Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina^[1] and Georgia, the EFTA countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Andorra and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

Let me start by congratulating Chile on assuming the Chair of HCoC for 2024 to 2025 and expressing our appreciation to Ambassador O’Leary for his work, undertaken during Ireland’s HCoC chairmanship. We also thank Austria for its efficient support to the Code as the Immediate Central Contact (ICC) in Vienna.

The European Union warmly welcomes the subscription of São Tomé and Príncipe and Qatar to the Hague Code of Conduct! This brings the total number of Subscribing States to 145, a significant achievement for non-proliferation and disarmament, as well as for enhancing transparency and confidence-building in the African and Middle East regions.

Chair,

It has been two years since Russia started its illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, in flagrant violation of international law - including the UN Charter - and undermining international peace and security. We remain deeply concerned over Russia’s campaign of systematic missile and drone strikes against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. We demand Russia to stop its war of aggression and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

Chair,

We remain gravely concerned by the continued proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, in particular the pursuit by several countries of concern of ballistic missile programmes in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. We call for the immediate dismantlement of such programmes, which are a source of mistrust and contribute to regional instability.

The DPRK continues to engage in launches of different types of new and existing ballistic and cruise missiles, including multiple ICBM tests in 2023 as well as military satellite launches using ballistic missile technology, while making reference to the possible use of nuclear weapons. The DPRK’s ballistic missile programme is a blatant violation of its obligations under multiple UN Security Council resolutions and a threat to international and regional peace and security. It is critical that the international community speaks and acts as one in convincing the DPRK to cease its unlawful development of ballistic missiles and re-establish its pre-existing commitments to a moratorium on all ICBM launches.

The EU urges all Members of the United Nations to implement their obligations under UN Security Council resolutions, including the prohibition on the transfer to the DPRK or procurement from the DPRK of all arms and related materiel. We strongly condemn arms transfers and military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia which flagrantly violate multiple UN Security Council Resolutions which Russia itself supported. We call on the DPRK and Russia to immediately cease these activities. The EU will continue to work with the international community in preventing illegal flows of finance, knowledge and components that could be used to support the DPRK’s unlawful missile programme. The only way forward is through negotiations aimed at a political solution in which the DPRK abandons its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner as required under multiple UN Security Council resolutions. To achieve this the EU urges the DPRK to engage in meaningful dialogue with all relevant parties to build a basis for sustainable peace and security and to take steps aimed at pursuing the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

The EU condemns Iran’s continued destabilising activities in and around the Middle East. These include Iran’s activities with ballistic and cruise missiles, UAVs, and transfers of such advanced weaponry to state and non-state actors.

The EU strongly condemns the continued Iranian military support to Russia’s war of aggression, including deliveries of unmanned aerial vehicles. The European Union is extremely concerned about reports that Iran may transfer ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia for use against Ukraine after having supplied the Russian regime with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are used in relentless attacks against the civilian population in Ukraine. Were Iran to do so, the European Union is prepared to respond swiftly and in coordination with international partners, including with new and significant restrictive measures against Iran. Moreover Iran’s activities with ballistic missiles, which are being performed while Iran’s nuclear programme continues to expand, deepen mistrust and further enhances the EU concern.

Chair,

The EU reaffirms its strong support for the HCoC and will continue to actively promote its universalisation, full implementation and efficient functioning. Since 2008, through five consecutive Decisions of the Council of the EU, we continue to provide political and financial support for the Code, including outreach events, regional seminars, expert missions, and research papers, in cooperation with the Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique (FRS). We continuously call on all UN Member States that have not yet done so to subscribe to the Code. We also encourage all UN Member States to support and vote in favour of the next biennial HCoC Resolution in support of the Hague Code of Conduct, during the 79^th Session of the UNGA in 2024.

Let me conclude Chair, by assuring you of the European Union’s full support and cooperation for the issuance of a Communiqué by this Annual Regular Meeting, which should help to increase awareness and mobilise further international support for the HCoC.

Thank you.

[1] North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.