Issued by: The Department of Foreign Affairs
MEDIA STATEMENT ON SOUTH AFRICA'S PARTICIPATION AT AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE CREATION OF THE CENTRAL ASIAN NUCLEAR-WEAPON-FREE ZONE: UZBEKISTAN: 14-16 SEPTEMBER 1997
South Africa is participating in an International Conference on the creation of a Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, which is being held in the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, from 14-16 September 1997.
The conference is being held to discuss the possible creation of a Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone extending across the five Central Asian States - Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kirgistan and Tajikistan. Besides the Foreign Ministers of the five Central Asian States, many foreign countries will also be represen- ted, including the five nuclear-weapon states. Other representatives will include the International Atomic Energy Corporation (IAEA) and a representative of the UN Secretary-General. The Conference is scheduled to be opened by the President of Uzbekistan, Mr I Karimov.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister AB Nzo, is being represented at the conference by South Africa's Ambassador to Turkey, Mr TF (Tom) Wheeler, who will deliver a speech on behalf of the Minister at the Conference, during one of the Workshops of the Conference, entitled "Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones: International Experiences". The speech will highlight, among other things, South Africa's experience of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (The Treaty of Pelindaba), signed by South Africa in 1996.
The South African Government firmly believes that the creation of nuclear weapons free zones in the world is a clear demonstration of the continued commitment of non-nuclear-weapon States to the goal of ridding the world of nuclear weapons. South Africa is convinced that the Treaties of Tlatelolco, Rarotonga, Bangkok, Pelindaba and, eventually, the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, will serve to strengthen the international non-proliferation regime and encourage the establishment of additional nuclear-weapon-free zones in other parts of the world.
A background document (below) is attached for easy reference.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 16 SEPTEMBER 1997
BACKGROUND
The idea of establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones has been consolidated in the past 30 years following the conclusion of the Treaty of Tlatelolco. Recent developments make it clear that regional nuclear-weapon-free zones are attracting increasing atten- tion and support as a means of expressing and promoting commonly- held values in the areas of nuclear disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation. France, the UK and the US have joined China and Russia in signing the Protocols to the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty. The Treaty of Pelindaba has been signed by 53 African countries and its protocols signed by all the nuclear-weapon states. The South East Asian Nuclear Weapon Free zone Treaty (Bangkok Treaty) has already been signed and today, we have the makings of a Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone.
Nuclear-weapon-free zones reflect more than a common commitment by states to exclude nuclear weapons from their region. Increasing- ly, the states concerned see such zones as underpinning progress towards a world without nuclear weapons. They signify the gradual marginalisation of nuclear weapons in international security.
Nuclear-weapon-free zones have made an important contribution to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The 1995 Non-Prolifera- tion Treaty Review and Extension Conference recognized this. The "Principles and Objectives" adopted there affirmed the role of nuclear-weapon-free zones in enhancing global and regional peace and security, encouraged the further development of nuclear-weapon-free zones on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among the states of the region concerned, and emphasized the importance of support for such zones by the nuclear-weapon states. The important role of nuclear-weapon-free zones was reaffirmed at the first Prepcom of the year 2000 NPT Review Conference.
Taken together, the four existing and prospective zones esta- blished by the Treaties of Tlatelolco, Rarotonga, Pelindaba and Bangkok potentially include some 114 nations. With the addition of Antarctica, demilitarised under the Antarctic Treaty, they cover more than 50% of the earth's landmass. Virtually all the Southern Hemisphere, and significant parts of the northern hemisphere, are now covered by nuclear-weapon-free zones.
The South African Government firmly believes that the creation of nuclear weapons free zones in the world is a clear demonstration of the continued commitment of non-nuclear-weapon States to the goal of ridding the world of nuclear weapons. South Africa is convinced that the Treaties of Tlatelolco, Rarotonga, Bangkok, Pelindaba and, eventually, the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, will serve to strengthen the international non-proliferation regime and encourage the establishment of additional nuclear-weapon-free zones in other parts of the world.
The initiative of the States of Central Asia to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone in their region will significantly re-enforce the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime. The Almaty Declaration in which Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan endorsed the creation of a nuclear- weapon-free zone in Central Asia has been widely recognized and encouraged; as should this international conference which is being held to determine also the strategy for achieving this nuclear-weapon-free zone.
In this regard, the successful conclusion of the Treaty of Pelindaba found resonance in Africa because of many factors, inclu- ding the fact that the Zone was an arrangement freely arrived at by the countries concerned; the fact that there was wide agreement on the proposed borders which would comprise the African Nuclear- Weapon-Free zone; the fact that issues not directly related to the Treaty, such as territorial questions, were not attempted to be resolved in the Treaty; the fact that the zone complimented existing bilateral security arrangements and the fact that the Nuclear-Weapon States willingly provided the necessary Assurances. These factors were relevant to the African context and the convergence of these factors ensured the willingness of neighbouring countries to participate and of the international community to rally behind Africa in its quest to be nuclear-weapon free.