UN General Assembly
2009

and I urge all Governments that have not yet signed and ratified the Convention to do so at the earliest opportunity. Ireland has always been strongly supportive of the leading role played by the United Nations in working to promote non-proliferation and remove the threat posed by nuclear weapons. Indeed, Ireland was the first country to sign and ratify the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Next year’s Review Conference will be of critical importance for efforts to help strengthen the international non-proliferation system, at a time when the threats it faces have perhaps never been greater. We encourage all Member States to work actively and constructively to achieve a successful outcome, and Ireland will engage fully in that effort itself. Ireland also applauds and welcomes the renewed focus on nuclear disarmament. We encourage the United States and Russia particularly as they work towards a legally binding follow-on arrangement to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires at the end of this year. Ireland would like to see the active engagement of the United Nations in monitoring human rights