use. That work will continue in the years to come and serves as a reminder of the long-term hazardous effects of nuclear testing. In conclusion, let me reaffirm the IAEA’s firm commitment to contributing to a world free of nuclear weapons and nuclear tests. By exercising credible nuclear verification and by promoting effective nuclear security, the IAEA is making a tangible contribution towards that end and is also working closely with Executive Secretary Floyd of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization.

I now give the floor to Mr. Benetick Kabua Maddison, Executive Director of the Marshallese Educational Initiative. Mr. Maddison: I wish to thank the President of the General Assembly, Kazakhstan and other organizers for hosting this event and for the opportunity to speak today. I was born in the Marshall Islands. I moved to the United States — to Springdale, Arkansas — with my family as a child. In elementary school, the principal pulled my first-grade classmates and me out of class to gather at the school library for a show-and-tell that she wanted to share with us. To my surprise, the presentation was about a trip to the Marshall Islands that year. She showed us photos and talked about the 6,000-mile journey from Arkansas to the Marshall Islands. From her flight from Arkansas to Hawaii to the Marshall Islands, she could see clouds and the ocean below them. At first, there was no sign of the islands. Then, out of nowhere, there they were, God’s emerald necklaces floating on the water as if they had just risen from the depths of the sea. When I saw the photos, it was a very emotional moment. As a first-grader seeing my homeland again for the first time in pictures, with the beautiful white sandy beaches, the lush green forest and the blue turquoise water after leaving a few years prior, gave me tears and a big smile. It was comforting to know at a young age that my homeland was still there. Even though I am physically here in the United States, my heart is still back home. The Marshall Islands have been the home of my people for more than 4,000 years. I credit our survival and resiliency to the cultural values of our ancestors that we, their descendants, are still embracing today. Love, respect, kindness and togetherness are all essential aspects of our close-knit society. Our values are reserved not only for people but also for the environment. Marshallese culture is based on principles of sustainability and conservation. Unfortunately, this sustainable way of life is under threat. The Marshallese people are on the front line of climate change, and our leaders — many of whom have spoken in this Great Hall — are leading the fight. Environmental challenges and exploitation of our resources will continue to force more Marshallese like my family to migrate. Climate change is not the only threat that the Marshall Islands face. Unfortunately, we are no strangers to existential threats. Between 1946 and 1958, the United States used the Marshall Islands to test 67 nuclear weapons — the equivalent of 7,200 Hiroshima bombs. In the late 1970s, the United States built a concrete dome on Enewetak, one of the two islands used for nuclear testing. They dumped nuclear waste into the structure that is leaking nuclear contaminants into the fragile environment. Scientists have warned the Marshallese Government that if the Islands were under water today, the dome would break open and release its deadly contents. As a result of the nuclear testing programme, the Marshall Islands and the United States signed the first Compact of Free Association in 1986, allowing Marshallese to migrate to the United States for employment, education and the hope of access to health care. Due to nuclear testing and forced relocation, we have some of the highest rates of cancer and diabetes in the world. And, as tragically demonstrated in the early months of the coronavirus disease pandemic, when so many from my community became ill and too many of my friends, family members and elders died, my people are especially vulnerable due to health issues that are a direct result of radiation exposure and forced relocation. The Marshall Islands has a long history of advocacy for environmental and nuclear justice. Dating back to when the Islands were governed as a United States trust territory, an agreement between the United States and the United Nations solidified the United States’ use of the Marshall Islands for nuclear testing. With allies worldwide, Marshallese political leaders and community advocates continue to fight for nuclear and climate justice. With the help of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, the Marshall Islands sued the nine nuclear- weapon States in 2014. Although the case was not won, the issue received international attention and support. We will continue to educate and raise awareness about the effects of nuclear testing and climate change. What we need most today is not only allies, but actors. We need Government leaders who are willing to recognize the dangers of nuclear weapons production and use, take responsibility for the damage they have inflicted and eliminate these weapons. The Marshall Islands and the United States Government recently restarted negotiations for the next Compact of Free Association. It is my hope and that of my people, whether living in the Islands or abroad, that the next Compact will fully and fairly address the nuclear legacy and climate change. For us Marshallese, time is running out. We must do more to create a nuclear-free and liveable planet for all, not only to survive but thrive, and so that future Marshallese generations will live with the comfort of knowing that they have a home to go back to and so that they can preserve and protect their culture for many more years to come.

I now give the floor to the representative of Mauritius, who will speak on behalf of the Group of African States.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of African States. The African Group commends the President of the General Assembly for convening this meeting and for his support to nuclear disarmament. The Group expresses its appreciation for the valuable message delivered by the Secretary-General and the statement of the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. The fact that we are convening here today is a demonstration of our willingness and determination to see an end to nuclear tests as a necessary measure towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons. To that end, the African Group supports the goals of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which intends to enforce a comprehensive ban on nuclear tests, with all their attendant ramifications, and to cease all vertical and horizontal proliferation of nuclear weapons. The total elimination of nuclear weapons remains the only absolute guarantee against their use or threat of use. In that context, the Group reiterates the urgent need for our planet, including outer space, to be free of nuclear weapons, as their presence constitutes an existential threat to global peace and security, as well as to the future survival of humankind. The African Group supports the principle of complete nuclear disarmament as the utmost prerequisite for maintaining international peace and security. It is in that spirit that we recall the historical entry into force of the landmark Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on Friday, 22 January 2021. The African Group reaffirms its full support for the adoption of the Declaration of the first Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, entitled: “Our Commitment to a World Free of Nuclear Weapons”, which reaffirmed the determination to realize the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. The Group also reaffirms its support for the Vienna Action Plan adopted at the first Meeting of the States Parties to the Treaty, held in Vienna from 21 to 23 June 2022, to facilitate the effective and timely implementation of the Treaty’s objectives and goals. In that regard, the Group wishes to urge all members of the international community, especially nuclear- weapon States and those under the so-called nuclear umbrella, to seize the opportunity to sign and ratify the Treaty at an early date and to pursue the goal of a nuclear-free world. The African Group reiterates its deep concern over the slow pace of progress by nuclear-weapon States in accomplishing the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals, in accordance with their legal obligations and undertakings under article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The Group therefore insists on the implementation of all measures and undertakings agreed by the nuclear- weapon States in the context of the NPT, including the commitments to achieving the universality of the NPT and the establishment of a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. The Group underscores the contribution of nuclear-weapon-free zones across the world to the overall objectives of achieving nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, thereby enhancing global and regional peace and security. In that context, the African Group reiterates its commitment to the Treaty of Pelindaba, which reaffirms the status of Africa as a nuclear-weapon-free zone and as a shield for the African territory, including by preventing the stationing of nuclear explosive devices on the continent and prohibiting the testing of those weapons in the entire space that constitutes the African continent. In the same vein, the African Group recalls the convening of the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction, pursuant to decision 73/546. We welcome the convening of the first session under the presidency of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the second session under the presidency of the State of Kuwait, which succeeded in adopting the rules of procedure of the Conference, established an informal working committee for intersessional consultations and adopted a final outcome document. The African Group calls on all invited States to constructively continue to engage in good faith in order to negotiate a legally binding treaty that satisfies the implementation of the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference resolution on the Middle East. The Group wishes to further stress that the 1995 resolution remains an integral and essential part of the package and the basis upon which the NPT was indefinitely extended. The Group underlines the continued validity of that resolution until its objectives are achieved. The African Group wishes to emphasize humanitarian considerations in the context of all deliberations on nuclear weapons, particularly its serious concern over the catastrophic humanitarian consequences resulting from the use or detonation of nuclear weapons, either by accident or as a deliberate action. The Group calls on all States, particularly nuclear-weapon States, to take into consideration the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the use of these weapons on human health, the environment and vital economic resources, among others, and to take necessary measures aimed at dismantling and renouncing these weapons. The Group is deeply disappointed at yet another failed Review Conference of the Parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, at which agreement on tangible progress on the implementation of agreed nuclear disarmament commitments could not be reached. The tenth Review Conference was an opportunity for nuclear-weapon States to recommit to fulfilling their unmet commitments to ridding themselves and the world of nuclear weapons and to saving the rest of humankind from the devastating humanitarian impact of a nuclear detonation or nuclear war. Having one failed Review Conference is bad enough; having two failed review Conferences back-to-back plunges the NPT into uncharted waters and places the credibility and sustainability of the Treaty in deep trouble, just as it places collective peace and security in jeopardy. The African Group wishes to reiterate the importance of achieving universal adherence to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, taking into account the special responsibilities of nuclear-weapon States. The Group believes that the CTBT offers hope of halting the further modernization and development or vertical and horizontal proliferation of nuclear weapons, thereby contributing to the goal of nuclear disarmament. The Group calls on the international community to renew its support for promoting the entry into force of the CTBT. The Group calls on all States that have yet to ratify the CTBT, particularly the remaining eight States listed in its annex 2, to do so and recalls the special responsibility of nuclear-weapon States, as stipulated in Action 10 of the 2010 Action Plan. In conclusion, the African Group once again calls on all States to work persistently to facilitate the expeditious entry into force of the CTBT to fulfil the goal and objective of a nuclear-weapon-free world.

