Statement by Deputy Permanent Representative Ambassador Mr.Tsutomu OSAWA at the 40th Session of Working Group B of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO
2013/3/18
Thank you, Mr. Chairman,
On behalf of the government of Japan, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Executive Secretary for his opening statement. Let me also thank you, the Friends of the Chair, Messrs Svein Mykkeltveit and David McCormack for convening this Working Group B meeting, and all the Task Leaders, who continue to guide us through the Working Group. We would also like to thank the PTS for having an informal briefing session prior to the Working Group.
[Nuclear test by the DPRK]
At the outset, I would like to mention the event in North Korea last month. North Korea conducted a nuclear test on 12th February despite the repeated call by the international community as a whole to comply fully with the existing United Nations Security Council resolutions and not to conduct any further provocation including nuclear tests. This nuclear test by North Korea is totally unacceptable, as it represents a grave challenge to the international non-proliferation regime centred on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and seriously undermines the peace and security of North East Asia as well as the international community.
We note that the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the CTBTO was able to detect unusual seismic waveforms which indicated characteristics of an explosion immediately after the nuclear test and that the International Data Center (IDC) released the IDC products promptly. Moreover, the hypocenter was indicated in the Standard Event List 1 (SEL1) with an uncertainty of less than 1000 square km, which is the maximum size of an On-Site Inspection area. Infrasound waves were also detected which underpin this event with explosion like characteristics. These facts demonstrate once more that the CTBT verification regime is functioning successfully. We commend the PTS for their prompt response, such as convening a technical briefing 6 hours after the event occurred, as well as the Chair of the Preparatory Commission for convening the informal meeting of the Preparatory Commission on the same day.
In the aftermath of this event, no IMS facility has confirmed the detection of any radionuclide particles and noble gases deriving from this event to date. This shows the important role of On-Site Inspections to distinguish whether a nuclear test has been conducted or not. In response to this challenge by North Korea, the international community should make substantial progress towards the early entry into force of the CTBT. In this respect, we welcome the recent progress towards universalization of the CTBT, such as the ratifications of Brunei on 10th January and Chad on 8th February this year, which brings the total number of ratifications to 159.
[Enhancing verification regime]
Mr. Chairman,
Japan commends the PTS for its consistent efforts to build up the verification regime for the future entry into force of the treaty. We expect that the PTS will continue to make progress on building up the IMS network in order to achieve a higher detection capability while at the same time ensuring efficient budget implementation. Particular attention must continue to be paid to the remaining certifications, construction of the Noble Gas facilities and construction of the IMS stations in geographically remote areas or areas experiencing political difficulty. With regard to the issue of the reallocation of some IMS stations, it is important to focus on the technical aspects first when discussing this matter.
We welcome the successful implementation of the Build-up Exercise I and II/IV in preparation for the OSI Integrated Field Exercise 2014 (IFE 14). We thank the PTS for providing States Signatories with an opportunity to observe the Build-up Exercises.
We expect that the draft OSI Operational Manual will contribute to the effective implementation of the coming IFE14. Japan will cooperate with all the States Signatories and the PTS to make significant progress during the discussions on the draft OSI Operational Manual. We expect that IFE14 will be conducted successfully within the initial budget and based on the outcomes of the Build-up Exercises and that it will contribute to improving the OSI Operational Manual and to developing OSI related equipment. As part of our efforts, Japan made a Contribution-in-Kind of OSI related equipment for the IFE14 as a means for its efficient implementation and budget saving.
[Convening Workshops]
Mr. Chairman,
Our Cooperation with science and technology experts is extremely important for the development of the CTBT verification techniques. In that respect, Japan hosted the International Noble Gas Experiment Workshop and the International Hydroacoustic Workshop in cooperation with the PTS last year. We thank the PTS for its cooperation. In particular, we thank Director of IDC, Dr. Zerbo for attending the International Noble Gas Experiment Workshop and Director of IMS, Ms. Maryssael for attending the International Hydroacoustic Workshop. Fruitful discussions took place at both workshops among the experts who attended from various States Signatories. The International Noble Gas Experiment Workshop issued meaningful recommendations concerning observation technology, data analysis, maintenance and operation of IMS facilities and so on. We expect that the International Hydroacoustic Workshop will be a good opportunity for kicking off the enhancement of the relationship between the CTBTO and JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology), the host organization in Japan. We also expect that the outcomes of these workshops will contribute to developing noble gas monitoring and hydroacoustic monitoring techniques.
Japan expects that the CTBT S&T 2013 to be held in June will result in progress on civil and scientific applications of the IMS and IDC data products.
