Esteemed chair,

Please allow me to congratulate you on your election and assure you of my delegation’s full support.

Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates,

In addition to the statements delivered on behalf of the EU and the various partnerships that the Netherlands is part of, I would like to make the following remarks in my national capacity.

Mr. Chair,

“The purpose of the meeting is not having the meeting, but to make progress…”

This is what I said during the general debate of the first PrepCom meeting last year. Looking back I daresay we had some good discussions, especially with regard to transparency and accountability in the Working Group, but we could not agree on formal recommendations from the Group to the PrepCom. At the PrepCom itself we reconfirmed the NPT’s essential role in the maintenance of international peace and security and its contribution to sustainable development, but we failed to agree on a factual summary of the discussion.

The question now is how to proceed? As the chair of the first session noted in his reflections, we need to improve continuity throughout the review cycle, and my delegation fully subscribes to that notion. Therefore, at this second session of the PrepCom, we should continue our discussion on measures to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, coordination and continuity of the review process.

Chair,

The NPT was, is and remains the cornerstone of the global regime for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament and a fundamental part of the global collective peace and security architecture. Nevertheless, the Netherlands recognizes the significant challenges to the disarmament process and to the non-proliferation regime posed by the current state of the global security environment.

It is precisely because of this increasingly insecure world that we need to continue discussing and practicing arms control. I therefore once again call upon all States Parties to try and make progress at this Second PrepCom. For example

-          On reducing nuclear arsenals to achieve the full implementation of Article VI. Although in recent years little progress has been achieved on disarmament, it remains the NPT States Parties’ obligation to pursue and achieve the full implementation of Article VI.

-          On further development and cooperation with regard to improving verification of nuclear disarmament, an essential part of achieving and maintaining a world without nuclear weapons.

-          On implementing effective risk reduction measures, which we urgently need given the current climate of heightened tensions, but let me underline ‘risk reduction’ is not a substitute for disarmament.

-          and also on improving transparency and accountability, because, transparency is indispensable in the process of nuclear disarmament. It contributes to building confidence and trust, and trust is nowadays a very scarce commodity.

Not only should we make progress on these very important pillar I issues, but also on preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, universalization of a Comprehensive Safeguard Agreement and an Additional Protocol, and with regard to enhancing nuclear safety and security. Given the proliferation risks in the Middle-East, the fact that still not all NPT States Parties have a CSA and AP in place, and the military attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, our work on pillar II seems to be laid out clearly in front of us.

There is also room for some optimism. For example the first Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels earlier this year illustrated the growing recognition of the crucial role that nuclear energy can play in reaching our climate objectives. Furthermore, it contributes to achieving the SDG’s. So,  it is important that we can all safely and securely profit from the inalienable right of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, science and technology.

Chair, let me conclude by underlining that – in spite of the severe challenges originating from the current security environment – my delegation looks forward to working together with all other delegations and focus on making progress towards the full implementation of the Treaty and the achievement of its goals, that’s why we are here.

Thank you for giving me floor.