At the outset, I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this plenary meeting. I take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, who spoke on behalf of the Secretary-General, as well as her team, for their support to us Member States, especially Kazakhstan, in all our initiatives. I also commend Mr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, and his staff for their tireless work to promote the entry into force of and universalize the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), and to strengthen its verification regime. Today, on the thirteenth commemoration of the International Day against Nuclear Tests, we utilize this special forum to further invigorate the compelling and convening power of all stakeholders to create awareness on and take action to avert the unprecedented dangers of nuclear tests and weapons, as well as other weapons of mass destruction. As Secretary-General António Guterres has recently highlighted, the International Day against Nuclear Tests underscores the risks of nuclear testing, calling for an end to testing now and forever and to the consignment of nuclear weapons to history, once and for all. A report of the International Committee of the Red Cross also concluded that “[n]uclear weapons are the most terrifying weapon ever invented; no weapon is more destructive; no weapon causes such unspeakable human suffering; and there is no way to control how far the radioactive fallout will spread or how long the effects will last”. The coronavirus disease pandemic has cruelly demonstrated the fragility of humankind. However, thanks to the tireless work of scientists and solidarity among our nations, the pandemic will eventually come to an end. Yet, there is another threat — that of nuclear weapons, which is potentially more deadly than the coronavirus and has remained persistent, without abating, since 1945. The present expansion of nuclear weapons is dangerous and alarming, in both size and diversity. Equally disturbing is the secrecy of nuclear- weapon States about the nuclear arsenal and strategic warheads they presently possess. Nuclear weapons are now moving from global to regional deterrence, which makes the modern world less predictable and hazardous in case of an actual nuclear war between State actors. We are also constantly challenged by the risk of cybercrime attacks and weapons falling into the hands of terrorists. Even the possibility of using just 1 per cent of the 13,000 nuclear warheads existing today is enough to destroy us and our planet. It can severely disrupt the Earth’s ecosystem and reduce global temperatures, making human survival and any vegetation or food production impossible. Kazakhstan therefore sees the imperative of promoting confidence-building measures among Member States. Our plea, since the inception of our statehood and even today, has been to bring political dialogue and negotiations back to international affairs. Concrete steps to advance global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts are worth considering. First, it is necessary to strengthen, empower and consolidate existing nuclear-weapon-free zones so as to facilitate efforts to establish new ones, in particular in the Middle East and other parts of the world, similar to what already exists in Africa, South America, South- East Asia and the Pacific — in other words, the entire southern hemisphere. In 2009, Kazakhstan, together with its neighbours, created a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia, the first in the northern hemisphere, flanked by two nuclear-weapon-possessing States. More of these zones are necessary to secure stability around the world. Secondly, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons entered into force in January 2021. Supported by 122 Member States, it strengthens our collective hope for a world free of nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan has proposed that we achieve global zero by the United Nations centennial in 2045. It is a goal worth striving for and not impossible to reach. Last, but not least, we must also end nuclear weapons testing once and for all by finally bringing the CTBT into force. Kazakhstan joins an overwhelming majority of Member States in urging the remaining annex 2 States to ratify the Treaty without delay. Finally, we owe this collective action to the estimated millions of suffering victims of nuclear weapons testing and to the future generations of our children. Let us not forget the horrific consequences of nuclear weapons used in 1945 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as the haunting tragedies of four decades of nuclear weapons testing in Kazakhstan, the South Pacific, North Africa, North America and other regions. We must have the strength to place political determination, wisdom and the future of humankind above today’s narrow national interests. Humankind simply cannot live under the dark shadow of nuclear warfare and the immense suffering it can inflict. To be frank, neither do we have the preparedness to withstand a nuclear attack. We must therefore rise to the occasion by fulfilling our most basic sacred moral and ethical obligations. It is now time to act for humankind.

I now give the floor to the representative of Thailand, who will speak on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In recent years, we have been compelled to greatly adjust our daily lives to face the threat of the coronavirus disease and to continue to develop resilience in addressing its impacts. Moreover, against the unsettling backdrop of international and regional geopolitics, solidarity in our efforts to ensure the total elimination of nuclear weapons remains essential. The ongoing rivalries between major Powers and the modernization of nuclear arsenals remain real and existential concerns. ASEAN calls on all Member States, particularly the nuclear-weapon States, to demonstrate good faith, promote mutual understanding, enhance cooperation and ensure responsible and collective actions to realize a world without nuclear weapons. In that connection, the dangers of nuclear testing continue to be of utmost concern. ASEAN reaffirms its collective position against nuclear tests and continues to stress the importance of achieving universal adherence to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) without delay. All ASEAN Member States have ratified the CTBT, which reflects our strong commitment to the international norm against nuclear testing. In that regard, we join others in urging the remaining annex 2 States to sign and ratify the Treaty as soon as possible so that the Treaty’s entry into force may finally be realized. ASEAN deplores the conduct of nuclear tests, which are contrary to Security Council resolutions. We reiterate our recognition of the dire humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons on health, socioeconomic livelihood, the environment and sustainable development. ASEAN reaffirms its recognition of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as the cornerstone of global nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy. ASEAN welcomes the convening of the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, held last month. However, we regret that the Review Conference concluded without adopting a consensus outcome document that could have provided much-needed additional momentum towards general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control. In any event, the hard work must continue. ASEAN recognizes the important role of the NPT for peace, security and sustainable development in the twenty-first century and reiterates its call on all States parties to the NPT to renew their commitment to the full and effective implementation of NPT obligations and commitments, including those concerning the realization of article VI of the NPT. ASEAN reiterates the importance of regional nuclear-weapon-free zones to the existing global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. We reaffirm our commitment to preserving our region as a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction, as enshrined in the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ). We stress the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Plan of Action to Strengthen the Implementation of the SEANWFZ Treaty, which has been extended for another five-year period, from 2023 to 2027. We reaffirm our commitment to continuously engaging the nuclear-weapon States and intensifying the ongoing efforts of all parties to resolve all outstanding issues, in accordance with the objectives and principles of the SEANWFZ Treaty. In addition to the NPT, CTBT and nuclear- weapon-free zones, including SEANWFZ, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which entered into force on 22 January 2021 and held its first Meeting of States Parties in June 2022, provides that each State party undertakes never, under any circumstances, to develop, test, produce, manufacture or otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. The TPNW is a historic agreement, which contributes towards global nuclear disarmament and complements other existing nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation instruments. In line with the foregoing, ASEAN supports the Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament as a comprehensive step to advance nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in a concrete, holistic and integrated manner. We stress the importance of continued peaceful dialogue among all concerned parties in order to realize lasting peace and stability on a denuclearized Korean peninsula. The recent surge in the intercontinental ballistic missile testing and ballistic missile launches by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are a worrisome development that threatens peace and stability in the region. We urge all concerned parties to resume peaceful dialogue and to continue working towards the realization of lasting peace and stability on a denuclearized Korean peninsula, including through the full and expeditious implementation of the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Reunification of the Korean Peninsula, the Pyongyang Joint Declaration and the joint statement of the leaders of the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. We reiterate our commitment to the full implementation of all relevant Security Council resolutions and note international efforts to bring about the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner. Diplomatic efforts, including the creation of a conducive environment for peaceful dialogue among all concerned parties should remain a priority. We reiterate our readiness to play a constructive role, including through utilizing ASEAN-led platforms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, in promoting an atmosphere conducive to peaceful dialogue among the concerned parties. In conclusion, the United Nations was founded upon, inter alia, the fundamental purpose of the maintenance of international peace and security. We have here a platform that can best facilitate strengthened cooperation among all Member States in pursuing nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. While the journey is a long and arduous one, with the effective contribution of all, including women and youth, the international community must work tirelessly towards the dawn of a world free of nuclear weapons.

