A/77/PV.98 General Assembly

Nigeria aligns itself with the statement made this morning by the representative of Tunisia on behalf of the Group of African States (see A/77/PV.97). I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this very important plenary meeting on the International Day against Nuclear Tests. It is also a pleasure to thank Mr. Robert Floyd, the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), and his team for their tireless efforts. Our special appreciation goes to the Secretary-General for the timely presentation of his disarmament agenda, entitled “Securing Our Common Future: An Agenda for Disarmament”, which among other things declares the total elimination of nuclear weapons as the highest priority of the United Nations. The Secretary-General can count on Nigeria’s support towards achieving our shared goal of the complete and irreversible denuclearization of the world. My delegation would like to reiterate its deep concern about the fact that more than two decades after its opening for signature, the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) has still not entered into force. We therefore commend the countries that have ratified the Treaty and call on those that have yet to sign or ratify it to do so without conditions in order to enable its speedy entry into force. That will be one additional step towards a nuclear-weapon-free world and one additional guarantee against a humanitarian crisis resulting from a nuclear detonation. Nigeria has always been at the forefront of the campaign against nuclear weapons and is ready to promote and support all efforts aimed at sustaining the call and the willingness to ensure the CTBT’s entry into force. Similarly, we share the vision on ways to advance that goal within the context of non-proliferation and disarmament in order to facilitate the attainment of a nuclear-weapon-free world. The continued existence of nuclear weapons remains an existential threat to humankind. The exorbitant costs of maintaining these dangerous weapons cannot be justified when compared to the resources that States are able to allocate to ventures that enhance socioeconomic development. Nigeria would like to voice its deep concern about the nuclear-weapon States’ resistance to 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). In that regard, we stress that the universalization of the NPT is dependent on strict compliance with its three pillars  — disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Nigeria reiterates its view that the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that could result from either the deliberate or unintentional explosion of a nuclear weapon should alone convince all States to halt their continued possession. The total elimination of nuclear weapons should be the ultimate objective of all disarmament processes within the broad spectrum of goals pursued by the United Nations. My delegation would like to remind the Assembly of the landmark Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and remains proud to have participated actively in the process leading to its adoption and to have been among the first countries to sign it. The countries of Africa have long acknowledged the existential threats posed by nuclear weapons to humankind, based on which they adopted the Treaty of Pelindaba, declaring Africa a nuclear-weapon-free zone. Among other things, it prohibits stationing or testing nuclear explosive devices in the entire space that constitutes the African continent. My delegation therefore calls on all Member States to emulate Africa in making their respective regions nuclear-weapon-free zones. Nigeria’s priority is ensuring that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is not restricted to banning nuclear-weapon tests but also acknowledges the importance of using nuclear energy for the benefit of both human beings and the environment. We acknowledge the progress made so far with the verification regime and express our strong support for the Treaty. We also appreciate the activities and work of the Preparatory Commission, including in strengthening the verification capabilities of the CTBTO. My delegation would like to call on all States, particularly those that have not yet acceded to the Treaty, to do so. Its implementation is critical to our human security. In conclusion, we urge the Executive Secretary, the Preparatory Commission and the Friends of the CTBT to renew their efforts to obtain the signatures and ratifications necessary for the CTBT’s entry into force.

