Mr. Vice Chair,

I would like to add my voice to previous speakers and congratulate the Chair of the Committee and other members of the Bureau on your election.

This year we are meeting in this Committee under unprecedented conditions. Although the pandemic has limited our ability to hold a full-fledged session, we are pleased that we have made arrangements to fulfill our responsibility to present results to the General Assembly.

As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, challenges to multilateralism remain tremendous. The deteriorating security environment as well as the continued erosion of the international arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation architecture is a matter of great concern. Trust among parties has further eroded. Important arms control instruments have become either defunct or hang in the balance. The use of chemical weapons has reappeared with no accountability.

Another deeply worrying development is the increasing disregard of international humanitarian law in conflict zones as evidenced by the recent breach of ceasefire by Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh. Within hours of signing the ceasefire, Armenian armed forces launched long-range rockets again targeting civilian settlements and infrastructure deep in Azerbaijan in stark violation of Geneva Conventions. In one of these attacks, a residential apartment in Ganja, second largest city in Azerbaijan located a 100 km away from the conflict zone, was hit early in the morning on 11th of October, killing 10 civilians and injuring 37, including children. On 14 October, deliberate shelling of civilians in several districts of Azerbaijan continued, causing civilian casualties and destruction of civilian property.

This situation only amplifies our responsibility to reverse the current course and end the divisions in the field of disarmament. In this regard, we call on all States to uphold international norms, fully implement their obligations and commitments, restore dialogue and trust, and promote transparency and confidence-building measures.

Mr. Chair,

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the NPT’s entry into force. NPT remains the cornerstone of global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation architecture.

Türkiye supports a strengthened NPT across its three pillars and its universalisation. We appeal to all States Parties to implement their Treaty obligations and commitments in full and as undertaken at the previous Review Conferences.

Türkiye supports systematic, progressive, verifiable and irreversible nuclear disarmament and encourages all states that possess nuclear weapons to take further steps in this direction.

We look forward to the convening of the 10th NPT Review Conference, which has been postponed due to the pandemic. Türkiye is ready to work towards achieving a successful outcome at the Review Conference.

Türkiye commends the work of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) to consider the role of nuclear verification in advancing nuclear disarmament and looks forward to its further discussions through the new GGE during 2021-2022.

Efforts are required for tangible progress towards full implementation of Article VI with the ultimate goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons. We recall the special responsibility of Nuclear Weapon States with the largest arsenals.

We welcome the strategic stability dialogue between the Russian Federation and the United States. We hope that this dialogue will culminate in the extension of the New START Treaty. We also encourage to build on this Treaty for broader arrangements and further reductions in the future with extended participation.

We support the ongoing work and dialogue through the Creating Environment for Nuclear Disarmament (CEND) initiative.

Türkiye is part of Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI), which is committed to actively contributing to the NPT Review Conference, especially by presenting recommendations towards strengthening the implementation of the NPT, based on the 2010 Action Plan.

Türkiye strongly supports the inalienable rights of states to benefit from the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, in line with Article IV of the NPT. The IAEA, by administering international nuclear safeguards in accordance with the NPT, is pivotal in the non-proliferation regime. It has also a leading role in strengthening the international nuclear security framework. We attach utmost importance to the Agency's safety standards and follow its recommendations.

Türkiye reaffirms its strong support towards progress on the 1995 Resolution on convening a conference on the establishment of a zone in the Middle East free of WMD and their delivery systems. We take note of the conference that took place in November 2019, in New York and hope that this process will serve its purpose with the eventual participation of all relevant parties.

We reiterate the centrality of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation as well as the vital importance of its early entry into force. We once again encourage all States, in particular the remaining Annex II States, to sign and ratify it as soon as possible.

Mr. Vice Chair,

Türkiye stresses its continued support to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

We express our concerns regarding the current fragile status of the JCPOA and call on all parties to fulfill their obligations and refrain from activities that are inconsistent with their commitments. A return to the full implementation of the Plan is vital for regional and international security as well as the non-proliferation regime. We commend the role of IAEA and encourage a robust cooperation between Iran and the Agency.