I now give the floor to the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU). The candidate countries North Macedonia, Albania, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova; the country of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina; the European Free Trade Association countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area; as well as Georgia, Andorra, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement. The entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) has always been and remains a top priority for the European Union. This high-level meeting provides an opportunity to highlight again the need for the Treaty’s universalization and entry into force. All EU member States have ratified the Treaty and consistently call upon the remaining eight annex 2 States— China, Egypt, Iran, Israel and the United States of America, which still need to ratify the Treaty, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India and Pakistan, which still need to sign and ratify it in order to bring it into force  — to do so without any preconditions or further delay. Pending the entry into force of the Treaty, the EU calls on all States to abide by the moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions, and to refrain from any action contrary to the object and purpose of the Treaty. The EU warmly welcomes the recent ratifications of the Treaty by Tuvalu, the Gambia, Dominica and Timor-Leste, which constitute yet another step towards the CTBT’s universalization. We commend Executive Secretary Robert Floyd and his team for this impressive record and fully support their efforts to achieve additional ratifications of the Treaty. We also encourage engagement with civil society to promote the CTBT. In that context, we commend the work of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Youth Group. The CTBT is one of the key pillars of the international disarmament and non-proliferation architecture, contributing to global peace and security. The Treaty’s strong legitimacy and vital importance for our collective security is pointed out in Security Council resolution 2310 (2016) and the annual General Assembly resolutions relating to the CTBT. The EU will continue to rally support for the CTBT and the CTBTO in all relevant multilateral forums. On the occasion of the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the EU submitted a comprehensive working paper on the CTBT, with concrete proposals for the tenth NPT Review Conference. Moreover, on the margins of the NPT Review Conference, the EU organized a high-level panel discussion on the essential role of the CTBT in the context of the NPT, and within the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, with the participation of the Executive Secretary and the EU Special Envoy for Non-proliferation and Disarmament. We regret that despite intensive efforts and negotiations, due to one country’s objection it was not possible to achieve consensus on a final outcome document at the tenth Review Conference of the NPT, which would have also reaffirmed the importance of the entry into force of the CTBT at the earliest possible date, recalling the responsibility of all States that have ratified the Treaty to promote the CTBT. Nevertheless, legally binding obligations enshrined in the NPT and commitments from the past Review Conferences still remain valid. The EU and its member States will spare no effort to continue to promote the full and effective implementation of the NPT, as well as its universalization, and we call upon all States parties to do the same. The NPT’s continued integrity is more important than ever in view of the current security environment. We continue to strongly condemn the unprovoked and unjustified aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which undermines the rules-based international system and our collective security. The EU reiterates its call on Russia to end its aggression immediately and to withdraw its troops from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine. The EU urges the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to cease its unlawful and destabilizing actions and its escalatory behaviour, which undermine international and regional peace and security, as well as the global non-proliferation regime, and instead to engage in dialogue with relevant partners in order to build a basis for sustainable peace and security and to take steps aimed at pursuing the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea must comply with its obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions to refrain from testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear-weapon State, in accordance with the NPT. We urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes, as well as programmes to build delivery systems and other weapons of mass destruction in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, as required by relevant Security Council resolutions. We also urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to return to compliance with the NPT and the International Atomic Energy Agency comprehensive safeguards agreement, including by signing and ratifying the additional protocol and by signing and ratifying the CTBT. It is critical that sanctions, which target unlawful weapons development by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, remain in place and are fully implemented while its programmes exist. The EU recalls the obligation of all United Nations Member States to fully implement all existing Security Council resolutions and all relevant non-proliferation and disarmament obligations and commitments. Following the nuclear tests by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the CTBTO demonstrated its invaluable role in quickly providing reliable and independent data, enabling the international community to respond appropriately and swiftly. The CTBTO has provided the world with a truly global, hi-tech monitoring system for nuclear explosions  — something that no single country could do. The EU therefore reiterates its confidence in the CTBT’s verification regime and looks forward to the completion of the International Monitoring System (IMS). We recognize the deterrence effect against non-compliance with the Treaty and the ability to respond to threats to international peace and security that it provides. The EU and its member States commend the CTBTO Preparatory Commission and the States signatories for their demonstrated commitment to keeping the verification regime working through the coronavirus disease pandemic. We urge all States signatories that still have to establish stations to cooperate with the Provisional Technical Secretariat to that effect. We also urge the relevant States signatories to assist in that process. With IMS construction ongoing for over 20 years, there is no excuse for further delay in certifying and operating all stations. In addition to the CTBT’s obvious contribution to international peace and security, the CTBTO’s integrated capacity-building assists States in using IMS data for civil and scientific applications and research associated with Treaty-related verification technologies, including tsunami and volcanic ash cloud warning. To make best use of our collective investment, the EU advocates fully exploiting the potential benefits of civil and scientific applications of IMS data and financially supports capacity-building for developing countries in this regard. Since 2006, the EU has provided the CTBTO with voluntary contributions of more than €29.5 million to fund a variety of technical projects to strengthen the verification regime and build capacity in developing countries. As a further sign of our commitment, the EU has become a supporter of 10 actions of the Secretary- General’s Agenda for Disarmament, including promoting the entry into force of the CTBT. EU member States have consecutively assumed responsibility as co-coordinators for the biennial conference — chaired last year by Italy together with South Africa  — to promote the entry into force of the CTBT, pursuant to article XIV of the Treaty. We will continue to use every opportunity to call for the CTBT’s prompt entry into force and universalization in all relevant international forums and to actively and persistently advocate for the signing and ratification of the CTBT in meetings with the countries that have not yet signed or ratified the Treaty, notably the annex 2 States.

I have the honour to speak at this high-level meeting on behalf of the States members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). At the outset, CELAC expresses its gratitude for the convening of this high-level meeting and thanks Kazakhstan for its initiative and tireless work in this regard. CELAC welcomes the statement made by the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Mrs. Izumi Nakamitsu, as well as her support to the Secretary-General on this issue. CELAC also welcomes the participation of Ms. Vivian Okeke, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency Liaison Office in New York; Mr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban-Treaty Organization (CTBTO); and Mr. Benetick Kabua Maddison, Executive Director of the Marshallese Educational Initiative. CELAC recalls resolution 64/35, adopted in December 2009, and resolution 72/51, adopted in December 2017, which declared 29 August the International Day against Nuclear Tests, dedicated to awareness raising and public education about the effects of nuclear weapons test explosions and any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means to achieve the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. In that regard, CELAC reiterates its firm condemnation of any type of nuclear test in any part of the world and insists that all States refrain from conducting nuclear tests, other nuclear explosions, or any other pertinent non-explosive tests, including subcritical experiments and those carried out through simulations aimed at developing and improving nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Such actions are contrary to the object and purpose of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, and to the obligations and provisions contained in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). They are also counter to the spirit and letter of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), thereby undermining its impact as a disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation measure. CELAC welcomes the 186 States that have signed and the 174 States that have ratified the CTBT, including 41 of the 44 whose ratification is necessary for its entry into force, the annex 2 States. In that regard, CELAC welcomes the ratifications of the Gambia, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu in 2022, and highlights the important steps taken towards the universalization of the Treaty. CELAC welcomes in particular the signing and ratification by Dominica, which also took place this year, making Latin America and the Caribbean a region in which all States have completed the signing and ratification of the instrument. This reinforces the region’s firm commitment to nuclear disarmament and the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and demonstrates our region’s firm commitment to the universalization of the Treaty. However, CELAC reiterates the vital importance and urgency of the prompt entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty, and urges the annex 2 States that have not ratified it to take the necessary measures to do so without further delay. CELAC reiterates the full validity of the declarations on nuclear disarmament adopted by the Community in Buenos Aires on 20 August 2013; in Havana on 29 January 2014; in Belén on 29 January 2015; in Quito on 27 January 2016; and in Punta Cana on 25 January 2017. CELAC reaffirms the urgent need to achieve the total elimination of nuclear weapons, since a world without nuclear weapons is essential to meeting humankind’s priority objectives, including peace, security, development and the protection of the environment. Accordingly, CELAC reiterates its deep concern about the existence, increase, modernization, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons, as well as their humanitarian consequences. CELAC strongly emphasizes that nuclear weapons must not be used under any circumstances and that the use and threat of use of nuclear weapons constitute a crime against humanity and a violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, and the Charter of the United Nations. CELAC takes note of the first Meeting of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which took place from 21 to 23 June in Vienna, and the election of Mexico to chair the second Meeting of the States Parties to the Treaty in 2023. The TPNW joins the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons on the road to the elimination of these weapons of mass destruction in a transparent, verifiable and irreversible manner and within clearly established time frames. In conclusion, CELAC reaffirms our region as a nuclear-weapon-free zone and reiterates its commitment, endorsed in the Declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, to continue to promote nuclear disarmament as a priority objective and to contribute to universal development and complete disarmament to build trust among nations.

I am honoured to deliver this statement on behalf of the States members of the Pacific Island Forum. We join the global community in commemorating and promoting the International Day against Nuclear Tests — a day devoted to honouring all victims and survivors of nuclear tests, to raising public awareness about the fatal consequences of nuclear explosions and to remembering why nuclear testing must come to a permanent end. We remember the lives lost and the lives of those who continue to grapple with the lifelong impacts of nuclear testing. We remain committed to advancing actions to achieve justice for our affected peoples and communities and to advocating for effective remedial actions to mitigate against the effects of nuclear tests on the health, security and prospects of our Blue Pacific. There is no question that the unresolved nuclear testing legacy issues in the Pacific continue to pose a clear and present danger to the livelihoods of the peoples of the Blue Pacific. We call on those responsible to take urgent and meaningful steps to address these lingering issues. At their most recent annual meeting in July, the Pacific Forum leaders noted arrangements for a preliminary independent review relating to nuclear contamination in the Pacific. That review will support the evidentiary basis for actions our region will continue to take on nuclear testing legacy issues. Last month, we also commemorated the thirty- seventh anniversary of the adoption of the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty  — the Treaty of Rarotonga  — by Forum leaders on 6 August 1985 at their sixteenth Forum Leaders meeting in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Contributing to a mosaic of global nuclear-free zones, the nuclear-free zone in the South Pacific represents a key contribution to protecting all of humankind from nuclear weapons testing. The Treaty of Rarotonga successfully eliminated nuclear weapons and testing from our Blue Pacific 26 years ago and has helped to denuclearize a number of regions of the world. Its success is proof of the utility of the mechanism of nuclear-weapon-free zones as a strategic tool to secure global peace. We take this opportunity to reiterate our leaders’ call on the United States to ratify the Rarotonga Treaty protocol, recalling the announcement by the United States in 2010 of its intention to ratify all protocols. We further emphasize the need for collective action and partnerships, including through the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons regime, as well as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. With regard to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- Ban Treaty, we warmly welcome the ratification this year by Timor-Leste, Dominica, the Gambia and Tuvalu. We urge all States not to carry out nuclear tests, explosions or any other nuclear explosions, to maintain their moratorium in this regard and to refrain from acts that would defeat the object and purpose of the Treaty. We call on all United Nations Member States to support the annual General Assembly draft resolution on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. We also note the prohibition on nuclear testing in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. As the nuclear threat remains very real, we must also be alert to its multifaceted nature. We condemn in the strongest terms the six nuclear tests conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea since 2006, in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions, and urge full compliance with obligations under those resolutions, including that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea abandon its nuclear weapons programme and not conduct any further tests. We reaffirm our support for the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner, and we encourage all parties to continue such efforts and dialogue. The climate emergency and growing frequency of natural disasters across the globe have increased the risk of large-scale nuclear accidents. Nuclear and radiological risks transcend national borders, and an accident anywhere is an accident everywhere. We invite the international community to join us in pursuing the highest standards of nuclear safety through international consultations, international law and support for the International Atomic Energy Agency. I have every hope in our global solidarity, in nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and in pursuing the highest standards of nuclear safety to safeguard against further nuclear contamination and injustices.

