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Mr Chairman
New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We are strong advocates of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and work actively towards strengthening its implementation. In considering the India/US civil nuclear agreement we have been very conscious of the need to ensure that the principles of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation have been upheld.
We made it clear from the outset that we had a number of concerns about the exemption before us; we wish to ensure that putting into effect non-proliferation controls in India will result in a net non-proliferation gain for the international community.
New Zealand has been working in the Nuclear Suppliers Group towards an outcome that would provide the assurances that New Zealand is seeking while at the same time providing India with the access it seeks to nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes.
New Zealand’s strong preference was for a robust, standalone exemption that addressed our range of concerns. Mindful of the potential broader non-proliferation benefits at play, however, we have been willing to explore options that would result in an exemption acceptable to all NSG members.
The exemption and accompanying political statement by India go some way to addressing New Zealand’s key concerns regarding nuclear testing, the transfer of sensitive technologies related to enrichment and reprocessing and the Additional Protocol. A robust and meaningful review mechanism was also important to New Zealand. It will be important that the review provisions in the exemption are implemented in a strong and decisive manner by NSG members to give them full effect.
New Zealand notes the steps that India has taken as part of the US-India agreement and India’s non-proliferation record. We recognise India’s reiteration of its nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation commitments in the statement released by Minister of External Affairs Mukherjee on 5 September.
It is New Zealand’s understanding that the framework of commitments outlined in the Indian statement is inextricably linked to the exemption that the NSG has just approved for India. New Zealand will view the implementation of the NSG exemption for India against this backdrop. We expect that any breach of the commitments made by India will be dealt with by the NSG in a quick and decisive manner. It is our expectation that in the event of a nuclear test by India, this exemption will become null and void.
Against this backdrop Mr Chairman, New Zealand did not stand in the way of consensus on the exemption for India. It will be important, however, that NSG members take ownership of the exemption and are vigilant in its implementation. Only in this way will the potential non-proliferation benefits of this agreement be realised.
Thank you Mr Chairman.
