Nonetheless, we welcome the recent apparent improvement in relations between the DPRK and other countries. Another challenge to the nuclear arms control regime is reconciling some of the differences which arise from within the NPT regime itself. This is the message of the New Agenda coalition, for example. The Australian Government does not accept this proposition. There are no short-cuts when it comes to nuclear disarmament.
Nuclear disarmament is difficult, slow and expensive.
It is not immune to broader global developments and the state of US-Russia relations. And it can only be achieved in a stable and verifiable way when the parties concerned have fully negotiated and have confidence in the measures being undertaken. Against that background, there is a tendency to underestimate the progress already made - much has been done on nuclear disarmament. This, in our view, is the flaw in the approach taken by the New Agenda coalition. The resolution ignores the reality that nuclear disarmament is difficult and slow, and it risks making debate on nuclear disarmament in forums such as the NPT even more polarised.