I now call on the representative of Tunisia, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Arab States.

I am pleased to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of Arab States to commemorate and promote the International Day against Nuclear Tests. This is an important event that stresses the willingness and commitment of the international community to end nuclear tests due to all the terror they have caused to humankind and the environmental damage they have wrought. The Arab Group appreciates the statements made by the President of the Assembly, Mr. Abdulla Shahid, Under-Secretary-General Mrs. Izumi Nakamitsu, the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty Organization, the Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency Liaison Office in New York, and the Executive Director of the Marshallese Educational Initiative, who all reaffirmed the urgent need to eliminate all threats posed by nuclear weapons, which are undoubtedly the weapons that conflict most with humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law and that most threaten international peace and security. In that context, the Arab Group expresses its grave concern regarding the dangerous threat to humankind posed by the continued existence of nuclear weapons, which should be eliminated in a verifiable and irreversible way. That is the only guarantee that nuclear weapons will not be used or threaten to be used. The Arab Group regrets that the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was not able to adopt an outcome document. We call for international support for the NPT and the non-proliferation regime. We also stress the need to address the challenges emanating from the continued possession of nuclear weapons by nuclear-weapon States. Those States are even developing these weapons, in line with their military doctrines, and carrying out nuclear tests. Such tests represent an existential threat, which the international community must diligently address in order to rid the world and future generations of such weapons. We emphasize that the full elimination of nuclear weapons is not only a realistic and achievable goal, but that it is also a precondition to sustainably ensure international security and stability. The Arab Group believes that the continued existence of nuclear weapons and the non-implementation of article VI of the NPT and of the relevant binding commitments adopted at the various NPT review conferences, including the non-universalization of the NPT, pose a grave threat to international peace and security. We also firmly reject any pretext claiming that the possession of nuclear weapons is essential to ensuring international stability or that current international circumstances are not conducive to nuclear disarmament. We also firmly reject any pretext which says that certain previous commitments are no longer important and have become unsuitable to the current international environment or that places conditions on the implementation of previous commitments regarding nuclear disarmament. The Arab Group calls once again on nuclear-weapon States to shoulder their responsibilities and implement the commitments and goals agreed upon to ensure the full and complete elimination of their nuclear arsenals, in line with a defined timetable. That is the least such countries can do to compensate the international community for the grave and sustained damage caused by thousands of their nuclear tests. The Arab Group stresses once again the importance of supporting international efforts to promote the universalization of the NPT and other multilateral treaties on nuclear disarmament and other weapons of mass destruction, including the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). We call on all States to join the CTBT, including the annex 2 States, while stressing the responsibility of nuclear-weapon States with respect to action 10 of the 2010 Review Conference Action Plan. We also call on States that have undeclared nuclear programmes and activities to declare them, and on States that have yet to join the NPT to do so. We further call for continued international and regional efforts to facilitate the entry into force of the CTBT, which was opened for signature more than 25 years ago. The Middle East is experiencing tensions and instability. However, Arab States have proven their good will. They have joined the NPT and committed to implementing its provisions. They also participated effectively in the negotiations for the CTBT and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. They continue to support the efforts of the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- Ban Treaty Organization in order to achieve the Commission’s goals and mandate. However, the Middle East remains a stark example of the challenges facing the non-proliferation regime because the NPT is not yet universalized and because Israel insists on challenging the will of the international community and continues to systematically violate relevant international resolutions and the norms and rules set by the NPT. The Arab Group stresses the need to promote and intensify efforts to address the strategic flaw in the Middle East and to prevent an arms race there by implementing the commitments agreed upon in the international mechanisms for disarmament. At the forefront of such mechanisms is the establishment a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction, in line with the relevant decision adopted at the NPT 1995 Review Conference, the 2010 Action Plan, Security Council resolutions 487 (1981) and 678 (1990), and subsequent relevant General Assembly and IAEA resolutions and decisions. In that context, the Arab Group stresses the importance of the conference to be held by the United Nations, in line with General Assembly decision 73/546, on establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. We welcome the success of the first session of the conference, held under the presidency of the sisterly Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in November 2019. It reached important results, according to the Secretary- General’s report in document A/75/63. We also welcome the second session, held in November 2021 under the presidency of the sisterly State of Kuwait, which was able to establish appropriate procedures and an informal committee to pursue relevant consultations, in addition to issuing a final report on the second session. The Arab Group urges all parties invited to the conference to participate in good will and to negotiate a binding convention that promotes international and regional peace and security. We look forward to ensuring the success of the third session, which will be chaired by the sisterly Lebanese Republic in November. We hope that it will achieve positive results that can support the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s important commemorative plenary meeting. Austria fully aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union, which lays out our priorities with regard to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in detail. Seventy-seven years ago, nuclear weapons were tested for the first time in the desert of New Mexico, marking the beginning of an era of nuclear testing across the globe, which brought with it devastating effects on humans and the environment. Those effects can be felt to this day. The testimonies of survivors of nuclear weapons explosions, hibakusha and survivors of nuclear testing need to be a reminder to all of us that nuclear weapons must never be used. With regards to the norm against nuclear testing, the world has been fairly successful. Only one State, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, has violated this norm in this century, while efforts towards the universalization of the CTBT have made progress. We welcome the ratifications of the CTBT — by Dominica, the Gambia, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu — that have taken place since last year’s plenary meeting (A/75/PV.101). The CTBT has become an essential component of the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation framework. We reiterate our full confidence in the Treaty and in the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) and commend the latter for its tireless work to end nuclear weapons testing. Austria is proud to host the CTBTO and its dedicated staff in Vienna. We welcome the successful initiatives undertaken by Executive Secretary Floyd in advancing the CTBTO’s work and will continue to actively support him and the Organization. The CTBTO has proven its capability and readiness to verify the norm against nuclear testing enshrined in the Treaty. The reliable and independent data it provides to the International Monitoring System and the International Data Centre showcase that no nuclear detonation goes undetected, while also providing valuable data for various civilian applications. However, if the CTBT is to become fully effective and operational, it needs to enter into force. It is thus of grave concern that yet another year has passed without the Treaty’s entry into force, especially at a time when other disarmament and non-proliferation treaties are under tremendous strain. Our efforts at achieving the CTBT’s entry into force must not stagnate. On the contrary, it is high time that the remaining countries, in particular those listed in annex 2, that are preventing the Treaty’s entry into force finally ratify without delay or precondition. While we await the CTBT’s entry into force, another complementary norm against the testing of nuclear weapons is growing in adherence. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) outlaws the testing of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, in addition to other prohibitions. Sixty- six States parties and 86 signatories subscribe to its prohibitions to date, which complement and strengthen both the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the CTBT, as is clearly outlined by the fact that the last four States to ratify the CTBT did so in conjunction with ratifying the TPNW. At the first meeting of the States parties to the TPNW, the States parties pledged to continue to support all measures to bring the CTBT into force and also resolved to address the harm caused by nuclear weapons used in testing. We call on all States, whether party to the TPNW or not, to do likewise. At a time when the risk of nuclear detonations is as high as it has ever been, we must work collectively to ensure that no one needs to live in fear of such detonations. Working towards the universalization of the CTBT and the TPNW, and strengthening the NPT, can help us achieve our common goal of a world without nuclear weapons.

