The President`s message reads, in part:
“You have before you the big undertaking of drafting measures to facilitate continued consolidation of the nuclear non-proliferation regime based on a careful balance of the three main components of the NPT – non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use of nuclear energy. This task has great importance for guaranteeing strategic stability and security.
Over the course of many years now the NPT has succeeded in taking into account different and sometimes even diametrically opposed views on how to build a nuclear-free world order. It is extremely important today to raise the level of trust in international politics and work together to confront the proliferation challenges and threats that arise, resolving them above all through the NPT. In this context, this, the eighth NPT review conference, is especially relevant.
Russia is consistent in implementing the treaty’s provisions and wants to make an important contribution to reaching the noble goals it proclaims. The recently signed Russian-US strategic arms reduction treaty is just the latest affirmation of our commitment. This document gives the international community a clear demonstration of what constructive cooperation can achieve and what opportunities we have to take disarmament further.
Peaceful nuclear energy is playing a growing role in satisfying the global economy’s energy demand. Current and future nuclear power plants are a real tool for economic growth and can help improve the lives of millions of people. At the same time, the NPT member states will need to find adequate measures to address the proliferation risks linked to countries’ use of their inalienable right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
It is extremely important that the international community remains focused on improving nuclear security mechanisms. This was confirmed by the results of the April summit in Washington. Acting in the spirit of the summit’s decisions, Russia is ready to share its abundant experience in this area with countries that take a responsible approach to their commitments under international law. We desire close cooperation in establishing a genuinely modern architecture for peaceful nuclear cooperation that excludes proliferation risks and is based on IAEA safeguards and a multilateral approach to the nuclear fuel cycle.
I hope that the proposals and initiatives that come out of your conference will help to further strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime and facilitate broader international dialogue in this area.
I wish you fruitful discussions and continued success in improving and strengthening the global nuclear non-proliferation regime.”