NPT Review Conference Fails to Reach Agreement for Third Consecutive Time - Press Conference | UN

After the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, known as the NPT, failed today (22 May) to agree on a final document, the President of the Conference, Do Hung Viet expressed concerned for the future health of the Treaty, and said he was “disappointed” it was unable to “really seize this critical opportunity to make our world a safer place.” It was the third failure in a row at a conference reviewing the NPT, considered the cornerstone of global non-proliferation and disarmament. Talking to reporters Friday evening, after negotiations came to an end, Do said, “a substantive outcome would have strengthened the Treaty and advanced its objectives, but in absence of such an outcome, I am concerned for the future health of the Treaty.” The Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu, for her part said, “we all need to remember that legal commitments or legal obligations under this Treaty, remain. So, we need to make sure that all states, especially nuclear weapon states, really understand it and then maintain their commitment and then really move to implement their commitments.” As a member of the Secretariat, Nakamitsu said, “we don't criticise member states or states parties in their deliberations,” but going forward, she added, “they need to actually take this third time failure very seriously.” Explaining the deliberations, Do said, “I can present a text that country A I know will block consensus. I can also present a text that is slightly tweaked but will make a country B block the adoption. And of course, there are other ways as well. So, I had to make the difficult decision not to present that document.” He lamented that “we will need to wait at least five more years to see if we are able to, you know, reaffirm that commitment or take any further action, to strengthen the regime,” while in the meantime, “we are seeing the modernisation of nuclear arsenals. We are seeing the quantitative increase in some nuclear arsenals as well. So, and then, you know, the level of nuclear rhetorics, the tense international situation, are all extremely worrying of a risk of the use of nuclear weapons. So, I am concerned.” Asked about the United States and Iran’s dispute over paragraph 15 of the document, Do said, “I cannot really say, that, you know, apart from one paragraph, everything else was agreed, that I don't think is it would be accurate to say.” He said, “I did try to produce some textual changes to the draft outcome document. You know, it ranges from changing the text to the placement of some of the paragraphs, to be more amenable to both sides. But I think at about 4 p.m., 4:30 p.m. I felt that we were not able to find that consensus.” Nakamitsu said, “we need to utilise all other available processes. To, to make sure that we will be able to reconstruct, our efforts. And maybe we should be creating, something else.” She noted that the General Assembly’s First Committee “is able to create mandates. So, we need to actually think about those or available means, and then we will not give up.” Earlier in the GA, when he realized consensus was not going to be achieved, Do said, “as I said at the start of this conference, my goal was to make everyone equally unhappy. In that I think we can all agree that I had made some progress towards that goal. I have now put forward four versions of the draft outcome document, all of which have been painstakingly revised in line with States Parties wishes. Despite our best efforts, however, it is my understanding that the Conference is not in a position to achieve agreement on its substantive work. Given that this is now apparent, I do not intend to put the document forward for adoption, as the Conference is not in a position to achieve agreement. “ The NPT entered into force in 1970 and was extended indefinitely in 1995. The Treaty is regarded as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and an essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. It was designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, to further the goals of nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament, and to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Under the Treaty, the nuclear-weapon States are obliged not to transfer possession or control to any recipient nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, and not in any way to assist, encourage or induce non-nuclear-weapon States to manufacture, acquire, or control over such weapons or devices. The Treaty guarantees the right of all States parties develop research, production, and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with their basic non-proliferation obligations. Conferences to review the operation of the Treaty have been held at five-year intervals since the Treaty went into effect in 1970.


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