Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons - Preparatory Committee for the Tenth Review Conference First session (2017)

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<h3><strong>May 2 – May 12, 2017 in Vienna</strong></h3>

<p>The Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is scheduled to hold its first session from 2 to 12 May 2017 at the Vienna International Centre. This will be the first of three planned sessions that will be held prior to the 2020 Review Conference.</p>

<p>The Preparatory Committee, open to all States parties to the Treaty, is responsible for addressing substantive and procedural issues related to the Treaty and the forthcoming Review Conference. The Chair-designate of the first session is A<a href="https://meetings.unoda.org/section/npt-prepcom-2017_officers_11234_offi…; data-type="section" data-id="11244">mbassador Henk Cor Van der Kwast</a> of the Netherlands.</p>

<p>The NPT entered into force in 1970 and was extended indefinitely in 1995. The Treaty is regarded as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and an essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. It was designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, to further the goals of nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament, and to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.</p>
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<p>Under the Treaty, the nuclear-weapon States are obliged not to transfer possession or control to any recipient nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, and not in any way to assist, encourage or induce non-nuclear-weapon States to manufacture, acquire or control over such weapons or devices.</p>

<p>The non-nuclear-weapon States are obliged not to receive any transfer of or control over nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices, and not to manufacture or otherwise acquire such weapons or devices as well as not to seek or receive any assistance in this regard.</p>

<p>The non-nuclear-weapon States further undertake to accept safeguards administered by the International Atomic Energy Agency on all source or special fissionable materials in all peaceful nuclear activities within their territory or under their jurisdiction or control, with a view to preventing diversion of nuclear energy from peaceful uses to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.</p>

<p>The Treaty guarantees the right of all States parties develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with their basic non-proliferation obligations.</p>

<p>Article VI of the NPT includes the only legally binding treaty-based obligation requiring States to pursue in good faith effective measures related to nuclear disarmament.</p>

<p>Article VIII of the NPT provides for the convening of a conference of Parties to the Treaty every five years in order to review the operation of this Treaty with a view to assuring that the purposes of the Preamble and the provisions of the Treaty are being realized. In 1995, in connection with the decision to extend the Treaty indefinitely, States parties agreed to strengthen the review process and continue to continue to hold Review Conferences every five years.</p>

<p>The Preparatory Committee normally holds a sessions of 10 working days in each of the three years leading up to a review conference. As decided by States parties in 2000, the purpose of the first two Preparatory Committee sessions is to consider principles, objectives and ways in order to promote the full implementation of the Treaty, as well as its universality, and to make recommendations thereon to the Review Conference. To that end, each session should consider specific matters of substance relating to the implementation of the Treaty and Decisions 1 and 2 as well as the Resolution on the Middle East adopted in 1995, and the outcomes of subsequent Review Conferences, including developments affecting the operation and purpose of the Treaty.</p>

<p>The third session is specifically mandated to make every effort to produce a consensus report containing recommendations to the Review Conference, taking into account the deliberations and results of its previous sessions.</p>

<p>The 2000 Review Conference agreed to a substantive final document, including practical steps for the systematic and progressive efforts to implement article VI of the Treaty on nuclear disarmament. The 2010 Review Conference produced conclusions and recommendations for follow-on actions in the areas of nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, peaceful uses of nuclear energy and the Middle East, particularly implementation of the 1995 Resolution on the Middle East. The 2005 and 2015 Review Conferences were unable to reach agreement on any substantive outcome documents.</p>
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<p><a href="https://meetings.unoda.org/section/npt-prepcom-2017_officers_11234_offi…; data-type="section" data-id="11244">Chairperson's bio</a></p>

<p><a href="https://www.un.org/disarmament/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/who-is-who-in…; target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chairperson's team</a></p>

<p><a href="https://meetings.unoda.org/section/npt-prepcom-2017_officers_11234_phot…; data-type="section" data-id="11245">Chairperson's reception photos</a></p>

