SPD / Alliance 90/Greens
Ensuring the success of the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference
Bundestag - Printed paper 14/2908
14 March 2000
Motion tabled by the SPD (governing Social Democratic Party, GP) and Alliance 90/Greens parliamentary groups
Ensuring the success of the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference (..)
The German Bundestag (German Parliament in the Reichstag-Building at Berlin, GP) notes:
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) remains, in the 21st century too, the cornerstone of nuclear non- proliferation and the essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament towards the ultimate goal of the complete elimination of such weapons. Strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime by means of a successful conclusion to the 6th NPT Review Conference to be held in New York from 24 April-19 May 2000 is a key objective of German foreign policy. (..)
The universality of the NPT - which, with 187 State Parties, already applies on a virtually worldwide basis - continues to be the most important goal of this Review Conference too. (..)
Progress on nuclear disarmament is crucial to strengthen nuclear non- proliferation. The START II Treaty should therefore be ratified by the Russian Duma without further delay and put into force by both State Parties. Further substantive progress on disarmament through early agreement on a START III Treaty is also important. The other nuclear- weapon States, too, can contribute to these objectives through the adoption of unilateral nuclear disarmament and arms control measures.
The ABM Treaty is a cornerstone of nuclear strategic stability and a key precondition for progress on nuclear disarmament and arms control.
Nuclear-weapon-free zones are an appropriate means to consolidate the non-proliferation regime. (..)
As the nuclear-weapon States' contribution to the development and strengthening of nuclear non-proliferation, the German Bundestag expects: the further development of security assurances for non-nuclear- weapon States into a Treaty-based instrument; the willingness to adopt transparency measures (e.g. nuclear weapons register, disclosure of plutonium stocks, development of confidence- and security-building measures in the nuclear field); disclosure and scrutiny of their nuclear doctrines in order to ascertain its compatibility with the objectives of disarmament and non-proliferation. The verification process initiated within NATO should also be based on these criteria. (..)
The German Bundestag is requested to adopt the following motion:
The Federal Government is requested to pursue the following objectives at the Conference:
to ensure that the Decisions adopted at the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference on "Principles and objectives for nuclear non- proliferation and disarmament" and "Strengthening the review process for the Treaty" are upheld, and an updated and binding action programme is adopted for the forthcoming review period which should inter alia include, alongside substantive progress on disarmament, the CTBT's early entry into force and the immediate commencement of negotiations on a ban on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices (cut-off treaty);
to ensure that the Geneva Conference on Disarmament reaches early agreement on a work programme so that, inter alia, a working group for talks on nuclear disarmament and an ad hoc committee for negotiations on a cut-off treaty can be set up. (..)
The German Bundestag expects the Federal Government to continue its efforts to ensure that: the US Senate ratifies the CTBT at the earliest possible date; (..) as announced by their respective governments, India and Pakistan sign the CTBT and renounce further nuclear weapons tests until its entry into force; all States not party to the NPT, India, Israel, Cuba and Pakistan, accede to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the CTBT;
(..) those States which have not already done so conclude agreements on comprehensive safeguards and ratify relevant additional protocols on the basis of the "93 + 2" programme with the International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO); the process of reviewing NATO policy options initiated within that organization is based on the criteria of transparency and compatibility with the goals of nuclear disarmament and non- proliferation.
Berlin, 14 March 2000
Dr Peter Struck and parliamentary group (of the SPD) Kerstin Müller (Cologne), Rezzo Schlauch and parliamentary group (of Alliance 90/Greens)
Source: German Bundestag, Printed paper 14/2908, 14th electoral term,
14 March 2000 |