Türkiye supports a diplomatic solution to the problem of DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile program. We expect a return to dialogue and negotiations between the parties. We fully support a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the DPRK, which is key to achieving sustainable peace in the Korean Peninsula. We also urge the DPRK to sign and ratify the CTBT as soon as possible.

Another priority for Türkiye is the commencement of the negotiations on the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

Mr. Vice Chair,

Türkiye reiterates that the use of chemical weapons is a crime against humanity. We condemn in the strongest terms the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. The case of Syria remains a matter of particular concern in this regard.

We welcome the first report of the IIT issued in April 2020, which established the responsibility of the Syrian regime air force in three chemical weapons attacks that took place in Ltamenah in March 2017.

We consider this report as an important step towards ensuring that those responsible for the chemical weapons attacks in Syria are held accountable for their crimes.

In this regard, we continue to support the cooperation between the OPCW Secretariat and the International, Impartial ad Independent Mechanism (IIIM). We also commend the ongoing work of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which continues to contribute substantively to investigating the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

We stress once again our confidence in the professionalism, independence and impartiality of the OPCW Technical Secretariat and the FFM.

The Syrian regime should fully cooperate with the OPCW regarding its chemical weapons program and stockpiles and fulfill its obligations pursuant to the CWC and the UN Security Council Resolution 2118 (2013).

Mr. Vice Chair,

Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems continues to endanger international security. The risk of acquisition of these weapons by non-state actors is a matter of deep concern. Türkiye attaches great importance to the collective efforts aimed at reversing this alarming trend.

On this occasion, we reiterate our strong support to the CWC as an essential pillar of the international disarmament and counter proliferation architecture.

Türkiye also reiterates its support to the Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention, as the main framework regarding the use of these substances, and to efforts towards its universalization.

Mr. Chair,

Another priority area is strengthening international cooperation in the field of conventional weapons. Türkiye is committed to the effective implementation and strengthening of the Program of Action to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in SALW in all its aspects and the International Tracing Instrument. Arms Trade Treaty is also an important instrument in this area.

We look forward to the convening of Biennial Meeting of States Parties (BMS7) in 2021.

Türkiye is a member of all four export control regimes and diligently implements a robust export control mechanism.

The “Ottawa Convention” is the cornerstone of the international efforts to end the casualties caused by anti-personnel mines. Türkiye is taking its commitments stemming from the Convention very seriously and is determined to fulfill all of them.

Türkiye also fully implements the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and encourages adherence to this fundamental international regime.
Issues such as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) continue to be important. Türkiye is concerned by the increasing impact of IED attacks worldwide, in particular through the perpetration of terrorist attacks. We believe that the UN has an important role to play in addressing the IED threats.

Mr. Vice Chair,

Exploration and use of outer space for only peaceful purposes is a key priority for us.

We believe that peace and security in outer space can only be achieved through prevention of an arms race in outer space.

We need to increase international cooperation and establish standards of responsible state behavior. Transparency and Confidence Building Measures are also important to reduce risks in outer space.

Mr. Chair,

Türkiye also supports a free, stable, accessible and secure cyberspace. We are concerned that the cyber threats are increasing in number, complexity and severity.

We need to increase our efforts to promote responsible state behavior in cyber space. Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) and the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) are instrumental towards promoting implementation and further development of voluntary norms and facilitating capacity-building efforts.

Mr. Chair,

Under current circumstances, it is necessary to adopt a cooperation-based understanding of security. Enhancing the effectiveness of the UN Disarmament Machinery needs to be our common priority. Türkiye reiterates its support to its three complementary pillars, namely the First Committee, the Conference on Disarmament and the UN Disarmament Commission.

We can only address current global security challenges by more international cooperation. First Committee is the appropriate forum to achieve this objective. We hope that we can find common ground, with the help of sincere efforts to understand each other, and compromise to the benefit of international security.

Thank you Mr. Vice Chair.