Mr. President,

The Indonesian delegation wishes to express its congratulations to you on your unanimous election to preside over our deliberations. We remain confident that under your able guidance, our deliberations will lead to substantive results. Let me also avail of this opportunity to extend our felicitations to the other members of the Bureau.

Mr. President,

The convening of this Conference emphasizes the importance of examining the extent to which the requirement for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) has been met and to decide what measures may be undertaken to facilitate the entry into force of the Treaty. It is universally recognized that the Treaty is significant in preventing the development of weapons of mass destruction, contributing to nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation. It also prevents further damage to the environment from the intense heat and radiation brought about by nuclear-weapon test explosions.

Apart from the fact that the Treaty has been in existence for five years and still has not come into force, we are gratified to note that some encouraging developments have occurred towards achieving the long-sought goal of a ban on nuclear testing. The participants in the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the (CTBT) in Vienna in 1999 have expressed a firm determination to work not only for the universal adherence of the CTBT but also for its early entry into force. There is also a growing awareness of the negative consequences of testing on global strategic calculations.

To these, we must add the steady increase in the number of signatory and ratifying States to the Treaty which today stands at 161 countries and 84 states respectively. Non-signatories have even expressed their intention not to stand in the way of the entry into force of the Treaty. In the meantime, progress has also been made in establishing a reliable and effective word-wide verification mechanism that would be ready to ensure detection and location of explosions with a high degree of probability and thereby ensure that all States Parties adhere to its provisions. Together, they have established a global no-testing norm which now commands universal support.

Against this backdrop, the nuclear test moratorium that has continued to be observed by the nuclear-weapon States could serve as stimulus and common ground towards their realization on early ratification of the CTBT.

As the entry into force of the Treaty is dependent upon ratification by all the States listed in Annex 2, those countries must set an example by ratifying the Treaty without reopening issues that have long been agreed upon. For its part, Indonesia is looking forward earnestly to the early entry into force of the CTBT and accordingly will submit its ratification in due time. The Treaty is currently undergoing the constitutional process and ratification can be expected in the foreseeable future.

It is pertinent to note that states parties agreed in 1995 to an indefinite extension of the Non-Proliferation Treaty on a pledge by the nuclear-weapon States to negotiate and ratify a test-ban treaty and to take other steps towards nuclear disarmament. The importance and urgency of achieving the early entry into force of the CTBT was further stipulated in the list of 13 measures agreed upon during the 2000 NPT Review Conference. Hence, an early entry into force of the CTBT would effectively enhance the credibility of the NPT regime.

Indeed, a ban on testing, the strengthening of the non-proliferation regime, as well as the systematic and progressive efforts towards the elimination of nuclear arsenals constitute a triad of important commitments. They are inseparable and inter-linked, repudiating and weakening one element would affect negatively the other. Furthermore, It is our belief that the early entry into force of the CTBT would enhance international peace and security and could contribute to global efforts against terrorism seeking to acquire weapons of mass destruction, a very conspicuous threat following the terrorist attack on September 11.

Indonesia, like an overwhelming majority of Member States, has long been convinced that an end to all nuclear testing would be an essential pre-requisite to prevent horizontal and vertical proliferation. My delegation also fully agrees that delaying the entry into force of the CTBT increases the risk that nuclear testing could resume with its ominous implications of a renewed nuclear arms race and its attendant instability and confrontation as well as its harmful impact to the environment. Therefore, we reiterate our conviction in a global no-testing norm. In this connection, six seismic stations in Indonesia are integrated into the International Monitoring System (IMS) to monitor possible non?compliance with the basic obligations of the Treaty. .

Indonesia is pleased to note that the Provisional Technical Secretariat has performed its main tasks in a prudent way. It is expected that in order to further enhance the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the IMS, the CTBTO could continually seek and implement the possible application of new technologies which can monitor large areas such as non-intrusive satellite and electronic pulse monitoring systems.

This Conference offers yet another opportunity to make further progress for the early entry into force of the CTBT. It is our hope that with vision and foresight, political will and determination, the obstacles will be overcome so that we can achieve universal adherence to the CTBT. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations that the world be free from the terror wrought by weapons of mass destruction, for which the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty can make an everlasting contribution.

Thank you, Mr. President.
 

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