Statement by Ambassador Mr. Toshiro OZAWA at the 40th Session of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO
2013/6/13
Thank you Mr Chairman,
On behalf of the Japanese Government, I would like to thank H.E. President Compaoré of Burkina Faso for attending our meeting this morning, and for addressing the Commission. I also, once again, congratulate Dr. Lassina Zerbo on his election as the next Executive Secretary. I wish to confirm Japan’s intention to further strengthen our relationship with the PTS under the leadership of the incoming Executive Secretary. I thank him for his remarks this morning, which was full of energy.
I would also like to thank Ambassador Tibor Tóth for his work as the Executive Secretary of the CTBTO, and express our respect for his achievements. Ambassador Tóth’s able leadership has enabled the organization to overcome many difficult challenges in the past eight years. I thank him for his thoughtful statement to the Commission.
[Nuclear Test announced by North Korea]
Mr. Chairman,
Allow me to first touch upon North Korea’s announcement of its third nuclear test in February this year. Despite the repeated calls by the international community as a whole to comply fully with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and to cease any further provocations including nuclear tests, North Korea conducted a further nuclear test. This is totally unacceptable, as it poses a grave challenge to the international non-proliferation regime centred on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and seriously undermines the peace and security in North East Asia and the international community as a whole.
The Joint Ministerial Statement of the Sixth “Friends of CTBT” Ministerial Meeting last September, which was supported by 101 countries, states that “with the exception of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), which announced that it had conducted nuclear tests, the voluntary nuclear test moratorium has become a de facto international norm in the 21st Century.” Japan emphasizes that North Korea’s nuclear tests contravene this common recognition of the international society.
Japan notes with satisfaction that the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the CTBTO was able to detect unusual seismic waveforms as well as infrasound waves with explosion-like characteristics immediately after the nuclear test, and that the International Data Centre (IDC) released the IDC data products promptly. We welcome the fact that, once again, the CTBT verification regime has been proven to function successfully. We commend the PTS for its prompt response, such as the convening of a technical briefing just six hours after the event occurred, and we commend the Chair of the Preparatory Commission for convening an informal meeting of the Preparatory Commission on the same day of the event.
In early April, radioactive noble gases that could be attributed to the nuclear test announced by North Korea in February were detected at the Takasaki station (JPX38). We believe that this detection provides further proof of the effectiveness of the CTBT verification system. We commend the PTS for convening a detailed and informative technical briefing on this matter, and also for sustaining the verification regime’s readiness for an extended period well after the nuclear test by North Korea which took place on 12 February 2013. I would like to reiterate that as a result of careful examination and analysis, Japan is of the view that the detected Xenon was not released from any nuclear related facility nor any other source within Japan.
[Promoting CTBT entry into force]
Mr. Chairman,
The nuclear test by North Korea once again confirmed the importance of our consistent efforts to build-up and maintain the verification regime and also the importance of the role of On-Site Inspections (OSI) in order to distinguish whether a nuclear test has been conducted or not. To this end, the early entry into force of the CTBT is indispensable. In this regard, Japan welcomes the recent progress towards the universalization of the Treaty, such as the ratifications by Brunei in January and by Chad in February, which together brings the total number of ratifications to 159.
We expect that the upcoming Eighth CTBT Article XIV Conference will be convened successfully. The final declaration of the conference should send an even stronger message to North Korea. In preparing for the Conference, Japan will cooperate fully with the Article XIV Conference coordinators and all States Signatories to further enhance the momentum towards the early entry into force of the CTBT.
[CTBT verification regime]
Mr. Chairman,
We welcome the fact that 88% of the IMS facilities have been installed and that over 80% of them have been certified, and Japan commends the PTS for its consistent efforts to build-up the verification regime towards the future entry into force of the Treaty. In particular, Japan commends the PTS for increasing the number of IMS facilities by approximately four times during the last decade, while basically adhering to a zero real growth (ZRG) budget. We expect that further progress will be made by the PTS on the installation and certification of noble gas facilities as well as of IMS stations which are located in geographically or politically difficult areas, while, of course, ensuring cost-efficient budget implementation.
Japan believes that it is also necessary to continue to build up the On-site Inspection (OSI) element of the verification regime. The coming Integrated Field Exercise 2014 (IFE14) will be very important in this respect. Japan welcomes the successful implementation of the Build-Up Exercise III from the end of May to the beginning of June this year in preparation for the IFE14. We believe that the results of the Build-Up Exercises I, II, and IV as well as III will contribute to the successful implementation of the IFE14. We expect that the IFE14 will provide us with valuable information for the future build-up of the OSI component.
[2014 Draft Programme and Budget (P&B)]
Mr. Chairman,
Regarding the preparation of the initial draft 2014 Programme and Budget proposal, we would like to express our respect to the incoming Executive Secretary, Dr. Zerbo, for his leadership as well as to the PTS for its efforts in this regard. Japan commends the PTS for providing an initial draft based on clear prioritizations and takes note that the budget slightly exceeds Zero Real Growth.
We understand that fixed costs have increased due to the increase of Post-Certification Activity (PCA) related costs. We commend the PTS for its efforts to save and reduce the total amount of the budget through reduction of various expenses such as staff travel costs and conference costs. On the other hand, it is also a matter of fact that many countries are facing severe fiscal constraints. We are hopeful that the PTS can make further efforts to maintain and to build up the verification regime while reducing expenses through efficiency measures within a limited budget.
Japan is of the view that this initial draft 2014 Programme and Budget is a good basis for our discussions to reach a decision on the 2014 budget. We welcome the progress made on the installation of the IPSAS-compliant ERP and we expect that the estimated costs in this regard will be included in the draft budget appropriately.
Japan will continue to engage constructively in the consultations on this agenda item.
[Science and Technology Conference 2013 (SnT2013)]
Mr. Chairman,
Cooperation with the scientific community is important for further development of verification technologies. At the same time, the current verification technologies have demonstrated their usefulness for civil and scientific applications, such as for disaster mitigation. We expect that the cooperation with the scientific community will be further strengthened in order to improve the verification technologies and also to promote its civil and scientific applications.
Japan will participate actively in the Science and Technology conference 2013 through presentations by Japanese experts and other means. We wish to work together to achieve a successful outcome of the conference.
[Capacity Development]
Mr. Chairman,
Japan welcomes the efforts made by the PTS for capacity building through the Capacity Development Initiative and the various training courses. We note that developing human resources, such as IMS operators or National Data Centre (NDC) analysts, especially in the developing countries, is a vital means for promoting the implementation of national obligations under the Treaty. This will in turn improve the operation and maintenance of the IMS facilities as well as our overall detection capability of nuclear tests. In this regard, I wish to mention that, from January to March 2014, Japan will once again convene the JICA Global Seismological Observation Training Course, a training course which has been convened annually since 1995.
In closing, I would like to say that we look forward to the constructive discussions that will be held during this session of the Preparatory Commission.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
On behalf of the Japanese Government, I would like to thank H.E. President Compaoré of Burkina Faso for attending our meeting this morning, and for addressing the Commission. I also, once again, congratulate Dr. Lassina Zerbo on his election as the next Executive Secretary. I wish to confirm Japan’s intention to further strengthen our relationship with the PTS under the leadership of the incoming Executive Secretary. I thank him for his remarks this morning, which was full of energy.
I would also like to thank Ambassador Tibor Tóth for his work as the Executive Secretary of the CTBTO, and express our respect for his achievements. Ambassador Tóth’s able leadership has enabled the organization to overcome many difficult challenges in the past eight years. I thank him for his thoughtful statement to the Commission.
[Nuclear Test announced by North Korea]
Mr. Chairman,
Allow me to first touch upon North Korea’s announcement of its third nuclear test in February this year. Despite the repeated calls by the international community as a whole to comply fully with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and to cease any further provocations including nuclear tests, North Korea conducted a further nuclear test. This is totally unacceptable, as it poses a grave challenge to the international non-proliferation regime centred on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and seriously undermines the peace and security in North East Asia and the international community as a whole.
The Joint Ministerial Statement of the Sixth “Friends of CTBT” Ministerial Meeting last September, which was supported by 101 countries, states that “with the exception of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), which announced that it had conducted nuclear tests, the voluntary nuclear test moratorium has become a de facto international norm in the 21st Century.” Japan emphasizes that North Korea’s nuclear tests contravene this common recognition of the international society.
Japan notes with satisfaction that the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the CTBTO was able to detect unusual seismic waveforms as well as infrasound waves with explosion-like characteristics immediately after the nuclear test, and that the International Data Centre (IDC) released the IDC data products promptly. We welcome the fact that, once again, the CTBT verification regime has been proven to function successfully. We commend the PTS for its prompt response, such as the convening of a technical briefing just six hours after the event occurred, and we commend the Chair of the Preparatory Commission for convening an informal meeting of the Preparatory Commission on the same day of the event.
