The three goals of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) must
be promoted in a comprehensive and balance manner, said Zhang Yan,
Head of the Chinese Delegation to 2005 Review Conference of the
Parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), on
Tuesday.
"In light of the latest developments, challenges and problems in
international security, it is urgent for the international
community to take more pragmatic and concrete steps to preserve and
strengthen the universality, effectiveness and authority of the
NPT," Zhang said in the general debate at the 2005 NPT Review
Conference at the UN headquarters in New York.
"To achieve this, the three goals of NPT, namely nuclear
disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear
energy, must be promoted in a comprehensive and balance manner," he
stressed, adding that the three goals are interlinked and
inseparable.
Zhang stressed that this conference is expected to make progress
in promoting the three goals of the Treaty.
"China has always advocated that all nuclear-weapon states
should explicitly commit themselves to destroying nuclear weapons
in a complete and thorough manner; lowering the role of nuclear
weapons in national security policy," he said.
Meanwhile, he pointed out that China opposes proliferation of
nuclear weapons in any form, calls upon all those outside the NPT
to join as non-nuclear-weapon states, and is in favor of continued
efforts to enhance and improve the existing nuclear
non-proliferation regime in accordance with new developments.
Zhang said the aims of nuclear non-proliferation must be
achieved through an integrated approach addressing both the
symptoms and root causes.
According to him, the international community should create
favorable international and regional security conditions conducive
to non-proliferation, solve the prominent nuclear proliferation and
other related issues through political and diplomatic means within
the current international legal framework, and strengthen and
improve the existing non-proliferation regime in light of the
overall non-proliferation situation and the global economic,
scientific and technological developments.
"The relation between non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of
nuclear energy should be put in correct perspective and properly
dealt with," Zhang said. "The rights of non-nuclear-weapon states
to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, under the IAEA safeguards
shall be respected and preserved."
Zhang stressed that China, as a State Party to the NPT, has
always faithfully observed its obligations and committed to the
three objectives of the treaty, and preserving and strengthening
its universality, effectiveness and authority.
(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2005)