We express our deep appreciation for convening this vital gathering of the General Assembly and would like to commend Kazakhstan for its significant role in advocating for the International Day against Nuclear Tests. Twenty-seven years have elapsed since the signing of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, yet the world is still waiting for the tangible realization of its provisions. The global community remains steadfast in its resolve to eradicate nuclear testing, a position that has been reiterated time and again. That noble objective hinges on a decisive commitment on the part of the nuclear-weapon States, a responsibility of paramount importance. Iran shares the frustration of non-nuclear- weapon States and stands united with them against delays in putting an end to nuclear testing. Such delays serve only to undermine progress and momentum, as was evident at the tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the first Preparatory Committee of the 2026 Review Conference. The urgency of those calls cannot be overstated. The continuation of nuclear tests contributes to the production, proliferation and potential use of nuclear weapons. The consequences of those tests — which are closely akin to the actual deployment of nuclear arms — should serve as a wake-up call for the entire world, including the nuclear-weapon States. The stark statistics, which reveal that more than 2,000 tests have been conducted, with nearly half of them attributed to the United States, are deeply unsettling. Iran firmly believes that the cornerstone of our efforts to rid the world of nuclear threats is the faithful implementation of article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, responsibility for which rests squarely on the nuclear-weapon States. The international community must therefore hold those States accountable, urging them to fulfil their legal obligation while refraining from any actions that run counter to it. That imperative extends to the Israeli regime, which possesses various types of nuclear weapons that pose a grave threat to regional peace and security and beyond. While voluntary moratoriums on nuclear tests are commendable, they cannot replace the necessity of legally binding commitments. Until that aspiration is achieved, the implementation of those moratoriums by the nuclear-weapon States should be augmented with a binding instrument to effectively prevent such tests. Our focus today underscores the critical importance of terminating all nuclear tests, not only for the welfare of present and future generations but also for the health of our planet. The survival of humankind hinges on a steadfast consensus, which is that nuclear weapons must never again be tested, developed or deployed, and their complete eradication remains the ultimate yet urgent goal. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons represents a step in the right direction. We eagerly anticipate its successful realization through measured steps, including a swift start to negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament for a comprehensive convention that addresses the entire life cycle of those inhumane weapons, ultimately leading to their total elimination. That process stands as the sole guarantee against the use or threat of nuclear weapons. Let us seize every available opportunity to turn that aspiration into reality.

It would not be wrong to say that the use and testing of nuclear weapons represent one of the most serious threats to the community of nations and our future generations. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 and their long-lasting effects remind all of us of the devastating consequences of nuclear weapons. We have pledged never to do it again. However, the irony of it all is that present-day nuclear weapons are far more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, which had an explosive yield of approximately 15 kilotons of TNT. In contrast, modern nuclear weapons can range from tens of kilotons to multiple megatons. Some nuclear warheads are 100 to 1,000 times more powerful than the bombs that devastated Hiroshima. That is the irony. Sri Lanka echoes the cry of humankind to be freed from the spectre of nuclear warfare and therefore actively supports all initiatives that contribute towards a world free of nuclear weapons. The banning of nuclear tests is a giant step towards that end. For the past several decades Sri Lanka has been unwavering in its support for attaining a world free of nuclear weapons and for the complete elimination of such weapons. We have consistently expressed our support for nuclear disarmament that is universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable. We continue to believe that the goal of nuclear disarmament can be achieved in a time-bound manner through a step-by- step process, underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed multilateral framework that is global and non-discriminatory. We believe that there is a need for meaningful dialogue among all States possessing nuclear weapons to build trust and confidence and to reduce the salience of nuclear weapons in their security doctrines. Given today’s international security environment, we welcome the enhanced resonance that the shared objective of eliminating the nuclear danger has among the international community. Today’s commemoration and promotion of the International Day against Nuclear Tests are an important affirmation of our common determination to create the conditions and steps needed to achieve the legal proscription of nuclear tests, and I congratulate Kazakhstan on its initiative. It is an accepted fact that ever since their invention, nuclear weapons have occupied a special place in the global security order. But militarily and politically they are considered for no reason other than their extraordinary destructive power. Nuclear weapons, unlike other types of weapons, provoke starkly divided opinions among States and people. They are seen by some as both an ultimate guarantor of State security and as weapons of evil. However, it is also a fact that no one publicly denies the need to achieve the ultimate objective of the total elimination of nuclear weapons. The canvas that the issue presents is made more complex by the fact that nuclear material has both civilian and military use. It is against that backdrop that regulating the use of nuclear energy and materials must be examined by focusing on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. In order to do that, we must carefully consider where we are today in the context of the Partial Test-Ban Treaty  — which banned nuclear-weapons tests in the atmosphere, outer space and under water  — and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It may therefore be pertinent to recall that the General Assembly’s very first resolution (resolution 1 (I)) established the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission, which, among other things, ensured the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes and the elimination of atomic weapons. Regrettably, the Commission failed to agree on any meaningful measures due to disagreement on the priorities of the super-Powers. It is therefore time that we made our collective global goal a world that is free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. But to do that, it is important for every member of the global community of nations to take all necessary steps within its competence to sign and ratify the CTBT and help bring that Treaty into force. We can all agree that the CTBT 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 strongly urge and encourage the eight annex 2 States that have yet to sign and 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 believe that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons should be the ultimate goal, considering that its provisions also adequately reflect those of the NPT. Sri Lanka believes that 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 on the importance of nuclear disarmament. The task at hand is urgent. Our earthly sojourn is limited, and during that time we need to secure the planet for the benefit of our succeeding generations, in keeping with the intergenerational trust that we have covenanted to keep. There is only one compromise, and that is a compromise aimed at sustaining a peaceful world where all humankind can live in peace and in dignity. I am sure that young people today would tell us in simple terms that we can do without nuclear weapons.

