MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

7.3.2007

to wind up the debate on statements by the Council and Commission
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Martin Schulz, Jan Marinus Wiersma, Ana Maria Gomes and Achille Occhetto
on behalf of the PSE Group
on non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament

B6‑0095/2007

European Parliament resolution on non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the NPT PrepCom, which will take place in Vienna from 30 April to 11 May 2007,

–  having regard to the consensus within the EU on reviving and strengthening the NPT between now and the forthcoming 2010 NPT Review Conference,

–  having regard to UN Security Council Resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1673 (2006) on the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons,

–  having regard to the implementation of the EU Security Strategy and, in particular, of the EU Strategy against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), adopted by the European Council on 12 December 2003,

–  having regard its previous resolutions on the NPT, in particular its wide-ranging resolution adopted on 10 March 2005 on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference of May 2005,

–  having regard to the 2005 EU Common Position on the NPT,

–  having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, such as ballistic missiles, is a growing threat to international peace and security,

B.  recalling the statement in the report of the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, ‘A more secure world: Our shared responsibility’, that ‘we are approaching a point at which the erosion of the non-proliferation regime could become irreversible and result in a cascade of proliferation’,

C.  having regard to the growing international consensus on the urgent need for nuclear disarmament, as promoted by the New Agenda Coalition and in the Rome Declaration of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Prize Winners of 30 November 2006,

D.  whereas the United States is negotiating with Poland and the Czech Republic on hosting elements of its anti-missile shield,

E.  highlighting the role of parliaments and parliamentarians in promoting nuclear non‑proliferation and disarmament and, against this background, welcoming the efforts of the global Parliamentary Network on Nuclear Disarmament (PNND),

1.  Reaffirms its position that the NPT is the cornerstone of the global nuclear non‑proliferation regime, the essential foundation for promoting cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and an important element in furthering the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general disarmament in accordance with Article VI of the Treaty;

2.  Urges the Presidency to participate actively in the discussions being held at the Vienna NPT PrepCom meeting and to make a coordinated, substantial and visible contribution to a positive outcome of the 2010 NPT Review Conference;

3.  Urges the Council to present a progress report on the implementation of each of the 43 measures adopted in the Council Common Position of 25 April 2005 relating to the 2005 NPT Review Conference, as well as a list of new commitments that the Council hopes to achieve at the 2010 NPT Review Conference; urges the Presidencies to present regular annual progress reports in the years leading up to the 2010 Review Conference;

4.  Affirms that, for multilateral efforts to be effective, they must be set within a well‑developed vision of achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world at the earliest possible date;

5.  Emphasises the need for stronger regional and multilateral security arrangements in the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and North-East Asia in order to reduce the pressure towards nuclear proliferation and to achieve the abandonment of related programmes;

6.  Expresses its deep concern at the present attitude of Iran and deplores the fact that that country has not complied with the terms of UNSC Resolution 1737; considers it important to restore the international community’s confidence, and supports the initiative taken by the UN Security Council in this regard; calls on the international community to promote initiatives towards an international multilateral process of uranium enrichment under the control of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA);

7.  Welcomes the progress of the negotiations with North Korea aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the current crisis, and calls on that country to rejoin the NPT;

8.  Invites the Presidency, in the framework of EU-US relations, to raise the issue of the US-India nuclear agreement and its consequences for the IAEA and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG);

9.  Expresses its deep concern at the strategic nature of the anti-missile shield project proposed by the USA to Poland and the Czech Republic and considers that it is important to have an intensive debate within the European Union, NATO and all the partners directly and indirectly involved, including Russia, in order to support the multilateral framework of the NPT; calls on the High Representative for the CFSP to start talks on this issue;

10.  Recalls the provisions of Article IV of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, and calls on the EU and the Member States to explore the possibility of negotiating additional outer space agreements in order to ensure the peaceful exploration and use of space and to prevent any arms race in outer space;

11.  Welcomes the EU’s efforts to introduce WMD clauses into its bilateral agreements with third countries, and calls on the Council and the Commission to avoid double standards and not to allow any exceptions for commercial and economic interests;

12.  Welcomes and supports the concept of monitoring and enhancing consistent implementation of the EU Strategy against the Proliferation of WMD by means of a WMD Monitoring Centre, which was endorsed by the General Affairs and External Relations Council of 11-12 December 2006;

13.  Urges the Presidency, in particular:

• -to break the deadlock on establishing a verifiable Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty;
• -to speed up the signing and ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) by all countries, especially those required for it to enter into force, and to advocate a full stop on all nuclear weapons testing pending the entry into force of the CTBT;
• -to lower the current operating status of nuclear weapons from Launch-on-Warning;
• -to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in security doctrines and negative security assurances to non-nuclear-armed states;
• -to contribute to the efforts aimed at reducing the number of nuclear weapons;

14.  Recommends that the European Parliament send a delegation to Vienna to participate in the NPT PrepCom events; asks the Presidency to include representatives of the European Parliament in the EU delegation;

15.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Presidency-in-office of the Council, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the UN Secretary-General, all States Parties to the NPT and the Director General of the IAEA.