Topic:
Country: Guatemala
Delegate Name: Harpreet Kaur
Concerned about the increasing regional and global security challenges caused by the ongoing proliferation of ballistic missiles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction, Guatemala emphasizes the significance of regional and international efforts to prevent and curb the proliferation of ballistic missile systems as a contribution to international peace and security. Guatemala remains greatly perturbed by the threat of terrorism and the risk that terrorists may acquire, develop, traffic, or use nuclear or other radioactive materials. While recognizing that nuclear security remains the responsibility of States, international cooperation contributes to strengthening nuclear security. In the framework of its strategy against the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Guatemala is actively supporting UN Security Council Resolutions as well as other international activities, such as the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction, the Proliferation Security Initiative, and the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism.
Guatemala recognizes the importance of appropriate adequate export controls, following paragraph 2 of Article III of the NPT(which requires its parties to apply safeguards on exports of nuclear material and specialized nuclear equipment to non-nuclear weapon states). In this context, we fully support the activities of the international export control regimes, namely the Zangger Committee, the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Australia Group, the Wassenaar Arrangement and Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), and the full participation of all 28 EU Member States therein. Guatemala is seriously concerned by the proliferation of missile technology. The development, testing, or use of ballistic missiles is clearly a destabilizing factor in various world regions. In this regard, Guatemala strongly supports the MTCR. Moreover, as the only multilateral transparency and confidence-building instrument against ballistic missile proliferation, Guatemala continues to pursue the objectives of, and support financially, the Hague Code of Conduct (HCoC) in three aspects: universality, implementation, and enhanced and improved functioning.
Guatemala would like to stress the importance of the mentioned non-proliferation aspects for a successful outcome and will fully support the Chairs of the NPT Preparatory Committee in order to ensure a successful review cycle.