My country appreciates the convening of this General Assembly meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day against Nuclear Tests. We also welcome and acknowledge the valuable opening statements by the United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, the representative of the International Atomic Energy Agency and youth activist Mr. Elias Merad Taouli (see A/77/PV.97). My country recognizes the relevance of today’s commemoration in promoting discussion and awareness of the devastating effects of nuclear tests and other nuclear explosions. El Salvador would like to take this opportunity to strongly condemn nuclear tests and other types of nuclear explosions that threaten our collective security, pollute the environment and our natural resources and harm the health and safety of all human beings. The conduct of such tests puts our international disarmament and non-proliferation architecture at increased risk and contravenes the spirit and provisions of instruments such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). El Salvador reaffirms, in that regard, its support for the work and mission of the Preparatory Committee of the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty Organization for the CTBT’s entry into force and especially welcomes the holding of the thirteenth Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, to be held in New York in September, with Panama and Norway serving as co-Presidents. However, the complete elimination of nuclear tests and other nuclear explosions will not be achieved until all States have understood the relevance of that commitment, with a view to preserving the lives of all human beings and conserving and protecting our natural resources for present and future generations. El Salvador therefore once again reiterates its appeal to the States listed in annex 2 to the CTBT to promptly ratify that instrument. We recognize and applaud the fact that our region, Latin America and the Caribbean, has signed and fully ratified the Treaty, which is a sign of our commitment to the goal of general and complete disarmament, reaffirming our commitment as States parties to the world’s first nuclear-weapon-free zone, established under the Treaty of Tlatelolco. Within the framework of today’s commemoration, we commend educational initiatives, particularly those focusing on young people, aimed at a definitive cessation of nuclear testing as a necessary means to achieve the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world. We also acknowledge the leadership of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs through its Youth 4 Disarmament initiative and in particular its Step Up 4 Disarmament campaign, which encourages the participation of young people in raising awareness through physical activity and promoting wellness and good health. My country welcomes and supports the campaign, which is part of the commemoration of this important International Day, and encourages other Member States to join in those important activities. In conclusion, I would like to express our great pleasure at the holding of the second Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which will take place at the end of the year at United Nations Headquarters under the chairmanship of Mexico. El Salvador has reiterated how the TPNW strengthens the international disarmament and non-proliferation architecture and represents the contribution of non-nuclear-weapon States to achieving the goal of a free and safer world where nuclear weapons are a thing of the past. My country will participate actively in that forum and encourages other States to engage constructively and purposefully in that regard with a view to achieving the goal of a world without nuclear weapons.

