Closing Remarks by H.E. Mr. Tsuneo Nishida
Permanent Representative of Japan
to the United Nations
at the Seminar “The Turtle Bay Security Roundtable: Navigating the Sanctions Regime, Promoting Proliferation Prevention,”
organized by the Permanent Missions of Japan and Poland to the UN, in cooperation with the Stimson Center
5 December 2011

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you very much Ambassador Sobków for your thoughtful comments.

I would also like to thank all of you who have actively participated in this half-day roundtable.  With your involvement, I believe we were able to achieve what we intended, which was to have a candid exchange of views on wide-ranging issues related to the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions in the area of  non-proliferation.  This was made possible because the Stimson Center was able to gather such a remarkable pool of experts to participate in the discussions.

As we have tried to focus the scope of today’s subject, I hope you have been able to discuss in more detail, compared to the May meeting, the various aspects pertaining to the implementation of UN resolutions in the area of non-proliferation.  We were very fortunate to have the participation all coordinators from key expert groups. I am particularly pleased that Mr. Salim Raad, the coordinator of the 1973 Committee Panel of Experts, who are not usually based in New York, was able to join us.  For many of us, it is not often that we have the chance to benefit from direct contact with all these experts, and that was one of the main reasons Japan saw the merit in providing such an opportunity for many UN Member States.

The year 2012 is also filled with many important events in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation.  There will be a preparatory committee for the NPT Review Conference, the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, and an international conference on the WMD free zone in the Middle East.  Furthermore, there are a number of conferences in the area of conventional arms to be held in New York such as the Arms Trade Treaty and the Review Conference on the Small Arms Program of Action.  We will need to work together and closer to maintain the positive momentum that has been built since last year in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation.

While organizing roundtables such as today’s here in New York, Japan is also engaged in talks with many countries around the world.  For example, just last week in Tokyo, we organized the ASTOP VIII, the 8th Asian Senior-level Talks on Non-Proliferation.  We invited the officials from each capital of ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region to address various problems many are currently facing in the area of nuclear security and non-proliferation.  We are hoping that these discussions combined with our exchanges of views here in New York will give many Member States the impetus to take proactive measures on export control and border security, thus contributing to more effective implementation of Security Council resolutions.

Furthermore, mindful of the useful input and feedback we received today, Japan would like to follow up our discussion by supporting more regionally-based efforts.  I am happy to announce that we will start by assisting the work of the Stimson Center, which is now planning to host an event in Malaysia.  From February 1 to 3, the Stimson Center is organizing a regional workshop to discuss emerging challenges in the area of nuclear security and non-proliferation, bearing in mind the strong interest among regional governments in seeking further use of nuclear technology.  We find this initiative to be very timely, and would like to provide the necessary assistance to make this event worthwhile, especially for the countries in ASEAN. 

I am heartened to hear that many of you have found today to be of use to you.  We also find great value in holding this meeting to exchange views with our colleagues from other missions as well as experts in this field.  With your support and understanding, we will continue to make serious efforts like this one.  In order to maintain the positive mood generated through today’s discussion, I hope to continue to organize similar events under the framework of “the Turtle Bay Security Roundtable.”  Given the strong need for Member States to discuss issues related to conventional arms in 2012, that may be one area in which we can benefit each other. I very much welcome your input and advice on what would be other beneficial topics for us to discuss. 

Thank you once again for your active participation, for your support, and for the wonderful contributions you all made today.