COMMON POSITION of 26 October 1998 defined by the Council on the basis of Article J.2 of the Treaty on European Union on the European Union's contribution to the promotion of non-proliferation and confidence-building in the South Asian region (98/606/CFSP)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article J.2 thereof,

Whereas the European Council in Cardiff on 15 and 16 June 1998 adopted conclusions on Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests;

Whereas the Council adopted declarations on Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests on 25 May and 8-9 June 1998;

Whereas these conclusions and declarations, in particular, demanded that both India and Pakistan sign the CTBT as it stands and move to ratify it, confirm publicly their intention to exert stringent controls over the export of material, equipment and technology controlled under the Nuclear Suppliers Group Trigger and Dual Use Lists and the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex, enter into commitments neither to assemble nuclear devices nor to deploy such devices on delivery vehicles, and to cease the development and deployment of ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads;

Whereas in these declarations the Union also reiterated its full commitment to the Treaty on the non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as a cornerstone of the global non-proliferation regime and an essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament, and stated that its goal continues to be adherence by all countries, including India and Pakistan, to the NPT as it stands, without any modifications;

Whereas the United Nations Security Council condemned Indian and Pakistani Nuclear Tests in its Resolution No 1172 of 6 June 1998;

Whereas the Conference on Disarmament agreed on 11 August 1998 to establish an ad hoc committee to negotiate a non-discriminatory multilateral, and internationally and effectively verifiable, treaty banning the production of fissible material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices,

HAS DEFINED THE FOLLOWING COMMON POSITION:

Article 1

The objective of this Common Position shall be to contribute to nuclear and ballistic missile non-proliferation in South Asia and to confidence-building and avoidance of conflict in the aftermath of the nuclear weapons tests conducted by India and Pakistan in May 1998.

Article 2

1. The European Union shall, in particular, promote and support efforts of the international community to further non-proliferation objectives regarding the exports of material, equipment and technology controlled under the Nuclear Suppliers Group Trigger and Dual Use Lists and the Missile technology Regime Annex.

2. To this end, the Union shall also support efforts of the international community to achieve enhanced confidence-building among India and Pakistan and in the region in general.

Article 3

The support of the Union shall include:

- an active Union contribution in the course of bilateral encounters with India and Pakistan as well as in various international fora in this regard,

- the promotion of, and financial and conceptual contributions to, various seminars and other initiatives focusing on enhancement of confidence-building and nuclear and missile technology non-proliferation objectives regarding the South Asian region and the wider Asian context,

- technical assistance to both countries regarding the implementation and administration of export control regulations,

- an active link with European think tanks, in order to promote a better mutual understanding of views on non-proliferation and a political approach to conflict resolution.

Article 4

The Council shall decide on a case-by-case basis on the priorities, arrangements and financial contributions towards the initiatives referred to in Article 3.

Article 5

The Council notes that the Commission intends to direct its actions towards achieving the objectives and the priorities of this Common Position, where appropriate, by pertinent Community measures.

Article 6

The Council will review the implementation of this Common Position with a view to considering the possibility of further measures to be undertaken by the Union.

Article 7

This Common Position shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

It shall be published in the Official Journal.

Done at Luxembourg, 26 October 1998.

For the Council

The President

W. SCHÜSSEL