[Capacity Building]
Mr. Chairman,
We note that developing human resources, such as IMS operators or National Data Center (NDC) analysts, especially in developing countries, is a vital means for promoting the implementation of national obligations of the Treaty, which would facilitate better maintenance and operation of the IMS facilities as well as enhancement of the detection capability of nuclear tests. In this respect, Japan annually convenes the JICA Global Seismological Observation Training, which aims to develop the capacity of NDC experts in developing countries. Japan has received 176 trainees from 70 countries to date. This training course was convened earlier this year and we thank Ms. Maryssael for her statement at the opening ceremony and the PTS for sending lecturers.
Moreover, Japan in collaboration with the CTBTO and the U.S. State Department convened the first regional gathering for NDC experts from the East Asia region, the East Asia Regional National Data Center Workshop. We believe that this was meaningful in terms of discussions on various undertakings aimed at improving NDC operation as well as the implementation of the Common Exercise in the whole region. We expect that this workshop will be continued in this region this year.
We welcome the Capacity Development Initiative’s Advanced Science Course last November and expect further CDI seminars.
[Change of the Executive Secretary]
Mr. Chairman,
Please allow me to use this opportunity to express our sincere respect to Executive Secretary Ambassador Tibor Tóth, who attends this WGB as the last meeting in his function as Executive Secretary, for his achievements in the past 8 years. During his term, the CTBTO Preparatory Commission made significant progress in promoting the entry into force of the Treaty and building-up the verification regime despite of a number of challenges we faced. We commend the Executive Secretary Tóth for his leadership which led to these achievements.
We welcome that Dr. Zerbo has been elected as the next Executive Secretary at the 39th session of the Preparatory Commission. We expect that he will successfully deal with issues such as the promotion of the CTBT’s entry into force, further build-up of the verification regime, and the successful implementation of the IFE14. We would like to assure him of our closest cooperation.
[Closing]
In closing, we expect that successful discussions will take place during this WGB to produce significant outcomes.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
On behalf of the government of Japan, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Executive Secretary for his opening statement. Let me also thank you, the Friends of the Chair, Messrs Svein Mykkeltveit and David McCormack for convening this Working Group B meeting, and all the Task Leaders, who continue to guide us through the Working Group. We would also like to thank the PTS for having an informal briefing session prior to the Working Group.
[Nuclear test by the DPRK]
At the outset, I would like to mention the event in North Korea last month. North Korea conducted a nuclear test on 12th February despite the repeated call by the international community as a whole to comply fully with the existing United Nations Security Council resolutions and not to conduct any further provocation including nuclear tests. This nuclear test by North Korea is totally unacceptable, as it represents a grave challenge to the international non-proliferation regime centred on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and seriously undermines the peace and security of North East Asia as well as the international community.
We note that the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the CTBTO was able to detect unusual seismic waveforms which indicated characteristics of an explosion immediately after the nuclear test and that the International Data Center (IDC) released the IDC products promptly. Moreover, the hypocenter was indicated in the Standard Event List 1 (SEL1) with an uncertainty of less than 1000 square km, which is the maximum size of an On-Site Inspection area. Infrasound waves were also detected which underpin this event with explosion like characteristics. These facts demonstrate once more that the CTBT verification regime is functioning successfully. We commend the PTS for their prompt response, such as convening a technical briefing 6 hours after the event occurred, as well as the Chair of the Preparatory Commission for convening the informal meeting of the Preparatory Commission on the same day.
In the aftermath of this event, no IMS facility has confirmed the detection of any radionuclide particles and noble gases deriving from this event to date. This shows the important role of On-Site Inspections to distinguish whether a nuclear test has been conducted or not. In response to this challenge by North Korea, the international community should make substantial progress towards the early entry into force of the CTBT. In this respect, we welcome the recent progress towards universalization of the CTBT, such as the ratifications of Brunei on 10th January and Chad on 8th February this year, which brings the total number of ratifications to 159.
[Enhancing verification regime]
Mr. Chairman,
Japan commends the PTS for its consistent efforts to build up the verification regime for the future entry into force of the treaty. We expect that the PTS will continue to make progress on building up the IMS network in order to achieve a higher detection capability while at the same time ensuring efficient budget implementation. Particular attention must continue to be paid to the remaining certifications, construction of the Noble Gas facilities and construction of the IMS stations in geographically remote areas or areas experiencing political difficulty. With regard to the issue of the reallocation of some IMS stations, it is important to focus on the technical aspects first when discussing this matter.
We welcome the successful implementation of the Build-up Exercise I and II/IV in preparation for the OSI Integrated Field Exercise 2014 (IFE 14). We thank the PTS for providing States Signatories with an opportunity to observe the Build-up Exercises.
We expect that the draft OSI Operational Manual will contribute to the effective implementation of the coming IFE14. Japan will cooperate with all the States Signatories and the PTS to make significant progress during the discussions on the draft OSI Operational Manual. We expect that IFE14 will be conducted successfully within the initial budget and based on the outcomes of the Build-up Exercises and that it will contribute to improving the OSI Operational Manual and to developing OSI related equipment. As part of our efforts, Japan made a Contribution-in-Kind of OSI related equipment for the IFE14 as a means for its efficient implementation and budget saving.
