Singapore, together with the United States and China, will be co-hosting the Second ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Intersessional Meeting (ISM) on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament from 5-7 July 2010 at the Pan Pacific Hotel. The ISM brings together 27 ARF participating countries [1] and experts from international and regional organisations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Malaysian Nuclear Agency (MNA), Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency of Indonesia (BAPETEN), Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organisation (JNES) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation Preparatory Commission (CTBTO).
This ISM is part of a series of meetings to exchange views and develop practical cooperation among ARF countries in the area of Non-Proliferation and Disarmament. Singapore, China and the United States are hosting the first three meetings of this ISM centred on the three pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) [2]. The Singapore meeting will focus on the third pillar which is "Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy and Technology". China hosted the inaugural ISM last year and the US will host the third meeting at a date to be confirmed.
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[1] The 27 ARF Members are: Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, China, European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea, Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russian Federation, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste, United States and Vietnam.
[2] The three pillars of the NPT are non-proliferation, disarmament and the right to peaceful uses of nuclear technology.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
5 JULY 2010