In the name of God, Most Merciful Most Compassionate.
 
 
 

Mr. President,

 At the outset, it gives me a great pleasure to express to you personally and on behalf of my country’s delegation, our warmest congratulations on your selection as President of this important international conference. We are fully confident that your experience and your political skills together with the assistance of the excellent team of the bureau, will guide us towards positive results that would reflect the hopes and aspirations of our peoples for enhancing international peace and security.

 My delegation would also like to express its gratitude to all officials who convened this conference to facilitate the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). The conference is being held in the difficult circumstances facing the world in the aftermath of the 11th of September horrible attacks against the United States.
 

Mr. President,

 The Millennium declaration has confirmed the determination of the international community to seek the elimination of weapons of mass destruction and, in particular, nuclear weapons, and to consider ways and means of ending the dangers of nuclear weapons in order to make the world safer and more peaceful.

 In this context, my country looks forward to intensifying efforts and taking the necessary steps in the direction of achieving this goal. That is why it attaches great importance to questions of disarmament, especially nuclear weapons, and other weapons of mass destruction. My country has participated efficiently in most meetings and conferences devoted to that purpose, and contributed to efforts made by members of the international community so that the United Nations and the other international and regional organizations may adopt the relevant resolutions. My country has also signed and ratified several international and regional disarmament treaties and conventions including, for example, the NPT, the Treaty Banning the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Biological Weapons, and the Treaty on the Partial Banning of Nuclear Tests in the Atmosphere and Outer space. My country is also a party to the Treaty of Pelindaba, establishing the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone.
 

Mr. President,

 More than thirty years have elapsed since the entry into force of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Several review conferences have been held to asses the application of the treaty and the extent of compliance with the implementation of its provisions. The latest review conference was the one held in 2000, which adopted several resolutions and decisions calling for the need to realize the comprehensive and universal character of that treaty and the need for nuclear-weapon states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals. The conference also underlined the importance of the establishment of nuclear weapon free- zones, including one in the Middle East whose people’s lives are greatly threatened by the Israelis acquisition of hundreds of nuclear heads, in addition to other weapons of mass destruction. This necessitates that the international community exercise more pressure on the rulers of Tel Aviv to comply with the international will calling on them to accede to the NPT and place all their nuclear facilities under the IAEA safeguards regime.
 

Mr. President,

 In response to the appeal of the Secretary General, and the appeals of the international community, I am pleased to announce that my country has decided to accede to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). The required legislative procedures are expected to be finalized as soon as possible.
 
 

 In conclusion, Mr. President, I would like to confirm that all of us yearn to live in a world free from nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. I believe that this conference gives us a good opportunity to double our efforts in order to urge states, which have not yet done so, to sign the CTBT, without delay, and to accelerate its entry into force.   Moreover, we should give priority to calling on nuclear-weapon states to show serious political will in this regard and to take practical measures to meet their commitments under the NPT, including a timetable for ridding themselves of whole categories of nuclear weapons within a specific time limit. Only this would provide absolute guarantee against the use or the threat of the use of nuclear weapons, would eliminate nuclear dangers and, thus, create a world that enjoys security and stability and wherein the whole of humanity would enjoy tranquility.

 Thank you Mr. President and may God’s Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon you.