On Thursday, 23 April the Dutch Parliament (Tweede Kamer) adopted a motion saying the government must join, in a substantive manner, international negotiations on a treaty banning nuclear weapons, without preventively judging an end result.
During the debate on the NPT, Minister of Foreign Affairs Koenders made it clear that he was not willing to join negotiations- because he believes banning nuclear weapons is the last step, following their elimination. A majority of the parliament disagreed and said the government should not judge a process before it has started and urged the government to join future negotiations.
Krista van Velzen, campaigner on nuclear disarmament for PAX said: I am happy parliament is listening to what the Dutch population has been saying for a long time: the Netherlands should work on a ban on nuclear weapons.
The minister will participate in the general debate of the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty Review Conference (beginning 27 April), and PAX hopes he uses this opportunity to announce the government’s responsibility to participate in future negotiations as an effort to meet their obligations under the Article VI of the treaty.
Earlier in the week, a hearing was organised by the foreign affairs committee. PAX, the Dutch Red Cross, and Article 36, all spoke at the hearing, reflecting on the humanitarian initiative and efforts to fill the legal gap by outlawing nuclear weapons leading to their elimination.
PAX has prepared an informal translation of the motion (Dutch original follows)
Resolution by the member of the Dutch Parliament Sjoerdsma (D66), Servaes (PvdA) en Van Bommel (SP) about the participation of the Dutch government in international negotiations on a treaty banning nuclear weapons
Tabled during the plenary session after the committee debate on the NPT Review Conference on 23/4/2015
The parliament,
Having heard the deliberations,
Noting that the 5-yearly Review Conference of the Non Proliferation Treaty will be held in New York
Given is is desirableto reduce the amount of nuclear weapons to zero
Noting that 191 countries – amongst which the Netherlands- are memberstate to the named Treaty.
Noting that this Treaty calls for a new treaty to be negotiated on general and complete disarmament
Calls on the government to substantively take part , without coming to a premature judgement on the end result , in international negotiations on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons,
And returns to the daily order
Sjoerdsma
Servaes
Van Bommel
Motie van de leden Sjoerdsma, Servaes en Van Bommel over deelname aan internationale onderhandelingen over een verbod op kernwapens
Ingediend tijdens de plenaire afronding van het Algemeen Overleg over de NPV Toetsingsconferentie te 23/4/2015
Uitslag: aangenomen
De Kamer,
Gehoord de beraadslaging,
Constaterende dat de vijfjaarlijkse Toetsingsconferentie van het Non-proliferatieverdrag zal plaatsvinden in New York,
Overwegende dat het wenselijk is om het aantal kernwapens tot nul te reduceren;
Constaterende dat 191 landen – waaronder Nederland – partij zijn bij het genoemde verdrag,
Constaterende dat dit Verdrag oproept tot een nieuw akkoord betreffende generieke en complete ontwapening
Verzoekt de regering, inhoudelijk deel te nemen, zonder daarbij vooruit te lopen op een oordeel over het eind resultaat, aan internationale besprekingen over een verdrag voor een verbod op nucleaire wapens,
En gaat over tot de orde van de dag
Sjoerdsma
Servaes
Van Bommel