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STATEMENT BY

REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA TO

THE UNITED NATIONS

 

AT THE THEMATIC DEBATE ON REGIONAL DISARMAMENT AND SECURITY

 

FIRST COMMITTEE OF THE 74^TH SESSION OF

THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

 

NEW YORK, 30 OCTOBER 2019

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

1. Malaysia associates itself with the statement delivered by Indonesia on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and the statement delivered by the Philippines on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

2. Malaysia considers that the nuclear-weapon-free zones (NWFZs) established by the treaties of Tlatelolco, Rarotonga, Bangkok, and Pelindaba, the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty as well as Mongolia’s Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Status are of vital importance in enhancing global and regional peace. These instruments strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime and contribute towards realizing the objectives of nuclear disarmament.

 

3. As a founding member of ASEAN and a Party to the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty, Malaysia reaffirms the significance of such zones and treaties in the pursuit of a nuclear weapon-free world.

 

4. Malaysia underscores the importance of realizing the overarching objectives of the SEANWFZ Treaty and its Protocol, in accordance with the Kuala Lumpur Declaration 2015, “ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together”, adopted by the ASEAN Leaders at the 27^th ASEAN Summit in 2015. The accession of the Nuclear Weapon States (NWS) to the SEANWFZ Protocol remains imperative. Malaysia welcomes consultations and continuous dialogue between ASEAN and the Nuclear-Weapon-States in resolving the long-overdue signing and ratification of the Protocol by the latter at the earliest. We also reaffirm our commitment to continue working together with ASEAN Member States to actively pursue this endeavor in line with the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

5. Malaysia expresses its concern over the failure of the 2015 NPT Review Conference to reach a consensus on new measures regarding the process to establish a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.

 

6. Malaysia reaffirms the need for the prompt establishment of a NWFZ in the Middle East in accordance with Security Council Resolution 487 (1981), paragraph 14 of Security Council Resolution 687 (1991), and relevant General Assembly resolutions adopted by consensus.

 

7. Malaysia welcomes the convening of the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction, under the presidency of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in November 2019, pursuant to the adoption of the General Assembly decision 73/546. We call upon all States of the region to actively participate in this Conference in realizing the establishment of the Zone.

 

8. Malaysia also welcomes the hosting of the Fourth Conference of States Parties to NWFZs and Mongolia, which will be held in New York in April 2020. Malaysia hopes that the Conference will be successful in promoting coordination and convergence in the implementation of the provisions of the NWFZ treaties, and in strengthening the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

9. Emerging security challenges will only accentuate the need for multilateral dialogue and action. Together with our partners from the region and beyond, Malaysia looks forward to explore opportunities for an enhanced global security and disarmament agenda.

 

Thank you.