PressenzaManila, 1/11/10The NPT States-parties include the United States, Russia, France, Germany, Cuba, Egypt and Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency of the U.N. is among the international organizations joining.

This was announced Wednesday at a press conference by Filipino Ambassador Libran Cabactulan, who is the president-elect of the May NPT-RevCon to be held at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The Feb. 1 and 2 workshop aims to contribute in the consultation and deliberation process that needs to be undertaken before the RevCon.

It will also assist delegations, particularly those from developing countries, in their preparations.

Among the issues to be tackled during the workshop include: the implications of the US-Russia follow-on agreement to Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) which has expired just last month, an action plan on nuclear disarmament, the impact of renewed commitment to the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) as well as anticipated negotiations on a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

Also on the agenda is tackling the strengthening of safeguards, non-compliance to the NPT, the nuclear program of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and progress on the 1995 Resolution on the Middle East.

”The NPT is an essential cornerstone in the global pursuit of nuclear disarmament. It was designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to further the goal of nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament, and to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy,” according to Cabactulan.

The NPT entered into force in 1970, with the Philippines joining it in 1972. It was extended indefinitely in 1995, with a provision that review conferences are to be held every five years to assess the operation and implementation of the treaty.

How such Asian countries as China and Indonesia, and “NPT outsiders” as India, Pakistan and Israel, and North Korea’s possible return to the NPT are also issues of concerns in the two-day workshop, Cabactulan noted.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said “the Philippines views success in this year’s NPT RevCon as crucial to enhancing the effectiveness of the Treaty and its implementation.”

“The Philippines accepted the responsibility of the presidency for the 2010 NPT Review Conference because of the country’s unshakeable belief in the importance and significance to humankind of the NPT and its strong desire to make a positive contribution in this regard,” Cabactulan said.

He added the current positive global climate reflects the best opportunity for achieving success in the 2010 NPT RevCon and beyond.

Moreover, Cabactulan said the Manila workshop’s highest ranking participant is Japanese Ambassador Nobuaki Tanaka, the UN Undersecretary-General for Disarmament.

Also possibly attending are Special U.S. Envoy on Disarmament Christopher Hill and Russia’s security chief disarmament negotiator Anatoly Antonov.

NPT-RevCons are held once every five years. The Manila activity in February is the last in three workshops leading to the 2010 main event.

(PNA)