Mr. President,

Mr. Secretary-General,

Mr. Executive Secretary,

Excellencies,

Distinguish Delegates,

First of all, let me join the previous speakers in congratulating you, Mr. President, on your election to this responsible function and in wishing you a successful and effective chairmanship.

          Allow me also to express our sincere thanks to the Secretary General of the United Nations for hosting the Conference here in New York.

May I also take advantage of this opportunity to express our gratitude to the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization, Mr. Tibor Toth as well as the outgoing Executive Secretary Mr. Wolfgang Hoffman and the whole staff of CTBTO for the work, which they have done so far.

Poland fully adheres to the statement of the European Union. I wish to present Poland’s experience and active involvement in the work of the CTBT Organization, including Preparatory Commission and Provisional Technical Secretariat.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The effective prevention against growing danger of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and means of their delivery requires all States to implement without delay the international agreements, non-proliferation norms and export control regulations. In this respect - entry of the CTBT into force is equally important.

However, it is clear that the effectiveness of non-proliferation and disarmament efforts being taken by the States and international organizations greatly depends on the extent to which the international community is able to adapt the exiting non-proliferation norms, regimes and procedures to new challenges and threats. An effective verification as well as efficient export control plays a crucial role in the process of non-proliferation. Utmost importance shall be given to further improvements of verification mechanisms and export control regulations in particular in the area of illicit trafficking of radioactive materials and illegal transfer of nuclear technologies. Such obligation is clearly imposed on every State by the UN Security Council Resolution 1540 adopted in 2004 here in New York.

Mr. President,

Poland - having ratified the CTBT in 1999 - is fully convinced that Comprehensive Tests Ban remains one of the most needed instruments of nuclear security and non-proliferation.

We do attach a great importance to the provisions of the CTBT and the role of the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization as essential elements of international peace and security. I wish to reaffirm Poland’s commitment to support the nuclear tests ban.

The Preparatory Commission started and successfully continues the task of developing the verification of nuclear test ban. The work of the Preparatory Commission have clearly raised the awareness of the risks of proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Poland supports and will support all initiatives to facilitate the entry into force of the CTBT. Entry into force of the Comprehensive Tests Ban is the best way to increase global security through overall rejection of nuclear tests under stringent control of the CTBTO.

One of the important steps which could make the tests ban operational is an effective moratorium on nuclear tests.  We call the nuclear powers of the NPT as well as the non-NPT States to continue observing the moratoria and refrain from the temptation of testing their nuclear capabilities or – demonstrating their political and military power. 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The strenuous work of the Preparatory Commission as well as the Provisional Technical Secretariat of the CTBTO has led to a steady strengthening of the verification regime. This was achieved by providing high-tech equipment to the International Monitoring System, recruiting skilful and dedicated international staff to the CTBTO and by providing the necessary financial resources.  We advocate that these resources should be maintained at an efficient and up-to-date level.

Therefore, Poland calls upon the Preparatory Commission to continue its work to promote understanding of the Treaty. We also support the enhancement of verification regime. This will not only deter possible violations of comprehensive tests ban provisions, but offers participating States concrete benefits of applications of accessible technologies for peaceful and scientific purposes. Poland fully supports the activities of the CTBTO aiming at using capabilities of the International Monitoring System to warn the international community of upcoming natural disasters like the recent waves of tsunami. We should not make any distinction between the lives that could be saved from natural disasters by early warning or from nuclear explosions.

Please allow me to remind that Poland still holds its proposal submitted to Executive Secretary in 1999 to include our two seismic stations in the International Monitoring System immediately after bringing the CTBT into effect.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,

          Poland has always recognized the importance of the nuclear non-proliferation process as well as the sensitivity of the whole nuclear subject matter international community deals with.

          Poland strongly believes that NPT and CTBT constitute comprehensive and mutually reinforcing pillars of a nuclear non-proliferation security environment. As evidence of our long-lasting endorsement of the CTBT, for years Poland has actively supported and co-sponsored UN resolutions calling for bringing the Comprehensive Tests Ban  into effect.

Mr. President,

               Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty – however – does not exists in political and security vacuum. Our inability to agree on any provision related to disarmament and non-proliferation in the summit document is a good illustration of the status of our debate. The reform of a whole non-proliferation and disarmament machinery is of utmost importance and absolutely necessary. We need to reflect on what can be done. Poland suggestions in this respect have been presented today in the general debate.

          Poland will chair the Conference on Disarmament in January 2006. In the place where the CTBT was born we are going to use this opportunity to invigorate discussion how to overcome the CD stalemate and how to commence  the real – not virtual - work.

Mr. President,

          Poland supports the draft Final Declaration of the Conference, indicating in its operational part various important measures to promote bringing the Treaty into effect as soon as possible as well as supporting continued work by the Preparatory Commission and the Provisional Secretariat.

We look forward to a very constructive debate, both in substance and in spirit. May I wish all of us fruitful cooperation in the coming days in resolving all these issues which we have to consider, and in ensuring the smooth proceeding of the Conference.

Thank you.