My delegation aligns itself with the statements made on behalf of the European Union and by the representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, on behalf of the Group of Western European and other States (see A/77/ PV.97), and would like to make the following remarks in its national capacity. The commemoration of the International Day against Nuclear Tests is of particular importance to my country this year. Twenty-five years ago, on 6 April 1998, France, together with the United Kingdom, ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which it had signed on 16 September 1996. Following the indefinite extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1995, France’s ratification gave concrete form to the commitment it had made to negotiating a comprehensive nuclear-test ban that would also prohibit low-energy tests  — the so-called zero option  — at France’s initiative. Our commitment was not limited to the purely legal aspects and was immediately translated into concrete action with the complete, irreversible and fully transparent dismantling of our test site in the Pacific. France is also committed to the construction of stations under its responsibility as part of the International Monitoring System, which was deployed to ensure compliance with the ban. That is an essential element for us, as a complete ban on nuclear testing makes sense only if it is backed up by a robust and transparent verification system. France has invested unreservedly in the construction, certification and operation of the 16 stations for which it is responsible under the Treaty as part of the International Monitoring System established by the CTBT, which contributes to the verification regime that gives the Treaty its strength and uniqueness. Eventually, 321 stations will be monitoring the entire globe without any discrimination. Thanks to those monitoring efforts and the processing of the data collected by the teams at the International Data Centre in Vienna, the 186 States signatories to the Treaty and the entire international community more broadly can already constantly monitor France’s compliance with its commitment to refraining from carrying out any more nuclear tests. That data is also essential in making the relevant information available to the international community when a State violates that almost universally accepted moratorium. All of North Korea’s tests have been detected and analysed by teams from the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty Organization. With the ratification of the Treaty, the dismantling of its nuclear-test facilities and the certification of all the monitoring stations for which it is responsible, France is now the only State party to the NPT to be fully up to date with its obligations under the CTBT. Twenty-five years after France’s ratification of the CTBT, the Treaty is unique in the history of the fight against proliferation and in favour of nuclear disarmament. It draws its legitimacy from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and is therefore fully in line with the French approach of progressive disarmament within a framework of undiminished security for all. However, 25 years after France ratified the CTBT, it has yet to enter into force. That is why France is taking this opportunity to reiterate its call on the eight remaining States to ratify the CTBT without delay or preconditions. That is the only way to ensure that the sovereign moratoriums established by each of the 186 States signatories and by the 178 States that have ratified the Treaty are binding. We cannot help being alarmed to hear that certain States, such as Russia, which has ratified the Treaty, are considering a resumption of nuclear testing. We call on all States to reaffirm their moratorium on nuclear tests as we await the entry into force of the CTBT. In a troubled world, where the rules of multilateralism are called into question every day, the CTBT reminds us of what the international community can accomplish when it works towards a common goal by equipping itself with the relevant credibility and competency tools.

Russia is one of the States that has ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and declared a voluntary moratorium on nuclear tests. Our country has responsibly honoured its commitments for more than 30 years. We have always acted based on the belief that reaching agreement in 1966 on the Treaty, which occupies an important place in international efforts to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime, was a major milestone in the international efforts to introduce a comprehensive ban on nuclear testing. The CTBT is the most carefully considered international instrument in this area and has become an indispensable element of international security and stability for an overwhelming majority of States. The Russian Federation supports further progressive development of the verification regime in the framework of the CTBT and makes a significant contribution to those efforts. Our country is continuing its policy aimed at completing the construction of facilities agreed in Russia’s part of the International Monitoring System under the CTBT. The total number of certified facilities is now at 31 of the 32 planned. Russia has been directly involved in rehabilitating the former Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan. According to Russian experts, more than 90 per cent of the site’s territory can now be converted to productive use. We would also like to remind the Assembly of the 2012 joint statement by the Presidents of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the United States on trilateral cooperation at the former Semipalatinsk test site. It clearly shows that the safety levels at the former test site has significantly increased. Russia understands the international community’s growing concern about the possibility of a resumption of nuclear tests on our planet. In that connection, we would like to note the following. The opening of the CTBT for signature on 24 September 1996 represented a hope that the age of nuclear testing was coming to a definitive end. Regrettably, however, after more than a quarter of a century, the Treaty that was intended to permanently halt nuclear testing of all kinds has not entered into force because it has not been ratified by eight annex 2 States. We are gravely concerned about that, and particularly by the fact that the United States, the only State that has used nuclear weapons and that also holds the record for conducting the highest number of nuclear tests, has kept the question of a return to testing open for years and for that reason has not ratified the CTBT. Considering that, we do not recognize Washington’s right to make any accusations against us. In that context, we also want to emphasize that the comments made by several delegations today about the statement made by the President of Russia before the Federal Parliament about our country’s hypothetical resumption of nuclear testing should be considered only in the context of our response to the destructive actions of the United States. It is a warning to Washington. We will resort to such measures only if the United States does it first. With regard to the continuing baseless accusations made by several delegations against the Russian Federation regarding Ukraine, which have nothing to do with today’s meeting, as well as the attempts to give them a nuclear dimension, we are not about to respond to them here. My country has repeatedly made, and continues to make, all the necessary clarifications in that regard, in specialized platforms. We believe that the efforts of the international community, especially the remaining eight CTBT annex 2 countries, should be focused on transforming it into a functioning international legal instrument. That is one of our absolute priorities in the area of nuclear non-proliferation and arms control. We call on the leaders of the States that the fate of the Treaty depends on to demonstrate political will and responsibility by taking concrete decisions on its signature and ratification as soon as possible.

