The ambassadors of China and Russia jointly criticize the cooperation between the United States, Britain and Australia on nuclear submarines

　　China News Agency, Berlin, November 26, Vienna News: On November 26, the IAEA’s November Board of Directors discussed the “Transfer of Nuclear Materials and the Transfer of Nuclear Materials Involved in the US-UK-Australia Nuclear Submarine Cooperation in accordance with the newly established issues proposed by the Chinese side for the first time. Safeguards and other issues affecting all aspects of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)".

Both China and Russia have spoken out their solemn stand against the cooperation of the three countries on nuclear submarines.

　　After the meeting, Wang Qun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations in Vienna, and Ulyanov, Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations in Vienna, jointly held a joint press conference, focusing on criticizing the impact of the three countries’ nuclear submarine cooperation on the international non-proliferation mechanism, global strategic balance and stability, and the post-war period. Harm to the international security order.

On November 26, the IAEA’s November Board of Directors discussed for the first time “the transfer of nuclear materials involved in the US-UK-Australia nuclear submarine cooperation and its safeguards that affect the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT). ) All aspects of the problem".

Both China and Russia have spoken out their solemn stand against the cooperation of the three countries on nuclear submarines.

After the meeting, Wang Qun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations in Vienna, and Ulyanov, Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations in Vienna, jointly held a joint press conference, focusing on criticizing the impact of the three countries’ nuclear submarine cooperation on the international non-proliferation mechanism, global strategic balance and stability, and the post-war period. Harm to the international security order.

Photo courtesy of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Vienna

　　Ambassador Ulyanov stated that the US-UK-Australia nuclear submarine cooperation has intensified regional tensions and increased the risk of an arms race. Russia is deeply concerned about this.

At present, all US nuclear submarines use weapon-grade highly enriched uranium. If the three countries’ nuclear submarine cooperation continues, Australia will obtain tons and tons of weapon-grade nuclear materials, which will seriously impact the international nuclear non-proliferation system.

　　Ulyanov said that the US-UK-Australia nuclear submarine cooperation not only violates the revised norm 3.1 of the supplementary arrangement of the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, but will also have a serious negative impact on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and the construction of nuclear-weapon-free zones.

The United States, Britain, and Australia conceal the progress of nuclear submarine cooperation from the international community. They are extremely opaque and must report the relevant situation in a timely manner.

　　Ambassador Wang Qun emphasized that in September this year, after the United States, Britain and Australia announced the establishment of a trilateral partnership and nuclear submarine cooperation, China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi clearly pointed out the impact of the three countries’ actions on non-proliferation, regional security, and strategic stability. The "three major risks" and the "five hazards" have aroused widespread resonance in the international community.

The three countries draw lines with ideology and create new military blocs, which will intensify geographic tension.

At a time when the international community generally opposed the Cold War and divisions, the United States blatantly violated its policy of not engaging in a new Cold War, organized gangs to concoct Anglo-Saxon "small circles," and placed geopolitical interests above international solidarity. This is a typical "cold war" mentality. .

This move will stimulate regional countries to step up their military development, and even seek to break through the nuclear threshold, pushing up the risk of military conflicts.

China firmly opposes this.

　　Wang Qun said that the three countries’ nuclear submarine cooperation has huge risks and serious harm.

From the perspective of non-proliferation, the cooperation of the three countries is a naked proliferation act.

The key to the three-nation nuclear submarine cooperation is the transfer of tons of nuclear weapons materials by the two nuclear-weapon states, the United States and Britain, to Australia, a non-nuclear-weapon state. This obviously violates the purpose and purpose of the NPT.

So far, the three countries have always avoided this basic fact, and even tried to confuse the public.

The three-nation nuclear submarine cooperation is a big trouble for the IAEA's safeguard arrangements and must be corrected.

The nuclear submarine cooperation of the three countries will not stop for a day, and the international security will be disturbed day by day.

　　Wang Qun pointed out that the Council’s decision to establish a new official topic to discuss issues related to the three-nation nuclear submarine cooperation has opened the process of intergovernmental discussion and is a correct step towards a proper solution of the issue.

This not only reflects the serious concerns of the vast number of council members on this matter, but also shows that this matter is beyond the scope of the agency’s secretariat’s current mandate. The agency’s member states must jointly explore and seek solutions through an intergovernmental process.

China has already proposed the establishment of a special committee that all member states can participate in, continue to conduct in-depth discussions on this issue, and submit reports to the institutional council and conference.

Until the parties reach a consensus, the three countries shall not carry out nuclear submarine-related cooperation, and the agency secretariat shall not negotiate with the three countries on safeguards arrangements for the cooperation of the United States, Britain and Australia on nuclear submarines.

　　The ambassadors of the two countries finally stated that they will closely follow the development of the nuclear submarine cooperation of the three countries, jointly maintain and continue to promote the relevant intergovernmental process initiated under the institutional framework, and work with all parties to defend the purpose and purpose of the NPT with practical actions and jointly safeguard the international A nuclear non-proliferation system to jointly maintain global strategic stability and international peace and security.

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