I welcome the organization of this high-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day against Nuclear Tests. Ecuador wishes to add its own remarks to those voiced this morning, in particular the statement made by the representative of Argentina on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. At the outset, I wish to express my delegation’s great appreciation and gratitude to Secretary-General António Guterres for all the efforts he has made, in conjunction with the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Mrs. Izumi Nakamitsu, to support disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction globally. I also welcome the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization and the Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency Liaison Office in New York. Today, as we commemorate the International Day against Nuclear Tests, Ecuador reaffirms the importance of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. We also reiterate the need for the Treaty’s prompt entry into force, and therefore call on those countries that have not yet done so, particularly annex 2 States, to ratify the Treaty as soon as possible. In the meantime, Ecuador insists on the need for all States to observe the moratorium on any type of nuclear test. The catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons, whose existence alone threatens the survival of humankind, are well known. We must therefore continue to work together to prevent any type of nuclear test. We bear witness to a situation in which the planet is at risk of nuclear weapons use as never before. This is a challenge of global dimensions, and that latent reality makes our fates increasingly intertwined. For that reason, through Member State efforts and the support of actors from civil society, academia and international organizations, we must move forward in search of a world that is free of nuclear tests and, especially, the potential use of any weapon of mass destruction. Ecuador reaffirms its commitment to strengthening the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its implementation. We regret that, following several postponements of the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty, a consensus has not been reached for the second consecutive time. We highlight the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the first Meeting of States Parties, which concluded by adopting an action plan and a joint declaration. Ecuador, in compliance with its commitment to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, will continue to host infrasound and radionuclide stations in the Galapagos Islands with a view to strengthening the international monitoring network. Finally, Ecuador joins others in condemning nuclear tests, wherever they are carried out and regardless of who has carried them out, due to the serious damage they cause to the environment and their disastrous humanitarian consequences.

We thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly to commemorate the International Day against Nuclear Tests, pursuant to resolution 72/51, which was adopted to reiterate the importance of the day when the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site was closed down on 29 August 1991. Hungary aligns itself with the statement of the European Union. I wish to make the following remarks in my national capacity. The history of nuclear testing began on 16 July 1945 at a desert test site in Alamogordo, New Mexico, when and where the first atomic bomb was exploded. “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”, said Robert Oppenheimer, quoting a fitting piece of Hindu scripture as he witnessed the first detonation of the newly developed nuclear weapon on that day. In the five decades between that fateful day and the opening for signature of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), over 2,000 nuclear tests have been carried out all over the world. Since the CTBT was opened for signature, 10 nuclear tests have been conducted. The CTBT, the main mechanism for eradicating nuclear weapons testing, was adopted by the General Assembly on 10 September 1996 (resolution 50/245). To date, it has 186 signatures and 174 ratifications. The CTBT today is a nearly universally accepted norm; all but one member of the international community, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, have refrained from conducting nuclear tests. But this voluntary global moratorium on nuclear testing does not substitute for a legally binding obligation. For the Treaty to enter into force, it must be ratified by those States with significant nuclear capabilities, the annex 2 States. The universalization and early entry into force of the CTBT should be one of the top priorities for every nation. It certainly is for Hungary, as a former article XIV coordinator and supporter of Action 4 of the Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament, on bringing the CTBT into force. We therefore call upon the remaining annex 2 States that have yet to sign and ratify the Treaty to waste no more time by waiting for others, but to lead by example. After 26 years, it is high time for the Treaty to achieve the one thing it has not yet achieved — its entry into force. Only in that way can the CTBT meet its ultimate goal of the CTBT of ending the era of nuclear testing once and for all. However, until that day comes, in line with several Security Council resolutions, we urge all States to keep up the moratorium and to refrain from conducting any nuclear test explosions or any other nuclear explosions. We also welcome the recent ratification of the Treaty by Timor-Leste, Dominica, the Gambia and Tuvalu in 2022. Our aim today is to enhance public awareness and education about the continued threat, effects and consequences of nuclear weapons test explosions or any other nuclear explosions, and to highlight the need for their cessation as an important step towards achieving the ultimate goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world. We welcome the contributions of the signatory States to the work of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. It is highly important to ensure that the verification regime of the Treaty is capable of meeting the verification requirements upon the entry into force of the Treaty, in accordance with its article IV. We encourage the continuation of those efforts.

My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by the Permanent Representative of Argentina on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. In our national capacity, we recall and welcome the General Assembly’s invitation to celebrate the International Day against Nuclear Tests, including through various educational and awareness-raising activities. That is precisely the purpose of this annual commemoration  — to increase public awareness and knowledge of the effects of nuclear weapons test explosions and any other type of nuclear explosion, and of the need to put an end to them as one of the means of achieving the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. Fifty-one years elapsed and more than 2,000 nuclear tests were conducted since the day of the first nuclear test, which took place on the morning of 16 July 1945, until the signing of the CTBT. Some tests continued until 2017, and the nuclear threat remains. That is why we call for the universalization of the complete prohibition of nuclear tests, the prohibition of nuclear weapons and the elimination of existing arsenals. This commemoration is also an opportunity to remember the fundamental role that civil society has played as a whole in making visible, educating and raising awareness about the catastrophic, painful and prolonged humanitarian consequences of any nuclear explosion. In his 1985 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, the founding co-President of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War noted: “We physicians have focused on the nuclear threat as the singular issue of our era. We are not indifferent to other human rights and hard- won civil liberties. But first we must be able to bequeath to our children the most fundamental of all rights, which preconditions all others: the right to survival.” In 2017, when reading out the Indigenous Statement before the Conference negotiating the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, civil society representative Karina Lester noted: “We write to remind those drafting this important new treaty about the ongoing harm caused by the use of nuclear weapons, and by more than two thousand nuclear test explosions around the globe. Indigenous communities have borne the brunt of these deadly experiments. Our land, our sea, our communities, and our physical bodies carry this legacy with us now, and for unknown generations to come.” These experiences and voices, added to other testimonies of the survivors of nuclear explosions and their families, of the hibakusha, compel us to question the nature of the legacy that this civilization wants to leave to current and future generations. These experiences and voices reiterate that the human being and human dignity must be at the centre of all our companies, individual and collective. They remind us of our primary responsibility to preserve life and encourage us to continue working, jointly with Governments and civil society, to achieve the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons and to guarantee that there will never be an explosion of this nature again. We appreciate the work of those voices, which show us the importance of education as an instrument for peace, security, disarmament and non-proliferation.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting. The complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, the elimination of the threat of nuclear war and the ultimate establishment of a world free of nuclear weapons are in the common interest of all humankind. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is an important pillar of the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime and an important milestone for humankind, as it moves us towards the goal of building a world free of nuclear weapons. Since its conclusion 26 years ago, the Treaty has made important contributions to curbing a nuclear arms race, reducing the risk of nuclear war and maintaining international peace and security. It has also guided the international community towards the goal of building a world with lasting peace and universal security. At present, the international arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation regime is facing daunting challenges and the important role of the CTBT has become ever more prominent. In the face of emerging challenges and new changes, the international community must abide by genuine multilateralism, stay committed to win-win cooperation, uphold fairness and justice, oppose the Cold War mentality and zero-sum game, embrace the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and strive to achieve security for all. China was one of the first signatories of the CTBT and has conducted the lowest number of nuclear tests among the nuclear-weapon States. Since declaring a moratorium on nuclear tests in 1996, China has always abided by its commitment and has never wavered in its political support for the Treaty. China has always advocated the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. China explicitly undertakes not to be the first to use nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstances, and unconditionally commits itself not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free zones. China always keeps its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required for national security. China does not compete with other countries in terms of the input, quantity or scale of nuclear capabilities and never engages in any nuclear arms race with any other country. China is the only nuclear-weapon State that has made such commitments. We urge other nuclear-weapon States to adopt the same policy in order to effectively reduce the risk of nuclear war. On 3 January, the leaders of five nuclear-weapon States issued a joint statement on preventing nuclear war and avoiding arms races, stressing that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought, and reaffirming that none of their nuclear weapons are targeted at each other or at any other State. That historic statement reflects the political will of the five States to prevent nuclear war and has been highly important for the maintenance of global strategic stability. China hopes that the permanent five members of the Security Council will continuously enhance strategic mutual trust and strengthen communication and cooperation. The CTBT and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) are both important pillars of the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. The tenth Review Conference of the Parties to NPT has just concluded. We hope the States parties will build on its momentum, explore ways to respond to the challenges in the international non-proliferation arena, continuously enhance the universality, authority and effectiveness of the NPT and promote the early entry into force of the CTBT. China stands ready to work with all parties to make new contributions to the realization of the lofty goal of the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons and the promotion of world peace and security.

