Statement by Ms Rachita Bhandari, Counsellor (D) on the Scope of an FMCT during the meeting of the CD Subsidiary Body 2 on 'Prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters, with general focus on the ban of the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices' held in Geneva on May 27, 2018
CD Subsidiary Body 2 on
“Prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters, with general focus on the ban of the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices”
May 27, 2018
Statement by India
on the Scope of an FMCT
Mr. Coordinator,
The Indian delegation thanks you for your letter of 18th June as well as the Non-Paper on Areas of Commonalities. We would be willing to go along with your Non-Paper, though we would suggest adding another bullet to the General section - that the negotiation of a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices should take place in the Conference on Disarmament. This had been suggested by the delegate from Egypt in an earlier meeting and we do not recall having heard any voice to the contrary. In fact, an important aspect of CD/1299 was agreement on the forum for the negotiation of an FMCT. This, we believe, should be preserved in our discussion.
The question of scope, Mr Co-ordinator, is critical to the negotiation of an FMCT. In our view, a fissile material treaty must be a treaty for banning the future production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. We have been clear and consistent in our support for the negotiation of an FMCT in the CD on the basis of CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein. The Shannon mandate clearly delineated the parameters for negotiating an FMCT. It also reflected the consensus within the international community over the basic objective of the treaty, as embodied in the 1993 Resolution 48/75 L, and defined the character of the treaty that was to emerge from the negotiations: that it must be non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable.
In our view, Mr. Co-ordinator, the FMCT is essentially about capping the future production of fissile material for weapon purposes in countries that operate unsafeguarded facilities for fissile material production. It is therefore a non-proliferation measure that would also add a measure of strategic predictability and a baseline for future global nuclear disarmament efforts.
The obligations and responsibilities arising from the treaty must apply in a non-discriminatory manner to all States Parties directly affected by the treaty’s obligations and responsibilities. The treaty would be global in character thus excluding any regional specificity. An FMCT, in our view, is certainly not a regional arms control treaty.
The treaty should continue to allow the unhindered production of fissile material for permitted purposes under the treaty on a non-discriminatory basis. This would include the production of fuel for civil nuclear energy without prejudice to the variety of fuel cycles currently in use or envisaged for the future. Permitted purposes would also include non-proscribed military activities including production and use of fuel for naval propulsion.
I thank you, Mr Co-ordinator.