[Convening Workshops]
Mr. Chairman,
Our Cooperation with science and technology experts is extremely important for the development of the CTBT verification techniques. In that respect, Japan hosted the International Noble Gas Experiment Workshop and the International Hydroacoustic Workshop in cooperation with the PTS last year. We thank the PTS for its cooperation. In particular, we thank Director of IDC, Dr. Zerbo for attending the International Noble Gas Experiment Workshop and Director of IMS, Ms. Maryssael for attending the International Hydroacoustic Workshop. Fruitful discussions took place at both workshops among the experts who attended from various States Signatories. The International Noble Gas Experiment Workshop issued meaningful recommendations concerning observation technology, data analysis, maintenance and operation of IMS facilities and so on. We expect that the International Hydroacoustic Workshop will be a good opportunity for kicking off the enhancement of the relationship between the CTBTO and JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology), the host organization in Japan. We also expect that the outcomes of these workshops will contribute to developing noble gas monitoring and hydroacoustic monitoring techniques.
Japan expects that the CTBT S&T 2013 to be held in June will result in progress on civil and scientific applications of the IMS and IDC data products.
[Capacity Building]
Mr. Chairman,
We note that developing human resources, such as IMS operators or National Data Center (NDC) analysts, especially in developing countries, is a vital means for promoting the implementation of national obligations of the Treaty, which would facilitate better maintenance and operation of the IMS facilities as well as enhancement of the detection capability of nuclear tests. In this respect, Japan annually convenes the JICA Global Seismological Observation Training, which aims to develop the capacity of NDC experts in developing countries. Japan has received 176 trainees from 70 countries to date. This training course was convened earlier this year and we thank Ms. Maryssael for her statement at the opening ceremony and the PTS for sending lecturers.
Moreover, Japan in collaboration with the CTBTO and the U.S. State Department convened the first regional gathering for NDC experts from the East Asia region, the East Asia Regional National Data Center Workshop. We believe that this was meaningful in terms of discussions on various undertakings aimed at improving NDC operation as well as the implementation of the Common Exercise in the whole region. We expect that this workshop will be continued in this region this year.
We welcome the Capacity Development Initiative’s Advanced Science Course last November and expect further CDI seminars.
[Change of the Executive Secretary]
Mr. Chairman,
Please allow me to use this opportunity to express our sincere respect to Executive Secretary Ambassador Tibor Tóth, who attends this WGB as the last meeting in his function as Executive Secretary, for his achievements in the past 8 years. During his term, the CTBTO Preparatory Commission made significant progress in promoting the entry into force of the Treaty and building-up the verification regime despite of a number of challenges we faced. We commend the Executive Secretary Tóth for his leadership which led to these achievements.
We welcome that Dr. Zerbo has been elected as the next Executive Secretary at the 39th session of the Preparatory Commission. We expect that he will successfully deal with issues such as the promotion of the CTBT’s entry into force, further build-up of the verification regime, and the successful implementation of the IFE14. We would like to assure him of our closest cooperation.
[Closing]
In closing, we expect that successful discussions will take place during this WGB to produce significant outcomes.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Practical Export Control Workshop was hosted by the Wassenaar Arrangement as part of its 20th Anniversary programs and held at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna on 27 and 28 June 2016. More than 100 government representatives from 46 countries participated in the technically focused Practical Workshop.
Workshop speakers included the 2016 WA Plenary Chair Ambassador Anu Laamanen (Finland), 2016 WA General Working Group Chair Ambassador Paul Beijer (Sweden), 2015-2016 WA Experts Group Chair Robertas Rosinas (Lithuania), 2016 WA Licensing and Enforcement Officers Meeting Chair Jon Erik Strömö (Norway), as well as the Head of the WA Secretariat, Ambassador Philip Griffiths. The WA control lists as well as export licensing and enforcement topics were covered during the two days.
The following link from WA’s webpage contains more details:
http://www.wassenaar.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/June-2016-Workshop-media-release.pdf
Workshop speakers included the 2016 WA Plenary Chair Ambassador Anu Laamanen (Finland), 2016 WA General Working Group Chair Ambassador Paul Beijer (Sweden), 2015-2016 WA Experts Group Chair Robertas Rosinas (Lithuania), 2016 WA Licensing and Enforcement Officers Meeting Chair Jon Erik Strömö (Norway), as well as the Head of the WA Secretariat, Ambassador Philip Griffiths. The WA control lists as well as export licensing and enforcement topics were covered during the two days.
The following link from WA’s webpage contains more details:
http://www.wassenaar.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/June-2016-Workshop-media-release.pdf