Italy aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union and wishes to add the following remarks in its national capacity. This high-level meeting provides a fresh opportunity each year to raise awareness of the devastating effects of the use of nuclear weapons and testing on the environment and human life. It also allows us to further emphasize the need to cease nuclear testing and to reaffirm our commitment to the ultimate goal of a peaceful and secure world free of nuclear weapons. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a cornerstone of the disarmament and non-proliferation agenda and of the wider multilateral architecture. By banning any nuclear weapons test explosion or any other nuclear explosion, it counteracts the development and qualitative improvement of nuclear weapons and helps prevent nuclear competition. Regrettably, more than 25 years after its opening for signature, the CTBT has not yet entered into force. It has, however, achieved two very important goals. First, it has paved the way for a moratorium on nuclear tests, which we call on all States to maintain. Secondly, it has created, through the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), a highly effective global verification regime, whose invaluable role in quickly providing reliable and independent data has been repeatedly demonstrated. But progress on the way to disarmament and non-proliferation requires that the current voluntary moratorium on nuclear test explosions be translated into a binding norm through the entry into force of the CTBT. We therefore strongly support any initiative aimed at facilitating its entry into force. To that end, Italy co-chaired the ministerial article XIV conference of the CTBT last September with South Africa. Our engagement as co-Chairs will continue for another year. In this two-year period, we have strengthened our efforts  — in partnership with South Africa, the Provisional Technical Secretariat of the CTBTO and the State signatories — to advance the universalization of the Treaty with new signatures and more ratifications. To that end, we fully support the excellent outreach work that Executive Secretary Floyd and his team are undertaking. In that regard, I warmly welcome recent ratifications of the Treaty by Tuvalu, the Gambia, Dominica and Timor-Leste. Let me once again reiterate the plea to all States that have not yet done so, in particular the remaining eight annex 2 States, to sign and ratify the Treaty without further delay. I regret that despite intensive efforts and negotiations, one country decided to block consensus on a final outcome document at the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which would have also reaffirmed the importance of the CTBT’s entry into force at the earliest possible date. The current threats to global peace and security make it more urgent than ever to renew all efforts for the universalization and entry into force of the CTBT. In that spirit, we urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to refrain from further provocations and to take concrete steps towards complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization. We call on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to engage in credible negotiations in that respect and to comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions, to return to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and to sign and ratify the CTBT. At the same time, we call on the international community to continue to support the completion of the CTBT verification regime even before the entry into force of the Treaty so as to further improve its monitoring capacity and its ability to provide accurate data analysis. We remain fully committed to the strengthening of the International Monitoring System, including through our national seismic station and radionuclide laboratory. I would like to conclude by emphasizing the paramount importance of common efforts to achieve the entry into force of the CTBT. Every single country has a role to play. Italy calls on all partners to work closely together to create political momentum, turn it into action and ultimately into reality.

Let me begin by thanking the President, for convening this high-level plenary meeting today. My appreciation also goes to the excellent speakers at today’s meeting. We are currently facing a substantial divergence of views among States on nuclear disarmament. Against that backdrop, there is an increasing need for cooperation among States, including nuclear- weapon States and non-nuclear-weapon States. Japan believes that concrete and practical measures, with the cooperation of nuclear- and non-nuclear-weapon States, are indispensable to the advancement of nuclear disarmament. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is one of the most effective measures in that regard. The CTBT has indisputably contributed to enhancing the norm of a ban on nuclear tests. Twenty years of the steady development of a reliable International Monitoring System have served as an effective deterrent against nuclear testing. Almost all States are now observing a moratorium on nuclear testing, and any State that conducts nuclear tests will be subject to strong condemnation and sanctions imposed by the entire international community. In that regard, we recall our condemnation of the six nuclear tests conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea since 2006 and strongly urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to fully comply with all relevant Security Council resolutions and to take concrete actions towards the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missiles of all ranges and related programmes. The CTBT has been signed by 186 States and ratified by 174 States as of today. That shows that steady progress is being made towards the universalization of the CTBT. We highly commend those efforts for building momentum towards the early entry into force of the Treaty. At the same time, we regret that the CTBT has not yet come into force, even after 25 years. Japan calls upon all States, especially the remaining eight annex 2 States, to make every effort to sign and ratify the Treaty without further delay. As the only country to have suffered atomic bombings in war, Japan is strongly committed to leading international efforts towards a world without nuclear weapons. To that end, Japan is fully committed to achieving the entry into force of the CTBT, working together with both nuclear- and non-nuclear-weapon States. In that regard, Japan is going to co-host a meeting of the Friends of the CTBT at the leader’s level on 21 September. Japan believes that this meeting will provide an opportunity to reinforce the political momentum towards the entry into force of the Treaty.

My delegation welcomes the convening of this high-level meeting, commemorating for the thirteenth consecutive year the International Day against Nuclear Tests, thereby testifying to its importance and the commitment of the international community on the issue. My delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the Group of African States. I wish to make the following remarks in my national capacity. Côte d’Ivoire’s principled opposition to nuclear testing is based on the harmful humanitarian and environmental impact of nuclear weapons test explosions. That was also the main reason behind the actions that led to the proclamation of this International Day in 2009. Furthermore, it is what justifies the commemoration of this day in a context where this threat has not been eliminated. It should be recognized that the International Day against Nuclear Tests has made it possible to advance the cause of banning nuclear tests by promoting, in particular, national and international public awareness- raising activities and through the undertaking of several bilateral and multilateral measures. However, those efforts do not have permanent and legally binding effect. They will therefore remain ineffective and insufficient without an international standard that would act as the main leverage for putting a definitive end to this phenomenon. That standard, as we well know, has existed since the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996. What is lacking is its implementation, since we still await the entry into force of the Treaty, 26 years later. Côte d’Ivoire, which signed that instrument of importance to the promotion of vertical and horizontal non-proliferation the day after it was opened for signature, on 25 September 1996, and ratified it on 11 March 2003, therefore pleads for its universalization and immediate entry into force. In that regard, Côte d’Ivoire calls on the eight annex 2 States, whose ratification is necessary for that purpose, to do so as soon as possible so as to accelerate this process. In the meantime, my country urges all States to refrain from all nuclear explosion experiments, to observe the relevant moratoriums and to renounce any act contrary to the object and purpose of the CTBT. Furthermore, Côte d’Ivoire welcomes the actions taken by the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization in the context of the deployment of the International Monitoring System and detection facilities. We encourage the Commission to continue its actions and invite all States to support them. Côte d’Ivoire is committed to the principle of a world free of nuclear weapons and is of the view that while the prohibition of nuclear tests constitutes a decisive step, our ultimate objective should be the complete eradication of these weapons. The effective condition for achieving this objective is, in my country’s view, universal adherence to and effective implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which now constitutes an essential tool in the disarmament and non-proliferation architecture and is complementary to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. My delegation therefore calls for the implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Action Plan of June 2022, as well as for the accession to the TPNW of nuclear-weapon States, with a view to achieving our common will to build a world forever free from the nuclear threat.

I would like to extend my appreciation to the President, for convening this meeting of the General Assembly. We commend Kazakhstan and share its position on the promotion of the International Day against Nuclear Tests. In fact, 26 years after the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) was opened for signature, the world has yet to witness the implementation of the Treaty. As stipulated time and again, the international community has been and continues to be adamant about ending nuclear tests. Therefore, it goes without saying that achieving this noble goal relies on the political will of the nuclear-weapon States in particular. Iran shares the frustrations of non-nuclear weapon States over the pretexts and delays in ending nuclear tests, which were magnified in the loss of momentum for advancing this cause at the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Had the calls been effective, these ominous tests would not have been utilized for the production, proliferation and even use of nuclear weapons. The world, including the nuclear-weapon States, should have taken note of the devastating consequences of nuclear tests, which are nearly identical to the actual use of nuclear weapons. The statistics about 2,000 tests — half of which belong to the United States — are shocking to say the least. Like many other nations, Iran believes that a meaningful measure that would go a long way towards releasing the world from any threat of nuclear weapons is the immediate implementation of article VI of the NPT, once again the sole responsibility of the nuclear- weapon States. The international community must hold the nuclear-weapon States responsible and accountable by implementing that legal obligation and refraining from any activity inconsistent with that obligation. This approach should also apply to the Middle East, where the Israeli regime, the sole possessor of all types of weapons of mass destruction, poses the most serious threat to regional peace, security and stability. It is worth noting that the moratorium to stop nuclear tests is no substitute for a legally binding obligation. Therefore, pending the achievement of that goal, the implementation of these moratoriums by the nuclear- weapons States should be replaced by a legally binding instrument to effectively prevent such tests. Today, we should highlight the importance and necessity of putting an end to all nuclear tests, not only for the sake of humankind and its future generations but also for the sake of Mother Earth. The very survival of humankind depends on our unshakeable agreement that nuclear weapons should never be tested, developed or deployed; rather, they ought to be destroyed altogether. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is a step in the right direction, and we hope to see the day when it is brought to fruition through the proper steps, including prompt commencement of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament on a comprehensive convention on nuclear weapons spanning the whole cycle of these inhumane weapons and realizing their total elimination. That step is the only guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. Let us seize any opportunity to materialize that lofty goal.

