Ireland's approach to disarmament has always been consistent with our policy towards developing countries where the question of diversion of resources to arms procurement and the consequences of accumulations of weapons is of particular concern. Ireland has also continued to play a very active role in efforts to achieve total nuclear disarmament. The acquisition and maintenance of a nuclear arsenal is one of the costliest forms of the arms race. Ireland has been similarly active in international efforts to reduce the flow of small arms and light weapons and eliminate the use of land mines.
With regard to nuclear weapons, Ireland has been consistently to the fore in international efforts towards nuclear disarmament. The forum in which we are most active is the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This treaty contains the only legally binding commitment to pursue nuclear disarmament which has been undertaken by the five nuclear weapon states.
At the Sixth Review Conference of States Parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2000 Ireland was a key participant in the difficult negotiations which led to agreement on the final document of the conference. This final document outlines a significant number of steps to be taken by the nuclear weapons states to achieve the goal of total nuclear disarmament. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty cycle begins again in April next year and together with our new agenda partners we will actively pursue progress on this blueprint for action.
In July of this year the UN Conference on Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects took place in New York. Ireland played a very active role in this conference and worked with European Union partners to achieve the strongest possible outcome. This conference was the first major step in addressing the problem of small arms proliferation and significantly, represented a formal recognition by the member states of the United Nations of the effects of the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons on civilian populations.