Nuclear Disarmament Can be Achieved through Multilateral Framework: Foreign Secretary Shringla

Editor Foreign Affairs

New Delhi: India sought a “meaningful dialogue” among all countries possessing nuclear weapons, for “building trust and confidence” and said it supports “immediate commencement” of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT).

 

The FMCT is a proposed international treaty to prohibit the further production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other explosive devices.

The remarks were made by Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla at the high-level meeting to commemorate and promote the International day for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

 

India said it believes that nuclear disarmament can be achieved through a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed multilateral framework.

India accords high priority to the Conference on Disarmament (CD) as the world’s single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum and supports the commencement of negotiations on a Comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention at the CD, Shringla said.

 

“Without prejudice to the priority attached to nuclear disarmament, India remains committed to the immediate commencement of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty in the CD on the basis of CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein,” Shringla said during the meeting.

The foreign secretary said India reiterates its long-standing and unwavering commitment to universal, verifiable and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament leading to the “complete elimination of nuclear weapons, in line with the Final Document of the First Special Session of the UN General Assembly on disarmament (SSOD-1).”

He said India’s approach to nuclear disarmament is encapsulated in its Working Paper submitted to the UN General Assembly First Committee in 2006 and to the Conference on Disarmament in 2007.

“We believe that nuclear disarmament can be achieved through a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed multilateral framework. India remains convinced of the need for meaningful dialogue among all states possessing nuclear weapons, for building trust and confidence,” Shringla said.