In early April, radioactive noble gases that could be attributed to the nuclear test announced by North Korea in February were detected at the Takasaki station (JPX38). We believe that this detection provides further proof of the effectiveness of the CTBT verification system. We commend the PTS for convening a detailed and informative technical briefing on this matter, and also for sustaining the verification regime’s readiness for an extended period well after the nuclear test by North Korea which took place on 12 February 2013. I would like to reiterate that as a result of careful examination and analysis, Japan is of the view that the detected Xenon was not released from any nuclear related facility nor any other source within Japan.
[Promoting CTBT entry into force]
Mr. Chairman,
The nuclear test by North Korea once again confirmed the importance of our consistent efforts to build-up and maintain the verification regime and also the importance of the role of On-Site Inspections (OSI) in order to distinguish whether a nuclear test has been conducted or not. To this end, the early entry into force of the CTBT is indispensable. In this regard, Japan welcomes the recent progress towards the universalization of the Treaty, such as the ratifications by Brunei in January and by Chad in February, which together brings the total number of ratifications to 159.
We expect that the upcoming Eighth CTBT Article XIV Conference will be convened successfully. The final declaration of the conference should send an even stronger message to North Korea. In preparing for the Conference, Japan will cooperate fully with the Article XIV Conference coordinators and all States Signatories to further enhance the momentum towards the early entry into force of the CTBT.
[CTBT verification regime]
Mr. Chairman,
We welcome the fact that 88% of the IMS facilities have been installed and that over 80% of them have been certified, and Japan commends the PTS for its consistent efforts to build-up the verification regime towards the future entry into force of the Treaty. In particular, Japan commends the PTS for increasing the number of IMS facilities by approximately four times during the last decade, while basically adhering to a zero real growth (ZRG) budget. We expect that further progress will be made by the PTS on the installation and certification of noble gas facilities as well as of IMS stations which are located in geographically or politically difficult areas, while, of course, ensuring cost-efficient budget implementation.
Japan believes that it is also necessary to continue to build up the On-site Inspection (OSI) element of the verification regime. The coming Integrated Field Exercise 2014 (IFE14) will be very important in this respect. Japan welcomes the successful implementation of the Build-Up Exercise III from the end of May to the beginning of June this year in preparation for the IFE14. We believe that the results of the Build-Up Exercises I, II, and IV as well as III will contribute to the successful implementation of the IFE14. We expect that the IFE14 will provide us with valuable information for the future build-up of the OSI component.
[2014 Draft Programme and Budget (P&B)]
Mr. Chairman,
Regarding the preparation of the initial draft 2014 Programme and Budget proposal, we would like to express our respect to the incoming Executive Secretary, Dr. Zerbo, for his leadership as well as to the PTS for its efforts in this regard. Japan commends the PTS for providing an initial draft based on clear prioritizations and takes note that the budget slightly exceeds Zero Real Growth.
We understand that fixed costs have increased due to the increase of Post-Certification Activity (PCA) related costs. We commend the PTS for its efforts to save and reduce the total amount of the budget through reduction of various expenses such as staff travel costs and conference costs. On the other hand, it is also a matter of fact that many countries are facing severe fiscal constraints. We are hopeful that the PTS can make further efforts to maintain and to build up the verification regime while reducing expenses through efficiency measures within a limited budget.
Japan is of the view that this initial draft 2014 Programme and Budget is a good basis for our discussions to reach a decision on the 2014 budget. We welcome the progress made on the installation of the IPSAS-compliant ERP and we expect that the estimated costs in this regard will be included in the draft budget appropriately.
Japan will continue to engage constructively in the consultations on this agenda item.
[Science and Technology Conference 2013 (SnT2013)]
Mr. Chairman,
Cooperation with the scientific community is important for further development of verification technologies. At the same time, the current verification technologies have demonstrated their usefulness for civil and scientific applications, such as for disaster mitigation. We expect that the cooperation with the scientific community will be further strengthened in order to improve the verification technologies and also to promote its civil and scientific applications.
Japan will participate actively in the Science and Technology conference 2013 through presentations by Japanese experts and other means. We wish to work together to achieve a successful outcome of the conference.
[Capacity Development]
Mr. Chairman,
Japan welcomes the efforts made by the PTS for capacity building through the Capacity Development Initiative and the various training courses. We note that developing human resources, such as IMS operators or National Data Centre (NDC) analysts, especially in the developing countries, is a vital means for promoting the implementation of national obligations under the Treaty. This will in turn improve the operation and maintenance of the IMS facilities as well as our overall detection capability of nuclear tests. In this regard, I wish to mention that, from January to March 2014, Japan will once again convene the JICA Global Seismological Observation Training Course, a training course which has been convened annually since 1995.
In closing, I would like to say that we look forward to the constructive discussions that will be held during this session of the Preparatory Commission.
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