Statement by Ambassador
Volodymyr Yelchenko,
Chairperson of the Preparatory
Commission for the
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban
Treaty Organization
Volodymyr Yelchenko,
Chairperson of the Preparatory
Commission for the
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban
Treaty Organization
PI/2005/15
I wish to express my profound consternation at the announcement by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea that it conducted a nuclear test on 9 October 2006.
This act, and the flagrant disregard by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea of the demands of the international community, constitute a threat to international peace and security and deserve universal condemnation. These have jeopardized the process of global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, and aggravated regional security.
I call on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to return to its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty without delay.
I urge the Democratic People's Republic of Korea not to engage in any nuclear testing and to exercise in the future every restraint, in order to avoid steps that will have major international repercussions. I call also on all States for maximum restraint and to continue a moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions and other nuclear explosions.
I urge the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to return immediately to the six-party talks without precondition, and to work towards the expeditious implementation of the 19 September 2005 joint statement and, in particular, to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes, with a view to achieving the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner and to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in north-east Asia.
This act, and the flagrant disregard by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea of the demands of the international community, constitute a threat to international peace and security and deserve universal condemnation. These have jeopardized the process of global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, and aggravated regional security.
I call on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to return to its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty without delay.
I urge the Democratic People's Republic of Korea not to engage in any nuclear testing and to exercise in the future every restraint, in order to avoid steps that will have major international repercussions. I call also on all States for maximum restraint and to continue a moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions and other nuclear explosions.
I urge the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to return immediately to the six-party talks without precondition, and to work towards the expeditious implementation of the 19 September 2005 joint statement and, in particular, to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes, with a view to achieving the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner and to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in north-east Asia.
For further information on the CTBTO, please see www.ctbto.org or contact:
Annika Thunborg, Chief, Public Information
T +43 1 26030-6375
E annika.thunborg@ctbto.org
M +43 699 1459 6375
I www.ctbto.org
Annika Thunborg, Chief, Public Information
T +43 1 26030-6375
E annika.thunborg@ctbto.org
M +43 699 1459 6375
I www.ctbto.org