Vol. 468 No. 2
16 Mr. Lenihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the proposals, if any, he has to ensure that EU member states actively work towards the complete elimination of weapons of mass destruction, particularly in view of Ireland's recent ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the negotiations to conclude the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. [14722/96]
48 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the outcome of the Geneva Disarmament Conference; if he has satisfied himself with the proposed draft comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14640/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 48 together.
The term "weapons of mass destruction" commonly refers to nuclear weapons, biological and toxin weapons and chemical weapons. The 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, BTWC, and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention, CWC, already provide for the total elimination of these categories of weapons of mass destruction. I informed the House in detail on 30 May of the action which Ireland as Presidency will be taking to strengthen the implementation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. Ireland's ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention on 24 June means that we are now in a position to press the three remaining EU partners to ratify and, importantly, to take diplomatic action on behalf of the Union to promote the earliest possible entry into force of this important international disarmament agreement.
With respect to nuclear weapons, Ireland will use every opportunity to seek to ensure that the nuclear weapons states pursue systematic and progressive efforts to reduce these weapons globally with the ultimate aim of eliminating them, in accordance with the 1995 Principles and Objectives for Nuclear NonProliferation and Disarmament. Successive Irish Governments have held that a halt to nuclear testing and rapid conclusion of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, CTBT, would provide the single clearest proof which the nuclear weapon states could offer of their commitment to nuclear disarmament and their determination to control the qualitative development of the arms race. In line with this long-established position, the Government attaches very high priority to the timely conclusion of the CTBT negotiations which are now at a decisive stage.
Following a meeting of the General Affairs Council, the European Union stated on 22 April 1996 that it attaches the highest priority and is strongly committed to the conclusion of the negotiations for a comprehensive test ban treaty before the end of the spring session of the Conference on Disarmament so as to permit signature by autumn, at the outset of the 51st UN General Assembly. The House will be aware that the session in question ended in Geneva on 28 June without adopting a treaty. While the failure to reach agreement by 28 June is a matter of concern to the Government, the Conference on Disarmament will reconvene on 29 July to decide what action to take on the draft text before the end of its 1996 session in mid-September. It is important that the month of July be used for high level consultations with those delegations which have the greatest difficulties with the draft treaty, with a view to working out the necessary compromises on key issues. In this context, Ireland has made clear our readiness as Presidency to undertake any approaches to third countries which partners believe would be conducive to early conclusion of the negotiations.
In accordance with the statement of 22 April, the European Union is committed to achieving a comprehensive test ban treaty which prohibits any nuclear weapons test explosion or any other nuclear explosion, viz. the socalled "zero yield" option, and which is universal and internationally and effectively verifiable. The Union considers that such a treaty would be a concrete step in the full realisation and effective implementation of Article VI of the NPT which concerns nuclear disarmament. It would contribute to the prevention of the proliferation of nuclear weapons, to the process of nuclear disarmament and, therefore, to the enhancement of international peace and security. In broad outline, the draft treaty which is on the table would go a long way towards meeting these criteria.
Ireland, in its capacity as an observer, has followed the negotiations closely and has intervened to present our national position. There are continuing deep differences between the negotiators of the treaty on such central issues as the preamble, the verification system and the conditions to be met for the treaty to enter into force. It is important, in my view, that the conditions of entry into force be based on an agreed political balance between the need to secure the treaty's rapid entry into force and the need to ensure that the treaty is ratified by those states for which its terms are of particular relevance. That political balance must take account of India's announcement that it will not subscribe to the draft treaty in its present form. Those delegations which insist that the treaty cannot enter into force without India's ratification must now reflect deeply on the implications of their position.
The international community, with strong support from the EU and the Irish Government, has identified the achievement of a comprehensive test ban treaty in 1996 as a key objective in the area of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Now that a treaty appears at last to be attainable, it is important that no effort be spared to this end. Those who insist on linking this treaty to wider nuclear disarmament objectives, however important in themselves, must expect to be held accountable for an eventual failure to achieve what is achievable at this time.
