H.E. Mr. Koichi Haraguchi
Representative of Japan
At the Security Council Meeting on the
Security Council Resolution on Non-proliferation
22 April 2004
Thank you, Mr. President.
At the outset, allow me to state that Japan
considered it desirable, given the critical importance of
the issue, for non-Council Member States to be afforded the
opportunity to express their views. We therefore highly appreciate
your initiative to convene today's open debate.
Having said that, Mr. President, let me offer
several comments at this juncture.
Firstly, Mr. President, Japan shares the serious
concern and misgivings over the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction and their means of delivery, and believes
that the Security Council and the United Nations as a whole
must play a more effective role in addressing this issue.
With respect to the present draft resolution, it is urgent
and essential for us to act to ensure that weapons of mass
destruction do not fall into the hands of terrorists and other
non-state actors. For this reason and because the issue is
the one that is directly tied to the security in many countries
including mine, my Government supports the adoption of a resolution
by the Council, as long as it is acceptable to Member States
after further discussion of the present draft.
Secondly, in order to ensure the effectiveness
of the resolution, it is desirable that the committee mentioned
in the current draft resolution should offer advice to countries
concerned so as to enable them to correct their specific,
concrete violations. Such committee should be stuffed by persons
with sufficient expertise who should be recruited not only
from the members of the Council but also widely from non-Council
members. Japan, for its part, is prepared to make a contribution
in this respect. In addition, I wish to draw the attention
of the Council that the Department for Disarmament Affairs,
with responsibility for disarmament and non-proliferation,
already exists within the United Nations. It might be advised
for the committee to make good use of its resources.
Thirdly, in order to counter the proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction, it is essential to secure
active, not passive, and willing cooperation of a large number
of countries, especially developing countries. The Security
Council therefore should also play an important role in encouraging
the provision of technical assistance to developing countries
so that they are able to enact necessary domestic laws in
implementing effective non-proliferation measures obliged
under the resolution.
Finally, allow me to make a general observation.
By adopting a binding Security Council resolution under Chapter
7 of the UN Charter, the Security Council fulfills a law-making
function. It is, therefore, for the Security Council to be
cautious not to undermine the stability of the international
legal framework.
Mr. President,
Japan strongly hopes that the Security Council
will take note of these foregoing observations so that discussion
over the draft resolution may be conducted in such a manner
that full transparency is guaranteed, and that it will adopt
a resolution with the widest support among Member States.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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