ALGERIAStatement ofH.E. Mr. Mourad MEDELCI
Minister of Foreign affairs

Before the 2010 Review Conferenceof the Non-Proliferation Treaty

New York 4 May 2010

Mr. President
Distinguished Heads of delegation
Ladies and gentlemen
I would like, Mr. President, to present to you the sincere
congratulations of the Algerian delegation, upon your brilliant
election for the Chair of the 2010 Review Conference of the Treatyof Non-proliferation of the nuclear weapons. I am convinced thatyour experience and your personal and professional skills will
enable you to steer our proceedings, as president of thisConference, to a positive outcome. I would like to ensure you of thefull support of my delegation throughout this conference.
Our congratulations of go also to the Presidents of the three Main
Committees, who have steered with success the work of thesessions of the Preparatory Committee, as well as to the membersof the Bureau of the Conference.
The Algerian delegation associates itself with the Statement madeon behalf of the Non Aligned Movement States parties to the NPT.
Mr. President,
Algeria which remains convinced that nuclear disarmament is theultimate objective of the NPT, in accordance with its article VI,
welcomes the holding of the 2010 Review Conference in a context ofRenaissance of the option "zero nuclear weapon", where the totalelimination of nuclear weapons remains the only way topermanently preventing their proliferation.
In this context, I would like to reiterate my country's hope to see
the International community, in particular the Nuclear Weapon
States, commit themselves resolutely to a process aiming at thedenuclearization of our planet and to the dismantling of nuclear
arsenals still stockpiled, or currently deployed.
Within the framework of our collective commitment to the purposesof nuclear disarmament, prior to a general and complete
disarmament, the objective to put a final stop of non-proliferationof nuclear weapons remains also our natural quest that we havereaffirmed on many occasions.

The Treaty of Non-proliferation of the nuclear weapons remains, inthis respect, a key instrument for the maintenance of international
peace and security. It should be recognized that its adoption in
1968, contributed considerably to stop the risks of proliferation
over the world.
If it is commonly admitted that nuclear disarmament and nuclear
non-proliferation are essential for confidence building andmaintaining of international peace and security. It is also true thatpeaceful use of nuclear energy is an essential and necessary toolfor development and progress.
If such an evaluation were shared by all States present today, thisConference could be then the opportunity to break with the last
failures and to give a new start to the review process in the
direction of strengthening of the NPT through balanced measures
which meet the requests of all States without discrimination
This opportunity, which is offered to us today, should be seized:- To recognize, first that forty years after its adoption, the NPTreached the limits of a selective and discriminatory approach in its
implementation, leading ultimately to the failure of the Review
Conference of 2005;- To reiterate, the validity of universally admitted interpretationaccording to which the rights and the obligations of the States arebased on the three fundamental, complementary and joint pillars ofthe NPT,
which are nuclear disarmament, nuclear nonproliferation and the promotion of the peaceful uses of nuclearenergy;- to rehabilitate, finally, the NPT by making the difficult but
necessary choice, of an effective implementation of all obligations
derived from the Treaty without discrimination, to meet theaspirations of all State Parties and thus address the obstacles
which prevent the NPT from being in perfect adequacy with its
objectives and its purposes.
Such a choice which would be, at the same time courageous andresponsible, inevitably goes through the adoption of innovative andstrengthened measures that would confer on the outcome of thisReview Conference the content and the scope which would live up
to our aspirations for peace, security and progress.
In this regard, the decisions and resolutions of the fifth and sixth
NPT Review Conferences, hold respectively in 1995 and 2000,
should be implemented. They must be the starting point for thework of this meeting.
Mr. President,In preparation for this Conference, my country presented a detailed
report on the implementation of the NPT as well as a number ofWorking documents on the important issues on the agenda of Main
Committees. I will therefore, avoid getting into the issues andproposals already mentioned in the documents submitted byAlgeria.
There are however, important matters which will be tackled during
this Conference and where concrete and urgent answers areneeded. It is on these issues that I would like to say few words:
I would refer, first, the question of Security assurances to Non
nuclear weapon States, which remains the great concern of a vast
majority of States Parties including my own country. Because at
the time when one deplores the unjustified doctrines of national
security based on the possession of nuclear arsenals capable ofdestroying several times the whole planet. Thus the question ofassurances should be a priority and benefit from a deep
consideration that will take into account, inter alia, the relevant
decisions of the 1995 and 2000 Review Conferences.
Within this framework and pending the complete elimination ofnuclear weapons, Nuclear weapon States under the NPT, should
endeavor to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in the national andregional defense policies. The New START Treaty constitutes, in thisregard, a positive initiative in the process of nuclear disarmament.
In order to live up to our aspirations, this Treaty should give thetone to a more reaffirmed and more reinvigorated process for thereduction of the nuclear arsenals; a process that would beprogressive and constant and that would embrace strategic as well
as tactical weapons and their vectors.

Mr. President
I would refer, secondly, to the objective of the Non-proliferation forwhich Algeria proposes reinforcement for the implementation ofArticle I of the NPT, through which States Parties undertook not toassist, encourage nor otherwise incite Non nuclear weapon Statesto acquire such weapons in anyway what so ever.
Nuclear weapon States and the nuclear suppliers Group, have aparticular responsibility in the implementation of this Treaty'sobligation. We exhort them to commit themselves not to grant theirco-operation in the civilian nuclear field to States not parties to theNPT. Restrictive measures, in the field of nuclear cooperation, will
help to discourage those States from remaining outside the NPT.
Progress on this path would make it possible, in particular, toachieve result on the question of the establishment of nuclear
weapons and weapons of massive destruction free zone in theMiddle East, which remains hostage of the refusal of Israel toaccede to the NPT and to put its nuclear installations under IAEA
inspections.
Restrictive measures could also be adopted by the UN Security
Council and other relevant U.N. bodies, in order to provide to thequestion of the universalization of the NPT, as an instrument ofinternational peace and security, the importance and priority it
deserves.
Mr. President,
Allow me to underline, in third place, that Algeria is also part ofthis vast majority of States that have chosen to use the atomexclusively for civil applications, including with regards toresearch/development, in accordance with the provisions of theNPT, in particular its article IV. I would like, in this respect, toreiterate Algeria's support for the mandate of the IAEA in thepromotion of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, as well as for all
regional and international initiatives aiming at the diversification ofscientific cooperation and technical assistance in this field.

Mr. President,
Allow me to recall, finally, the initiative of the Algerian Presidencyof the Conference on Disarmament, in 2009, which althoughunanimously approved, has not yet been followed by concrete
action, as shown it the results of the last session of the CD inGeneva. But the Conference on Disarmament is not the only
multilateral forum that is negatively affected by its own failures.
The persistent delays noted in the process of entry into force of theComprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the establishment of theOrganization of the States Parties in Vienna, are also a source ofgreat concern.
With regard to the current difficulties, it is the responsibility of theInternational community to seek ways and means in order to startagain the work of the Conference on Disarmament.
While expressing this hope, I wish every success to the work of thisConference, and thank you for your kind attention.