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<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>Name</td><td>Henk Cor van der Kwast</td></tr><tr><td>Nationality</td><td>Dutch</td></tr><tr><td>Date of birth</td><td>5th of January 1959</td></tr><tr><td>Married, three children</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Telephone (mobile)</td><td>+41 79 322 08 18</td></tr><tr><td>E-mail</td><td>henkcor-vander.kwast@minbuza.nl</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

<h3>Professional Experience</h3>

<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>2013-</td><td><strong>Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the Conference on Disarmament and Disarmament Ambassador at large</strong><br>-Chair of the Conference on Disarmament<br>-EU Presidency Disarmament 2015 (Jan-June)<br>-Convention on certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) Protocol V<br>-Chair Convention on Clustermunition States Parties Conference 2016<br>-Deputy Chair Disarmament Rev Con NPT<br>-Chair designate Prepcom NPT 2017 </td></tr><tr><td>2011- 2013</td><td><strong>Deputy Head of Mission/Head Economic and Political Department Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Bangkok</strong><br>-Head of the Political and Economic department<br>-General Management Embassy<br>-Member of the Board of the Netherlands Thai Chamber of Commerce<br>-Member of the Board of the Baan Hollanda Foundation (NL-Thai Museum Information Center) </td></tr><tr><td>2006 – 2011</td><td><strong>Head Non-Proliferation, Disarmament, Arms Control and Export Control Policy Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands</strong><br>-Advisor to the Minister and the Director-General on policies, strategy, developments and programmes for Non-proliferation, Disarmament and Export control.<br>-Responsible for the development and execution of the non-proliferation disarmament and security policies of the Netherlands.<br>-Execution of these policies together with other Ministries, the National Coordinator Against Terrorism and the Permanent Missions of the Netherlands to the different International Organisations.<br>-Coordination of the policies towards the IAEA, other UN institutions, the NSG and other export regimes and Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. Instructions to the Permanent Missions of the Netherlands in Vienna towards the IAEA, the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, the Permanent Missions.<br>-Managing the division, its programmes.<br>-Supervision and coaching of the staff. </td></tr><tr><td>2003-2006</td><td><strong>Chairman of the non-proliferation working group of the European Nuclear Energy Platform (ENEF). </strong><strong>Deputy Head Political Department Western Europe / Section Head Southern Europe, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands</strong><strong>Netherlands Commissioner for the Benelux.</strong> </td></tr><tr><td>1999-2003</td><td><strong>Counsellor Political affairs Netherlands Permanent Representation to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva</strong><strong>Chairman of the local Geneva group</strong> </td></tr><tr><td>1996-1999</td><td><strong>Senior policy maker European Commission Brussels. Counsellor for Democratisation programmes with OSCE and UN programmes</strong><br>Directorate-general External Relations (Commissioner Hans van den Broek) </td></tr><tr><td>1993-1996</td><td><strong>Senior policy advisor International Organisation Department, Legal and Social Affairs (UN, EU, OSCE and Council of Europe) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands</strong> </td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td><strong>Taskforce Prepcom OPCW</strong><br>Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in the Hague MFA. Representing the Netherlands in the Prepcom OPCW. </td></tr><tr><td>1989-1992</td><td><strong>H.M. Embassy in Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Secretary of Embassy and Deputy Chief of Mission</strong> </td></tr><tr><td>1987-1989</td><td><strong>Policy advisor Western Hemisphere Department.</strong></td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

<h3>Education and rewards</h3>

<p>“Chevalier dans l’Órdre de Mérite”  France (contributions to Franco-Dutch cooperation 2006).</p>

<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>1987</td><td>Diplomatic Training </td></tr><tr><td>1985-1986</td><td>Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Bologna, Italy</td></tr><tr><td>1979-1985</td><td>Groningen University Contemporary History and International Law</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

<h3>Languages</h3>

<p>Dutch native speaker. Fluent in English, French and German.</p>
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<p><a href="https://front.un-arm.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/26-April-ODA-websit…; target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">List of side events</a></p>
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Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons — Preparatory Committee for the Tenth Review Conference

(2017)