Mr. Chairman,
The Cuban delegation commends you and the other members of the Bureau on your elections.We wish you success in the work of this Committee and ensure the support of the Cuban delegation for this endeavor.
We fully endorse the statement delivered by Indonesia, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, and by El Salvador, on behalf of CELAC.
Mr. Chairman,
Cuba is pleased that the First Committee of the UN General Assembly begins its general debate at the 72nd session by stressing the achievement of concrete results in the imperative advance towards nuclear disarmament.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, adopted last July 7th, codified in international law the illegitimacy and illegality of nuclear weapons, prohibiting the existence, use and threat of use of these weapons and all kinds of nuclear tests.
Consistent with its commitment to nuclear disarmament, Cuba signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons last September 20th, and supports its prompt entry into force.
At the same time, Cuba is of the view that further efforts are required in order to achieve the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.
In this regard, we call for support for the holding of the United Nations High Level International Conference in 2018 to review progress and further action on nuclear disarmament. We hope that this Conference, like the recent High Level Meeting to commemorate the "International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons", will have the support of the international community to further advance the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.
Humanity continues to be threatened by the existence of nearly 15,000 nuclear weapons. It is therefore unacceptable that millions of dollars are spent on weapons, including the modernization of nuclear weapons, when insufficient resources are mobilized in the international cooperation required to achieving the 2030 Agenda.
We encourage nuclear-weapon States to show political will and commitment to the goal of nuclear disarmament, particularly at the Tenth NPT Review Conference and during its preparatory process. Applying the principle of non-proliferation alone will not be conducive to achieving this goal.
In the framework of the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Treaty of Tlatelolco, we acknowledge the significant contribution of the nuclear-weapon-free zones and reiterate Cuba's unrestricted support for the establishment of a Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.
Mr. Chairman,
Cuba does not possess nor intends to possess weapons of mass destruction, and strongly supports the prohibition and complete elimination of these weapons in a transparent, verifiable and irreversible manner, as the sole effective guarantee to prevent their acquisition and use, including by terrorists.
Our country supports and strictly abides by the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.
Moreover, Cuba firmly rejects the use of any weapon of mass destruction by any actor and under any circumstances.
In that context, we highlight the work of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on its 20th anniversary, and stress the importance of ensuring the balance of its pillars in the future and the realization of outstanding issues. In this regard, the destruction of all categories of chemical weapons in the shortest possible time and under international control would be the greatest contribution to prevent the use of these weapons of mass destruction.
The adoption of a legally binding Protocol that will strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention in a comprehensive and balanced manner is instrumental in order to rule out the potential use of bacteriological and toxin agents as weapons.
We reject and demand the immediate removal of the existing limitations and restrictions which impede the fullest possible exchange, particularly to developing countries, of materials, equipment and technology for nuclear, chemical and biological activities, consistent with the provisions of the relevant international treaties.
Mr. Chairman,
We hope that the consensus reached by the Open-Ended Working Group on the objectives and agenda of the Fourth Special Session of the General Assembly on Disarmament and by the Working Group of the Disarmament Commission on confidence-building measures in the field of conventional weapons, will revert the grinding halt of the disarmament machinery and will extend to other matters as well.
Given the failure to reach a consensus on substantive issues of the Group of Governmental Experts on Developments in information and telecommunications in the context of international security, we call upon the First Committee to convene an Open-Ended Working Group of the General Assembly to consider the issue, which is the only format to ensure transparency, inclusiveness and participation of all Member States under equal conditions.
Urgent action is required, agreed within the framework of the United Nations, to prevent the covert and illegal use by individuals, organizations and States of the computer systems of other nations to attack third countries for their potential to provoke international conflicts.
Mr. Chairman,
In an international context marked by the imposition of sanctions and unilateral coercive measures, by increased war rhetoric through the threat of use of force, and the announcement of higher military expenditures that already amount to 1.7 trillion dollars, Cuba calls for respect for the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and demands respect for the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.
Let us invest more on sufficient resources to fight poverty and promote sustainable development, and less in the war industry, which only serves to kill.
Thank you very much.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations.