Written Statement of the Governmentof lreland Statemeat bv Ireland te the International Court of Justice
1. towards generalandtencomplete disarmamentunder strict and
effective internationalcontrol, includingthe
prohibition and elimination of al1 types of weapons of
mass destruction.
2. It has baen the long-standingposition of successive
Irish Governiaentsthat the usa of strategic nuclear
weapons would have catastrophicconsequencesin view of
their indiscriminatecharacter and the devastating
effe~ts which they would inflict on manlcindand on the
environment. Though small-scale,tactical nuclear
weapons are less indiscriminatein their effectsthere is
a very serious danger that the use of such weapons couid
escalate and lead quickly to the use of strategic nuclear
weapons and other weapons of mass de!àt~Cki~nand
indiscriminateeffect.. For these reasons Ireland has
urged that every effort shouldbe made to achieve the
complete abolition ofthis whole categoryof weapons and
it has worked for, and given its support to, proposais to
this end.
3. The ~rish Government recognise that a number of States
already possess such weapons, and that those States which
do so have seen the deplopent of these weapons, and
their use as a deterrent to attack, as a crucial factor
in their security policies. The Irish Government
consider it important thatthe steps which they want to
see taken towards reductionsin the levels of nuclear
warheads and their ultimate eliminationshould be such as
to avoid destabilising consequences for the States
concerned and thus for the internationalcommunity as a
whole. In particular, the dismantling of nuclear weapons
should not lead to increased safetyrisks or to the
spread of these weap0r.sto countrieswhich do not yet
possess them.
4. In pursuance Of this approacnIreland has welcomed
agreements reachedthrough negotiation betweenthe
nuclear powers which have resulted in significant
reductions in the levels of the nuclear weapons which
they hald. It has seen these agreementsas bath valuable
in themselves and importantas steps towardsthe larger
goal of the complete abolitionof nuclear weapons
throughout the world.5. a ce,-+ainnumberof States alreadygivesrlee to graveby
dangers,it 1s evidentthat the spreadof theee weapone
to other Çtate~wuld increaee thedangereven fber
and add greatly tothe riek that theeeweapone will
eventuallybe used. The further spreadof euch weapons
wuld aieo increaeethe dangersof localarma races. ~t
could al80 encourageweaker Statesin a region who may
not have theabilltyor the means to acquirenuclear
weapons, to seek to acquize0therweapons of maes
destructionas a deterrentagainstattackor threat from
a dominantlocalpower armed with nuclearweapons. In
al1 of thesevaye, the spreadof nuclearweapone would
add greatly toglobal instability.
6. For theee reasons,Irelandhue alwaysbeen stronglyof
the view that it 1s vital that thefurtherepread of
nuclear weapons behalted by agreement;and Irelandhae
worked for and etronglysupportsthe Treaty on the Non-
Proliferation of NuclearWeapons. Indeed,as early as
1958 Irelandtook the initiative at the United Rationsin
puttingfoward aresolutioncallingfor the negotiation
wae opened for eicjnaturint1968oIrelandwasatthe first
State to ratifyit.
7. The Irish Governmentbelievethat the Treaty on the Non-
Proliferation of NuclearWeaponsis stlllof central
importance;and thatuniversalaccessionto the Treaty
and full compliancewith its obligationswould be a major
contribution tothe maintenanceand promotionof
international peaceand security.
8. The Conference tobe held in 1995 underArticle X.2 of
the Treaty vil1 providean opportunityto ensure that the
non-proliferation regime,based on the Treaty,will be
reinforcedand furtherextended. Ireland,in commonwith
al1 ita partnersin the EuropeanUnion,favoursthe
indefinite extensioo nf the Treatyin ite present form.
It attachesgreat importanceto the achievementof a
successfuloutcometo the Conference;and it 1s concerned
Conference shouldsbe enhancedby al1 possiblemeans.
9. The achievementof a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty,which
is now on the agendaof the Conferenceon Disarmamentin
Geneva,would aïs0 constitutea majorstep in limiting
the furtherdevelopmenzof nuclecrweapons,as wall as
ensuringan end to the unacceptable healthand
environmental effecto sf nuclearweaponstests
themselves.10. Ioutlinedabovehas beento workpolitically,by eveq
means open to it, towardsthe ah of the ultimate
abolitionby agreamentof nuclearweapons. As stepa
tovards thisend, and becauseof the importanceof euch
measuresin themselves,the IrishGovernmenthas vorked
for, and supported,international agreementswhich would
end-al1 nucleartestingand etopthe furtherspread-of
nuclearweapons.
il. The approach whichIrelandhas taken in pramotingand
eliminationof nuclearweaponshas been politicalin
character. The presentreferralto the International
court of Justice by theWorld HealthAssemblyrequeetean
advisoryopinionon whetherthe useof nuclearweapone by
a State in war or other armedconflictvould be a breach
of its obligationsunder internationallaw includhg the
WHO Constitution. The IrishGovernmentdo not see this
approachwhich situatesthe issuewithin the fr~nbe~rk of
obligations acceptebdy Statesunder international law as
in any way incompatible withtheirowi efforta in the
politicalfieldto securethe abolitionof such weapons.
interestto the Opinionof Zhe Courtwhich they believe
will clarifythe legel issueswhich arise for States in
relationto this mont dangerouscecegoryof weapons.
Written Statement of the Government of Ireland