| Tuesday, November 13, 2001, updated at 16:34(GMT+8) |
China Urges Acceleration of Process of CTBT's Entry into Force |
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Head of Chinese Delegation Shen Guofang Monday urged the acceleration of the process of facilitating the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). An international environment favorable for countries to trust and support the CTBT should be created, Shen said.
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Head of Chinese Delegation Shen Guofang Monday urged the acceleration of the process of facilitating the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
In his speech at the Second Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the CTBT, Shen Guofang said that an international environment favorable for countries to trust and support the CTBT should be created.
He said the most effective way in this regard is to establish a new security concept centering on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, abandon Cold War mentality and power politics, renounce nuclear deterrence strategy based on the first use of nuclear weapons and address disputes through dialogue and cooperation.
He said efforts should be made to maintain global strategic balance and stability and prevent new nuclear arms race. "The search into, deployment and proliferation of an advanced anti-missile system will disrupt the existing balance and stability of the current international strategic pattern, remove the basis of the nuclear disarmament process and, as a result, a fresh round of nuclear arms race will be on the verge of breaking out. Such dangerous developments will inevitably make CTBT a victim," he said.
Shen Guofang said that international cooperation in arms control has to be strengthened, for it is the only right way to promote arms control and disarmament. Any unilateral and expedient attitude on questions of disarmament and nonproliferation will only undermine the efforts and confidence of countries in cooperation for this purpose and bring the international disarmament and no-proliferation process to stagnation.
At present, Shen said, it is most imperative to uphold the authority of the CTBT. "Countries should join together to urge the country concerned to change its erroneous position on the CTBT, observe the principle of 'pacta sunt servanda' in international law, stick to its commitment of a moratorium on nuclear test explosions, and pay its contribution to the Preparation Committee for Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) in full and in a timely manner so as to promote the preparations for the CTBTO in a comprehensive and balanced way and ensure its entry into force according to the relevant provisions at an early date," Shen said.
At the same time, he said, it is necessary to enhance the universality of the CTBT by promoting early signature and ratification of the treaty by countries that have not done so yet.
Shen said, an early entry into force of the CTBT, which is of great significance to the maintenance of international security, serves the common interest and aspiration of the international community.
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