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Mr. President,
We thank Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson for his briefing this morning.
We thank Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se for presiding over the Council session today. We commend Ambassador Oh Joon for your leadership of the 1540 Committee.
Mr. President,
Resolution 1540 establishes obligations on States to enact and enforce effective measures to prevent and stem proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons to non-state actors.
Over the last decade, it has (1) filled a gap in international law to prevent non-state actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction; (2) helped create an elaborate architecture of national laws, regulations and administrative measures and (3) raised awareness about the complex nature of the threat.
Enjoying support of the wide membership, the Resolution has put the United Nations at the centre of non-proliferation effort.
The 1540 Committee has been a strong catalyst in preventing proliferation. It supports many treaty regimes, and, even without being a treaty regime, ensures compliance through voluntary measures. The Committee has worked closely with the IAEA and OPCW and is becoming an essential tool for the CPPNM, its 2005 Amendment, and ICSANT.
The three Nuclear Security Summits have recognized the key role being played by the UNSC 1540 Committee to strengthen nuclear security.
Mr. President,
The 1540 Committee's immediate challenge is to persuade some two dozen States to file initial implementation reports.
The Committee plays an important part in mobilizing assistance. It should enhance its match- making role by mapping assistance needs and working as a clearing house between assistance providers and recipients.
The Committee and its Group of Experts could focus even more sharply on outreach, awareness raising and complementarity. Increasing awareness and encouraging action in the field of the emerging cyber threats as well as advances in chemical agents and synthetic biology should be given priority. In these are governments, industry and research and academic institutions should work together.
To broaden the base of ownership and deepen cooperation, the Committee should organize an annual open and interactive briefing in New York. It is also advisable to enhance the Committee's cooperation and coordination with the Council's subsidiary bodies as well as with other international, regional and sub-regional organizations.
Mr. President,
The possibility of non-state actors acquiring or using WMDs is a shared concern.
Pakistan, as part of international efforts to address this contemporary challenge, has contributed constructively to advancing the aims of Resolution 1540, including during our last two terms on the Security Council.
Pakistan has put in place a comprehensive export control regime. The legislative, regulatory, administrative and enforcement measures of this regime are at par with the standards followed by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and the Australia Group.
Our export control regime has an elaborate institutional set-up comprising a dedicated Strategic Export Control Division (SECDIV), an Oversight Board, and a standing inter-agency coordination mechanism
SECDIV has twice notified and published National Control Lists, making them enforceable by Pakistan Customs and other relevant agencies. These lists revised last time in 2011 are classified on the basis of the European Union's integrated system.
Our National Detection Architecture includes use of detection devices at several entry and exit points as well as other random check points to deter, detect and prevent illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials.
We have also established a Center of Excellence that conducts specialized courses in nuclear security, physical protection, material control and accounting, transport security and personnel reliability.
Our Parliament is considering a bill to strengthen and streamline our legislative and regulatory regime to meet our obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention.
A National Authority for implementation of Pakistan’s obligations under the CWC is in place since 2000. Pakistan closely works with the OPCW in this field.
As a party to the UN Convention for the Suppression of Financing of Terrorism, Pakistan has enacted a Anti Money Laundering Law, established a Financial Monitoring Unit in the State Bank of Pakistan to track suspicious financial transactions and frozen hundreds of bank accounts.
Mr. President,
Pakistan has engaged international export control regimes. Pakistan fully qualifies to become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group where we can share our experiences and expertise and benefit from good practices of other states.
As we revive our economy, we look forward to international cooperation and assistance for nuclear energy under IAEA safeguards
I thank you.