Lagdameo calls for transparency, accountability of nuke weapon states
PHILIPPINE Mission to the United Nations in New York Ambassador and Permanent Representative Antonio Lagdameo has called for the urgent need for transparency and accountability of nuclear-weapon states for their disarmament obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) through benchmarks at the General Debate of the 2023 United Nations Disarmament Commission (UNDC) in United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Lagdameo also emphasized that outer space should remain exclusively for peaceful purposes, and opposed any attempt to turn outer space into a warfighting domain.
The UNDC is in its third and final substantive session for this cyle to make recommendations on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and on practical implementation of transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities with the goal of preventing an arms race in outer space.
Lagdameo shared grave concerns over nuclear rhetoric and continued modernization and refinement of nuclear weapon capabilities, and reiterated the urgent need for transparency and accountability through benchmarks, measurable, and timebound actions on nuclear disarmament with established deadlines as a practical step towards the achievement of a world free of nuclear weapons. While Ambassador Lagdameo conveyed the urgent need to reduce the risk of nuclear weapons use, he emphasized that this must not be an alternative to total nuclear disarmament.
On the subject of outer space, the Ambassador invited Member States to consider the working papers of the Philippines on the duty of “due regard” and on transparency and confidence-building measures (TCBMs) on outer space activities for concrete steps towards the implementation of TCBMs recommended by the Group of Governmental Experts in 2013.
Prior to delivering the Philippines national statement, Lagdameo also delivered a statement on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
He highlighted ASEAN’s commitment to nuclear disarmament through international instruments and ASEAN-led mechanisms that preserve Southeast Asia free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.
On outer space, Lagdameo highlighted the need for capacity-building programs to ensure that outer space is a common heritage of mankind, which all States can avail themselves of.
The substantive session of the UNDC will be held from April 3 to 20, 2023 and is expected to adopt recommendations that would advance nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation international efforts as well as recommendations on practical implementations of TCBMs in outer space activities.
