Missile Technology Control Regime held Plenary Meeting
in Tokyo
PRESS RELEASE
Tokyo, November 6, 1997
The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) held its 12th Plenary Meeting
in Tokyo between 4-6 November 1997 to review and strengthen its efforts
to prevent missile proliferation. Ambassador Nobuyasu Abe, Director-General
for Arms Control and Scientific Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Japan opened the Plenary with a welcoming address on behalf of H.E. Keizo
Obuchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, and chaired the Meeting.
The MTCR was established in 1987 with the
aim of controlling exports of missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons,
as well as the relevant technology. In 1993 controls were extended to include
missiles capable of carrying biological and chemical weapons. The MTCR has 29 members; Turkey: the most recent member,
was attending its first Plenary.
During the Plenary, MTCR Partners reaffirmed that the MTCR continued
to be an essential mechanism to prevent proliferation of missiles capable
of delivering weapons of mass destruction as the only multilateral regime
devoted to such a goal. The MTCR complements various global non-proliferation
instruments including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Biological
and Toxin Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Having reviewed recent development, Partners expressed their concern
over the continuing efforts in some parts of Asia and Middle East to develop,
acquire and deploy missiles. Partners renewed their commitment to further
strengthening effectiveness of their export controls and enhanced cooperation
to that end. They further agreed that controls on the transfers of missiles
and missile technology helped to reinforce international peace and security.
They recognized that missile proliferation presented a serious threat to
regional and international security and stability and agreed to continue
to focus on its implications. It was stressed that Partners in their bilateral
contacts with MTCR non-members will continue to call for restraint and vigilance
in missile-related exports.
Recognizing the growing need to build support for the goals of the regime,
MTCR Partners agreed to engage non-members in their efforts to impede missile
proliferation and encourage them to observe the MTCR Guidelines. Partners
renewed their intention to continue dialogue with non-members. They recognized
the usefulness of contacting non-members through regional security fore
and institutions. They issued the attached joint appeal to all non-members.
MTCR Partners further agreed that they should increase their efforts
to promote openness and transparency through enhanced dialogue with countries
and regions outside the Regime. In this connection the attached information
paper was introduced as a means of communication with non-members. It was
reaffirmed that the efforts to promote dialogue with transshipment centers
had been useful in increasing the awareness of non-members about the risks
of proliferation and the importance of export controls. In this context,
Partners welcomed the Workshops on Transshipment held in London and Einsiedeln,
Switzerland, as well as the Asian Export Control Seminar held in Tokyo in
1997.
The next Plenary will be held in Budapest, Hungary in Autumn 1998.
MTCR Members
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil,
Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal,
Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom,
United States
Return to MTCR documents menu
|