Bangladesh remains a staunch supporter of general and complete disarmament and non-proliferation. We are party to almost all the international treaties on disarmament and non-proliferation, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the Biological Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention. We regret that the CTBT has not yet come into force owing to the fact that some countries have not ratified it. Bangladesh is also frustrated with the decades- old stalemate in the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, which is supposed to be the prime forum for disarmament talks. Indeed, the long-standing lack of progress in multilateral disarmament talks has created a sense of indifference and withdrawal not just among many Member States but among many peoples all over the world. That sometimes makes us oblivious to the real and existential danger that comes with the unhindered stockpiling, testing and proliferation of nuclear weapons. No one can deny that the present geopolitical situation around the globe has enhanced the risk of the nuclear annihilation of humankind to an extent that is comparable only to that of the Cold War era. Bangladesh believes that the International Day against Nuclear Tests is an important occasion for all of us to build further awareness across the world, among policymakers as well as people generally, about the devastating consequences that we would all face if a nuclear war were to break out. For Bangladesh, which is geographically located close to three nuclear Powers, becoming a collateral victim of any nuclear outbreak, intended or not, is indeed a genuine security threat. On this auspicious Day against Nuclear Tests, we would like to call on Member States that have not yet done so to join and ratify the NPT and the CTBT as soon as possible. We need to revitalize the multilateral disarmament negotiations mechanisms, including the Conference on Disarmament, and recommence sincere and substantive discussions on all outstanding issues. As a State party to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, Bangladesh urges all Member States that have not yet done so to join the Treaty. We believe that countries cannot achieve their national security without ensuring collective global security for all, and that it is our moral obligation to create a peaceful and secure world free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction for our next generation.

On this important day, Paraguay is proud to have its voice heard as a committed member of the first nuclear-weapon-free zone in Latin America and the Caribbean. We find ourselves at a complex international juncture where the nuclear threat looms larger than ever. The continued references to the use of force by leaders of nuclear-weapon States are genuinely endangering global stability. In that regard, we reiterate the importance of dialogue, moderation and concrete political commitments as the only way to preserve peace. It is crucial to understand that geographical distance from potential conflict zones does not protect us from nuclear weapons. All nations and segments of society are affected by both their medium- and long- term consequences. Nuclear threats and tests represent a risk that we cannot ignore, and it is our duty to confront the danger in a united, determined manner. History has taught us the devastating consequences of nuclear testing for the atmosphere, the environment and human health. From radioactive fallout to deformities and fatal diseases, the losses are impossible to ignore. We therefore want to draw attention to the urgency of ratifying and bringing into force the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, while urging those States that have not yet done so to join the global effort to eradicate such practices once and for all. Nuclear disarmament and the total elimination of nuclear weapons are imperatives if we are to ensure security and peace in our world. We are facing continuing challenges in combating the proliferation and development of new types of nuclear weapons, as well as halting the arms race. We must speak out against any pretext used by States that might seek to develop such weapons, while reaffirming that the only way forward is through disarmament. We acknowledge the value and importance of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, but we urge States to refocus their efforts to develop their societies through peaceful and constructive means. Investing in nuclear weapons is a waste of time, as the related resources and efforts could otherwise be spent on improving the lives of our citizens and sustainable progress. Paraguay therefore reaffirms its commitment to international peace and security as we commemorate the International Day against Nuclear Tests today, and calls on the international community to unite in order to achieve the total elimination of nuclear testing in the pursuit of disarmament and building a safer and more peaceful world for present and future generations. Together we can achieve that.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Observer of the Observer State of the Holy See. Archbishop Caccia (Holy See): Pope Francis encourages us to learn from those affected by nuclear tests. They are prophetic voices, calling on the human family to form a deeper appreciation of beauty, love, cooperation and fraternity, while reminding the world of the risks of nuclear weapons, which have the potential to destroy both us and our civilization. Seventy-eight years ago, the first nuclear-explosive test was made at the Trinity site in New Mexico. The event initiated an arms race that involved the testing of nuclear devices throughout the twentieth century. The tests have caused grave harm, including displacement, multigenerational health problems, poisoned food and water and the disruption of people’s spiritual connections with the Earth, our common home. The effects have disproportionately affected indigenous peoples and women and children, who have received scant assistance, most of which has benefited soldiers. States that rely on nuclear deterrence have a moral and legal obligation to restore the lives, communities and ecosystems harmed by such testing. Unfortunately, the prospects for a resumption of nuclear-explosive testing remain real. That would exacerbate the arms race and diminish international security. Considering that risk, my delegation supports the efforts to bring the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty into force, as the culmination of decades of work aimed at prohibiting nuclear testing, beginning in 1963 with the Partial Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. The Holy See also supports the strengthening of the ban on nuclear- explosive testing in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which, through its positive obligations, links the ban to the fundamental objective of moving toward a nuclear-weapon-free world. As Pope Francis has said, nuclear weapons cannot be a basis for an ethics of fraternity. Achieving a universal ban on nuclear-explosive testing and restoring the lives and environments harmed by such testing offer a way forward to building a climate of trust and sincere dialogue in their place.

