Australia in Switzerland
Bern and Geneva
Switzerland, Liechtenstein

statement437

Conference on Disarmament

Statement by Australia

12 February 2013


Mr President,

Australia would like to commend you for your efforts and leadership in producing this draft Program of Work and putting it forward for decision today.

Australia supports the draft Program of Work as it currently stands as a real attempt to return this Conference to substantive work. We would be disappointed if it appears that a mutually satisfactory outcome has not been reached on this.

That aside, Australia remains firmly committed to this Conference and will continue to engage in the hope that it can soon make the right choice between opportunity and irrelevance.

Mr President

Australia would also join others here who have condemned the nuclear test by North Korea earlier today.

I would like to quote from Prime Minister Gillard’s statement that the testing clearly violates a number of UN Security Council resolutions, threatens international peace and security, and challenges the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

As a Security Council member, Australia will work for the strongest possible response to North Korea’s continuing defiance of the will of the international community.

Thank you, Mr President.