Brazil would like to say a few words in its national capacity. First, we would like to extend our personal thanks to you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting and to Kazakhstan for its initiative. I would also like to thank the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Mrs. Izumi Nakamitsu, for her tireless efforts in this area. I also extend my thanks to Mr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization; Ms. Vivian Okeke, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency Liaison Office in New York; and Mr. Benetick Kabua Maddison, Executive Director of the Marshallese Education Initiative, for their participation here today. I wish we were meeting here today in a spirit of celebration after a successful close to the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Reaching an outcome document would have given a significant boost to further efforts in nuclear disarmament, with positive spillover effects in the area of the prohibition of nuclear tests. Instead, today’s meeting serves as a stark reminder of how much work still remains to be done before we reach a world free of nuclear weapons. Brazil remains an emphatic supporter of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) as an indispensable tool for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We played an active role in the negotiation of the Treaty and were one of the first countries to ratify it in 1998. Yet today, in many ways we see less cause for optimism regarding nuclear disarmament than when the Treaty was first signed in 1996, 26 years ago. At that time, we were just coming out of a successful NPT Review Conference that extended the Treaty’s validity in all its pillars, including nuclear disarmament, and set out ambitious goals. The conclusion of the CTBT a year later and the adoption of the 13 practical steps in 2000 seemed to signal real momentum in the field of disarmament. Today, much of that momentum has been lost. As many delegations noted throughout our weeks-long NPT review process, in many areas progress appears to have gone into reverse. Arsenals are, at best, not being reduced further. At worst, they are growing or being modernized. That has real world effects. They are still unpredictable, despite assurances that they do not violate the spirit of disarmament obligations. Against that rather uninspiring backdrop, the prohibition of nuclear testing could offer a glimmer of hope. With only eight more States required to ratify the Treaty, we remain tantalizingly close to the CTBT’s entry into force. Political will and concerted action could carry us over the finish line in the next few years. The entry into force of the CTBT would go a long way towards recovering some of the lost momentum in the area of nuclear disarmament and would give new impetus to the NPT review conferences. Further, it would help reduce nuclear risk, build trust and lower tensions for nuclear and non-nuclear States alike. What is missing is a realization that the security environment is not a given. It is the product of the actions we all take. The time will never be right for nuclear disarmament unless we make it right. It is not an improved security environment that leads to nuclear disarmament, but nuclear disarmament that leads to an improved security environment. This is a lesson that was learned the hard way after all the times that humankind walked back from the brink during the Cold War, and one that we seem, to our detriment, to be forgetting. May this International Day against Nuclear Tests and the next ones after never cease to remind us of that.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this high-level meeting on a subject of critical importance to the inhabitants of this planet and, it would not be wrong to say, for the future of the planet itself. The use and testing of nuclear weapons are, needless to say — indeed, as has been said ad nauseam — among the most serious threats to the community of nations and to future generations. We have heard the story of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 incessantly, and the lesson has still not got through to us. Their long-lasting effects and the dangers of subsequent testing events remind us of the devastating consequences of nuclear weapons. They are a startling reminder. Sri Lanka therefore echoes the cry of humankind to be freed from the spectre of nuclear warfare and therefore actively supports all initiatives that contribute to a world free of nuclear weapons. Banning nuclear tests is a giant step towards that end. Over several decades, Sri Lanka has been unwavering in its support for the attainment of a world free of nuclear weapons and the complete elimination of such weapons. We have consistently expressed our support for universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament. We remain convinced that the goal of nuclear disarmament can be achieved in a time-bound manner, via a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed global and non-discriminatory multilateral framework. Sri Lanka’s commitment to this initiative  — the elimination of threats posed by nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction  — is reflected in the international treaty obligations Sri Lanka has undertaken in the field of disarmament. We have always maintained that a transparent, sustainable and credible plan for multilateral nuclear disarmament is an absolute essential — a sine qua non, so to speak — in order to achieve the ultimate goal of a world free of weapons of mass destruction. We believe that there is a need for a meaningful dialogue among all States possessing nuclear weapons to build trust and confidence and to reduce the spectre of nuclear weapons in security doctrines. Given today’s international security environment, we welcome the enhanced resonance within the international community on the shared objective of eliminating the nuclear danger. Today’s commemoration and promotion of the International Day against Nuclear Tests is an important affirmation of our common determination to create the necessary and indispensable conditions for the legal proscription of nuclear tests. Disarmament treaties are more than just legal obligations; they are also moral commitments based on trust among States and rooted in the trust that citizens placed in their Governments. We are trustees for the people we represent. That is an onerous duty that we must appreciate, and that trust has to be held at the highest levels for generations to come, in keeping with the intergenerational trust that has been bestowed on us by the community of nations. We must all contribute to building and consolidating the trust necessary for a world free of nuclear weapons. As others have remarked, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a cornerstone of the mutual trust that we need. Our collective global goal must be to strive for a world that is free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. But in doing so, it is important for every member of the global community of nations to take all the necessary steps within its competence to sign and ratify the CTBT and to help bring that Treaty into force. The CTBT, as many of us have said, is an effective measure for promoting nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation by constraining the development and qualitative improvement of nuclear weapons and ending the development of advanced new types of nuclear weapons through a global network of monitoring facilities that allow for on-site inspections. We therefore strongly urge and encourage the eight States that have yet to sign and/or ratify the CTBT to do so in view of its overwhelming and near-universal support and role in achieving a world free of nuclear weapons. Furthermore, we also believe that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), should be our ultimate goal. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has been adequately reflected in the TPNW. Sri Lanka therefore believes it has an obligation to convey to the future generations the tragic consequences of the use of nuclear weapons and attaches great importance to education on disarmament and non-proliferation. I sincerely hope that this meeting will contribute to raising public awareness of the importance of nuclear disarmament. It is regrettable that no nuclear-armed State or any of its allies, the so-called nuclear-umbrella States, have signed the TNPW so far, ostensibly for the reason that it conflicts with the doctrine of nuclear deterrence. In that context, Sri Lanka wishes to reaffirm the importance of the NPT, including the 2010 NPT Review Conference, its 64-point Action Plan and the 13 practical steps the New Agenda Coalition outlined in a bid to encourage disarmament, agreed at the 2000 NPT Review Conference. We also cannot forget the consensus reached on many matters in the recently concluded NPT discussions, notwithstanding the fact that no outcome was agreed upon, as well as the importance of genuine adherence to all other principles and instruments. We hope that this open consultation will offer the global community greater reason for hope in a trigger-happy world that has offered us little recourse in the last two years, or perhaps in the last 20 years.

Let me begin by thanking the President of the General Assembly for organizing this high-level plenary meeting to commemorate the International Day against Nuclear Tests. Almost 60 years ago, the United States and many other nations brought into force a treaty that now prohibits its 125 parties from conducting nuclear- explosive tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and under water. And while nuclear tests continued underground, the desire for a complete ban on such tests in all environments remained, ultimately resulting in the successful negotiation of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in the Conference of Disarmament. The United States has not conducted a nuclear explosive test for nearly three decades. We were the first to sign the CTBT when it was opened for signature in September of 1996. Since then, the United States has maintained A zero-yield moratorium on nuclear- explosive testing and calls on all States possessing nuclear weapons to declare or maintain such a moratorium. While such voluntary moratoriums helped to maintain the international norm against nuclear- explosive testing, they are no substitute for a legally binding ban that an enforced CTBT would provide. North Korea’s continued illegal and reckless nuclear- explosive testing program highlights the reason that we need to push ahead to secure a global prohibition. The United States also continues to take steps to address the impacts of our own testing legacy. The recently extended Radiation Exposure Compensation Act stands as an acknowledgement of that responsibility. In the wake of the just-completed Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), we reflect on the more than half of a century of nuclear non-proliferation under the NPT and see once again that the cessation of nuclear- explosive testing remains an international priority. NPT parties recognize once again that a legally binding ban on all such testing is an important and necessary step on the path to a world without nuclear weapons. That is why the United States supports the CTBT and is committed to achieving its entry into force. The United States, like the rest of the remaining annex 2 States, must complete its ratification process. For us, that starts with education and engagement around how we maintain a safe, secure and effective deterrent in the absence of nuclear-explosive testing and how the International Monitoring System has grown into a scientific marvel able to detect explosive tests around the globe. Of course, United States ratification alone is not sufficient to bring the Treaty into force. All remaining annex 2 States share the responsibility to sign and/or ratify the CTBT without waiting on others to do so. Alongside our support for the CTBT as a legally binding agreement, we also strongly support the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization and its vital work in delivering the Treaty’s verification regime. While much progress has been made in the Preparatory Commission towards the establishment of an effective verification system, there is still work to be done to complete the remaining elements of the International Monitoring System and to fully develop the on-site inspection capability that will serve as a vital deterrent to clandestine nuclear- explosive testing. There are many challenges between us and entry into force, and it will require focus and effort by all of us to overcome those challenges. The good news is that we have near-universal support for our mission. Working together, we can overcome the challenges we face and end explosive nuclear testing once and for all.

At the outset, I would like to thank the President of the General Assembly for convening today’s high-level meeting to commemorate the International Day against Nuclear Tests, as well as Kazakhstan. Kiribati stresses the importance of enhancing public awareness of, and education on, the effects of nuclear-test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as a means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world. Between 1957 and 1962, our good friends the United Kingdom and the United States tested 33 nuclear devices in the Malden and Kiritimati — Christmas — islands, now part of the Republic of Kiribati. Kiribati civilians living in Kiritimati and their descendants, as well as the British, Fijian, New Zealand and American veterans of the testing programme, suffered adverse health effects caused by exposure to ionizing radiation. The local population was not adequately warned about the humanitarian and health impacts of those nuclear tests. Many innocent civilians were affected. They did not understand how dangerous those nuclear weapons would be for them and their families. In view of the legacy of nuclear testing, Kiribati signed and ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and offers its Kiritimati island, which was heavily scarred and battered by more than 30 nuclear tests, to the United Nations to be used as a global or subglobal centre for the achievement of humankind’s long-held dream for a nuclear-weapon-free world. We recognize that the TPNW complements the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, especially article VI. As a steadfast supporter of the TPNW, I led Kiribati’s delegation to the first Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW, held in Vienna in June. In addition, Kiribati served as a co-facilitator with Kazakhstan for articles 6 and 7 of the TPNW. Those articles address victim assistance, environmental remediation, international cooperation and assistance. Together, both States will co-chair the intersessional informal working group on articles 6 and 7. Kiribati hopes that working group will help lay the foundation for an international trust fund to help the victims of nuclear tests and enable the work needed to remediate environments harmed as a result of nuclear testing. Recognizing the impact of nuclear tests and the need to strengthen public awareness of the TPNW, Kiribati has participated in a series of disarmament educational zoom meetings with young Pacific islanders. I often encourage young people to learn about the past and then take action to save the great blue Pacific Ocean. It is imperative for the international community to listen to the voices of young people and those whose families have suffered from the effects of nuclear testing. The international community cannot forget how the former colonial Powers treated innocent Pacific islanders in their pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. I would like to say that, on the positive side, we should not regard that history as negative, which would create poor relations with those great friends. We must try to bridge the gap and come together. I hope that young people from the islands, the United States, Britain and other States can come together in the future and work as one people, one family, for a better world. We must continue to educate our young people as we strive for a world free of nuclear weapons. It is the only way to ensure that nuclear weapons — the scourge of humankind — are eliminated once and for all. Let me end by sharing the lyrics of a short song I composed in Vienna: “We are one big, happy family for peace, love and harmony; for peace, love and happiness in a world free of nuclear stuff, in a world free of nuclear stuff”.

I now give the floor to the observer of the Holy See.

We gather today not only to increase awareness about the consequences of nuclear-explosive testing but also to remember those who have suffered from the deleterious effects of ionizing radiation resulting from such explosions, which have a disproportionate impact on women, girls and the unborn. In the Pacific, on the steppe, in the Arctic and in desert environs, local populations  — almost always indigenous communities or non-self-governing peoples — have witnessed helplessly as nuclear testing contaminated the natural surroundings that enabled them to be nourished and kept healthy, survive and preserve a way of life in a culture that gave them identity and meaning. That contamination coincided with land confiscation, forced displacement, the desecration of cultural heritage and debilitating public health issues, including birth defects, leukaemia and thyroid disease. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) offers hope for those suffering from such effects. In addition to banning nuclear-test explosions, the TPNW requires States parties to assist victims and remediate contaminated environments. While States that possess nuclear weapons do not currently have a legal responsibility to contribute to such efforts, they have a moral obligation to redress the harms that they have inflicted. As a first step and in furtherance of the Vienna Action Plan, the Holy See invites such States to engage in an information exchange on their provision of assistance to States affected by nuclear testing. Such cooperation will prove vital to fulfilling the TPNW’s positive obligations, given that States with nuclear weapons have the financial resources and technical capacity needed to render aid and clean up affected areas. Some 26 years have passed since the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) opened for signature. Despite its lack of entry into force, the CTBT has established a powerful norm against nuclear testing, observed by all States except one since the turn of the millennium. The Holy See calls upon all States to continue adhering to the zero-yield moratorium and deplores reports that one State may be preparing to resume testing. Furthermore, my delegation calls upon all States that have not yet done so  — especially the eight remaining annex 2 States — to sign and ratify the CTBT with the utmost priority. While the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization’s International Monitoring System already offers the international community an effective means to verify that States adhere to a moratorium on nuclear testing, it is only through the CTBT’s entry into force that we will enable the full implementation of the Treaty’s on-site inspection provisions and achieve a verifiable universal ban on nuclear testing by anyone, anywhere and for all time.

We have heard the last speaker in this commemorative debate. Before giving the floor to speakers in the exercise of right of reply, I remind members that statements in the exercise of the right of reply are limited to 10 minutes for the first intervention and five minutes for the second and should be made by delegations from their seats.

In exercise of the right of reply, I would like to comment on the openly politicized statements made by some delegations that have nothing to do with the topic under discussion this morning. In particular, today we once again heard unfounded statements regarding the so-called unprovoked aggression against Ukraine, even though we have presented detailed explanations on many occasions. Regarding the safety of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which was brought up today, the most flagrant threat comes from the unrelenting shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Attacks against the station threaten its physical security and integrity, as the International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed. Those bombardments continue daily. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are targeting the most vulnerable parts of the station, deliberately creating the risk of a large-scale accident. We have disseminated the relevant statistics as official documents of the General Assembly and the Security Council and among the States Members of the United Nations and would ask that delegations familiarize themselves with that information. Western delegations know all too well where the shelling is coming from, yet they continue to dissemble and refuse to recognize that the Kyiv regime has turned the nuclear power plant into a target for the purposes of nuclear blackmail. That was confirmed yet again during yesterday’s Security Council meeting on the subject (see S/PV.9124), at which Western delegations pretended that the shelling came out of nowhere. The statements by those States seeking to claim that the shelling are not from the Ukrainian side make no sense, given that the station is under Russian control. The Western policy of turning a blind eye to the facts is nothing but conniving. Kyiv and its Western sponsors will bear full responsibility for the former’s reckless actions. With regard to the insinuations we heard today concerning the outcome of the tenth Review Conference of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), let me reaffirm that the Russian delegation was determined to work constructively and interact with all partners. Unfortunately, from the very beginning of the Review Conference, Western countries practically took the forum hostage due to their unrestrained willingness and desire to punish Russia at all costs, seeking to politicize the discussion and making it impossible for the final outcome document to be adopted. That was not the first time that had happened: in 2015, the delegations of the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada  — guided by their narrow, selfish considerations — blocked the outcome document of the previous ninth Review Conference. Now they allege that Russia has harmed the review process, but they do not recall those previous occasions. Despite the destructive actions of Western States, which made it impossible to adopt the NPT outcome documents, we are convinced that at the tenth Review Conference the States parties to the NPT were able to conduct a full-fledged review of the Treaty and verify their positions on all pillars, thereby becoming much better informed about the current state of affairs. Most important, they once again reaffirmed the role and significance of the NPT as the foundation of the global non-proliferation regime. We consider that to be a good start for future work as part of the new review cycle, which should be completed by the eleventh Review Conference, to be held in 2026. Returning to the topic under discussion this morning, let me emphasize that Russia was among the first States to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). We believe that the opening for signature of the Treaty in 1996 was an important step in the process of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament that is comparable to the signing of the NPT. We have always supported the CTBT since that time, and we ratified it in 2000. More than 25 years have elapsed since it was opened for signature, and yet it has still not entered into force. We call on all annex 2 States that have not yet signed or ratified the Treaty to revise their approach in favour of it. If we want to have an objective discussion on the issue of nuclear tests, it must be considered in a comprehensive, holistic manner, taking all factors into account. The United States is the only country to have actually used nuclear weapons. The United States continues to be the leader in terms of the number of nuclear tests carried out, which stands at 1,054. We welcome the fact that some delegations today noted the negative effects of the nuclear tests carried out by the United States and the United Kingdom in the past. At present, the United States continues to play the most destructive role in terms of the status of the CTBT, having refused to ratify it in 2018. Washington must change its destructive approach before lecturing other States on their obligations.

Israel values the non-proliferation regime and recognizes the importance of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. In that context, it is important to recall that all States have a sovereign right to determine whether or not to join any international instrument. Unfortunately, non-compliance with non-proliferation treaties and instruments in the Middle East remains a great challenge that undermines regional security and stability. The Islamic Republic of Iran has systematically violated its obligations, as well as obstructing international efforts in that regard. Some countries claim that a comprehensive security architecture can be established in the Middle East without direct engagement with Israel and without recognition of Israel’s right to exist within safe and secure borders. Without reducing regional tensions and building the necessary trust and confidence among all States in the region and while showing disregard for the norms and principles that have been agreed upon in arms control forums, that position is untenable.

The delegation of Ukraine would like to exercise its right of reply in response to the statement made by the delegation of the Russian Federation, which chose to use today’s commemorative meeting to promote its classic false narratives, especially with regard to the situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Such remarks were to be expected and do not surprise us. Yesterday’s Security Council meeting (see S/PV.9124) clearly showed how isolated the Russian Federation is. Its representative even confirmed that it had had no time to consider the report prepared by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). I would therefore like to recall that only one delegation — the Russian Federation — is responsible for the current nuclear threats and risks. In connection with the situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, the report of the IAEA confirms the presence of the Russian military and its equipment, as well as representatives of the Russian company Rosatom, a violation by Russia of the seven pillars of nuclear safety and security. And it is only Russia that is using military force — its regular shelling. We were very clear throughout the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, as well as during the meetings of the Council, including its most recent meeting, that Russia bears full responsibility for its actions and presents a clear threat to nuclear safety and security. That is a threat not only to Ukraine but also, of course, to other countries of the region — and it may also have global implications. Mr. Ghadirkhomi (Islamic Republic of Iran). I take the floor in exercise of my right of reply to respond very quickly to the statement just made by the representative of Israel. I categorically reject the outrageous and unsubstantiated accusations made by the representative of the Israeli regime against my country, which are consistent with its policy of deflection from its atrocities in the region and beyond. I would like to emphasize that the weapons of mass destruction in the hands of that criminal regime are the true source of the terror, insecurity and destruction that is putting regional peace and security at risk. We encourage the international community to condemn the Israeli regime and force it to follow the international regimes banning weapons of mass destruction.

The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 100.