We have heard the last speaker at this commemorative meeting. Before giving the floor to speakers in the exercise of right of reply, I would like to 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.

I would like to speak in right of reply to the statement made by the observer of the European Union (see A/77/ PV.97), in which he requested that Egypt ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). At the outset, Egypt would like to stress the fact that it fully supports the CTBT, and that we participated seriously and effectively in the negotiations leading to the Treaty, which we subsequently signed. However, it is well known that Egypt has not ratified the Treaty because of the ongoing contractual defect related to the disarmament and non-proliferation system in the Middle East. There are some countries in the region that have not yet joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), while there are nuclear facilities that are still operating outside the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency comprehensive safeguards agreement in the Middle East. Step 10 of the 2010 Action Plan of the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons stresses the basic responsibility of nuclear-weapon States to ratify the CTBT so as to encourage other countries that have yet to join the NPT and that possess nuclear facilities operating outside the framework of the safeguards regime to sign and ratify it. Furthermore, all the NPT Review Conferences have reaffirmed the need to ensure the universality of the Treaty, which has still not been accomplished. Egypt therefore urges all countries to commit to the principle of ensuring the universality of the NPT according to step 10 of the Action Plan of the 2010 NPT Review Conference.

I want to react to the references about my country made by the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran is accountable for the mistrust surrounding the Middle East arms-control architecture. It has violated its commitments to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. Iran is a case that justifies a special safeguards regime, beyond the Additional Protocol, to be designed for States that have repeatedly been caught cheating. That is more relevant than ever today, and it is why the accusations that Iran is making about Israel should be seen as nothing more than ridiculous. Finally, I would like to remind the representative of Iran that my country’s official name is the State of Israel.

I feel compelled to exercise my right of reply to address and refute the allegations made by the representative of the Israeli regime, which have been consistently characterized by the dissemination of misleading, baseless and fabricated claims against my country. In fact, the regime has employed such actions as a means to deflect attention from its activities against international law, including acts that have been condemned as genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of aggression. It is beyond dispute that the Israeli regime has adopted patterns of behaviour that attempt to obfuscate its actions through the use of disinformation and contrived crises. That tactic cannot conceal the culpable conduct that is integral to the Israeli regime and its penchant for policies that promote expansionism and bellicosity. For decades the regime has flouted international law and disregarded United Nations resolutions with apparent impunity. Its continued unlawful and unjust activities in the territories it occupies, which include actions such as targeted assassinations, acts of sabotage and cyber and kinetic attacks on sovereign States, remain a serious concern. We call on the global community to hold the Israeli regime accountable for its widespread violations of human rights and to pursue measures to prevent it from acquiring any further nuclear armaments.

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 99?