SG/SM/8401
 26 September 2002

SECRETARY-GENERAL COMMENDS MONGOLIA ON
NUCLEAR-WEAPON-FREE STATUS

NEW YORK, 25 September (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General welcomes the message of the President of Mongolia, dated 25 September, addressed to him on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Mongolia’s declaration of its nuclear-weapon-free zone and notes with gratification his appreciation for the United Nations’ active involvement in promoting that status.

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Mongolia’s unilateral declaration of its territory as a nuclear-weapon-free zone on 25 September 1992 and in view of the fact that, on 3 February 2000, the State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia adopted legislation defining and regulating its nuclear- weapon-free status, the Secretary-General would like to commend Mongolia for these concrete actions. He also notes the joint statement made by the five nuclear- weapon States in October 2000 on security assurances in connection with the above-mentioned unilateral declaration.

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