UNGA 77th Session of the First Committee
Statement of the Republic of Estonia at the General Debate
10 October 2022, New York
Thank you Mr. Chair,
I assure you my delegation’s full support and cooperation. Estonia aligns itself with the statement of the European Union. Allow me to highlight some issues in our national capacity.
The First Committee takes place in unprecedented circumstances. Russia, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council continues its war of aggression against Ukraine, despite the overwhelming condemnation of Russia’s actions by the United Nations General Assembly.
Russia’s plans to annex four Ukrainian regions, after the so-called “referenda”, have no legitimacy and are yet another blatant violation of the United Nations Charter. Russia’s military mobilization as well as its irresponsible nuclear rhetoric are escalating the situation. This morning, Russia launched massive missile attacks on Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Lviv and other regions. Such deliberate targeting of innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure is considered a war crime under the international humanitarian law. These actions by the aggressor are reckless, desperate and severely undermine global security and stability.
We urge Russia to withdraw immediately all its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. We condemn the involvement of Belarus in the ongoing aggression against Ukraine.
Estonia is extremely concerned about the threats to nuclear safety, security and safeguards that the Russian military invasion poses. Nuclear facilities in Ukraine remain at the highest risk. Estonia welcomes the International Atomic Energy Agency´s Director General’s call for the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. We call upon Russia to withdraw immediately its military and other personnel from the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, so that the Ukrainian authorities can resume their sovereign responsibilities without outside pressure and interference.
Mr. Chair,
The Treaty of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons remains the cornerstone of the global regime for nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Estonia deeply regrets that due to Russia´s opposition, the 10th Review Conference of the NPT could not achieve consensus on an outcome document. We also condemn the violation of the security assurances that Russia provided to Ukraine under the Budapest Memorandum of 1994 in connection with Ukraine’s accession to the NPT, as a Non-Nuclear Weapon State. The violation seriously undermines the global non-proliferation order. Estonia shares the ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons and continues to advocate for the Progressive Approach, pursued in a realistic and responsible way.
Estonia supports all international efforts towards the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and urges all States, particularly the Annex II States, to sign and ratify the Treaty without further delay. We also support starting negotiations on Fissile-Material Cut-Off Treaty and call on the nuclear weapon States to declare or maintain moratoria on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices.
Mr. Chair,
Estonia fully supports the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. We are increasingly concerned over Iran’s continued actions inconsistent with the JCPOA. Estonia strongly urges Iran to stop all actions inconsistent with the JCPOA and return to collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency to resolve all pending safeguards issues, in accordance with its legally binding obligations under its NPT Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement. We call on Iran to seize the diplomatic opportunity and accept the proposal on the table, so that the Vienna negotiations can successfully conclude.
The DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs continue to threaten international and regional peace and security and are a matter of grave concern. Estonia strongly condemns the illegal launch by the DPRK of an intermediate-range ballistic missile on 4th October 2022 that flew over the territory of Japan amid multiple ballistic missile launches over the past week. We urge the DPRK to comply with UN Security Council resolutions and abandon all its nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.
Estonia is firmly committed to contributing to the successful outcome of the ninth Review Conference of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, and the fifth Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The conferences serve to uphold the comprehensive legal prohibitions of these categories of weapons of mass destruction, and ensure there can be no impunity for those who use them. As part of its aggression against Ukraine, Russia has engaged in a campaign of disinformation and state-controlled propaganda in spreading unsubstantiated and unfounded allegations against Ukraine and the United States regarding biological and chemical weapons. This is unacceptable.
The use of chemical weapons in Syria as well as in the United Kingdom and Russia are flagrant violations of international law. Estonia commends the leadership of the OPCW Director General to investigate the use of chemical weapons and reiterates its full confidence in the OPCW Technical Secretariat, its professionalism, impartiality and independence. We call on Syria to fully comply with its obligations under the CWC and Security Council resolutions. We call on Russia to come clear on the cases of Skripals and Mr Navalny.
Mr. Chair,
The growing frequency of sophisticated malicious cyber incidents show how cyberspace is increasingly being used to challenge our security. We have seen how Russia uses cyber tools to advance its military aggression against Ukraine. Just recently, large-scale cyber-attacks targeted the Western-Balkan countries and Costa Rica was hit critically by ransomware attacks. In this context, promoting an open, free and secure cyberspace, where international law, including human rights law and international humanitarian law fully applies, remains our priority. Our focus should turn now more strongly to the practical implementation of the agreed framework of responsible State behaviour. This is why Estonia supports the establishment of a permanent, inclusive and action-oriented Programme of Action and the corresponding resolution presented to UNGA 77.
To conclude, Estonia is determined to contribute to the global efforts to strengthen the international rules based order with the UN at its core. We remain fully committed to the implementation of existing disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation instruments.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.