On 23 March 2018, the VCDNP held a public panel discussion on the issues and prospects for the 2018 Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (2018 NPT PrepCom). The event, which was held in the Conference Room of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, was attended by more than one hundred people. The panel was moderated by VCDNP Executive Director Laura Rockwood and comprised five speakers: Ambassador Adam Bugajski (Poland); Ambassador Alicia Buenrostro Massieu (Mexico); Ambassador David Hall (United Kingdom); Ambassador Mikhail Ulyanov (Russia); and Robert Gerschner (Austria).
Ambassador Bugajski, who will chair the 2018 NPT PrepCom, described the importance and achievements of the NPT. He emphasized that, regardless of its imperfections and fragility, the Treaty remained a cornerstone of the global non-proliferation and disarmament regime, a view shared by the other members of the panel. He argued that the resilience and relevance of the NPT was illustrated by a smaller number of States possessing nuclear arms than had been predicted back in the 1960s, the near universal adherence to the Treaty and the significant reduction in nuclear weapons stockpiles, among other examples. Ambassador Bugajski described the preparations for the 2018 NPT PrepCom in Geneva and its potential results. In particular, he underlined that different States and regions favoured different pillars of the NPT, hence his regional outreach activities, e.g., in Latin America, Africa, Asia/Pacific and the Middle East. Ambassador Bugajski expressed his hope that the States Parties would adopt a constructive approach and that the 2018 NPT PrepCom would witness initial discussions of issues that would later be examined at the 2020 NPT Review Conference.
Ambassador Bugajski’s remarks were followed by those of Ambassador Hall, Ambassador Buenrostro Massieu, Ambassador Ulyanov and Mr. Gerschner. Collectively, they expressed hope that the 2018 NPT PrepCom would be held in a constructive atmosphere, in recognition of the shared view of the importance of the NPT.
The panel members also underlined the important role of the International Atomic Energy Agency in the field of nuclear safeguards, safety and security, as well as the peaceful uses of nuclear technology, with Ambassador Buenrostro Massieu calling for the universality of the Model Additional Protocol. They also expressed their continuing support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and talks on a future Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty.
Some of the panel members lamented the lack of progress towards the establishment of a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction. Ambassador Ulyanov shared his “frustration” about the current doldrums, adding that the lack of progress has had a negative impact on the NPT and overall on the non-proliferation regime. He also called upon the Arab States in the region to elaborate on a common position on the zone.
Among the challenges to the review process, panelists discussed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the issue of States Parties’ “cherry picking” topics under the NPT. As for the former, there had recently been a positive shift, but the issue required diplomatic and political efforts by all States Parties. With regard to the latter, the panel members underlined the importance of a balanced approach when reviewing all three NPT pillars.
The views of the panel diverged significantly on the topic of disarmament. The Ambassadors from Russia and the UK argued that the nuclear weapon States had already undertaken significant cuts in their stockpiles and that the arms race had been stopped and reversed. Ambassador Ulyanov specified, in particular, that Russian and US arsenals had been reduced by 85 to 87 percent from the Cold War peak. He nevertheless agreed that the immediate prospects for disarmament were not clear, owing to the current global security situation. Ambassador Hall added that progress on disarmament verification was a priority for the UK. He also shared his Government’s view that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was not the solution for the full implementation of Article 6, and that disarmament should be negotiated step-by-step within the existing framework.
The representatives of Austria and Mexico, in turn, emphasized that the TPNW had already become a reality in the context of disarmament discussions and had reinforced the NPT by creating momentum for the effective implementation of Article 6 in line with the corresponding preambular paragraphs. Both countries will be submitting working papers for the 2018 NPT PrepCom on, among other issues, the humanitarian dimensions of nuclear disarmament. Mr. Gerschner also regretted the slow pace of disarmament, the development of advanced types of nuclear weapons by certain States in breach of the 2010 NPT RevCon Action Plan, the development of new doctrines and policies foreseeing the deployment of small and more usable weapons, and the fact that five NPT States Parties had yet to ratify the CTBT – all of which in his view could serve as impetus for some countries to acquire nuclear arms.
A lively Q&A session followed the panellists’ remarks, during which the panel members reiterated their commitment to a constructive dialogue with all States Parties, not to avoid difficult topics but to minimize the risk of “confrontation for the sake of confrontation”.
