Conference on Disarmament hears a Statement by the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba

The Conference on Disarmament this morning held its first plenary meeting under the Presidency of Cuba, hearing a statement by Gerardo Peñalver Portal, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, as well as statements by other Member States.

Gerardo Peñalver Portal, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, said that in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, regional conflicts, and the expanding global arms race, the role of the Conference of Disarmament was more important than ever.

Juan Antonio Quintanilla Román, Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations Office at Geneva and incoming President of the Conference on Disarmament, said the success or failure of the Conference was directly connected to the political will of each of the Member States.

Member States welcomed the Cuban Presidency and called on the Conference to work constructively toward developing binding international legislation that would prevent the development, use and proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Also speaking in today’s plenary were Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 21, Peru, Nigeria, United States, Colombia, Austria, Iran, Russian Federation, Syrian Arab Republic, Venezuela, Argentina, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Mexico, China, Zimbabwe and Brazil.

The next public meeting of the Conference will be held at a date and time to be announced.

Statements

GERARDO PEÑALVER PORTAL, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, said that in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, regional conflicts, and the expanding global arms race, the role of the Conference of Disarmament was more important than ever. The Conference had the ability to enact international legislation to prevent a space arms race. Efforts were also needed to prevent the use of nuclear weapons, and Cuba would do its part toward that aim. Cuba fully supported the principles and standards of international law, and was completely opposed to the threat of force against another State. The continued expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO—led by the United States—had led to the conflict in Eastern Europe. Cuba was committed to working toward a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine.

JUAN ANTONIO QUINTANILLA ROMÁN, Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations Office at Geneva and President of the Conference on Disarmament, said that the presence of the Minister demonstrated Cuba’s dedication to the work of the Conference. Cuba respected the work of former Presidencies, and would conduct its Presidency according to the established rules of the Conference. The success or failure of the Conference was directly connected to the political will of each of the Member States. Cuba would seek consensus from all members, and sought to prevent the politicisation of the Conference. It called for the support of all Member States, and hoped to work toward the ultimate goal of complete disarmament.

Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the Group of 21, welcomed the Cuban Presidency and expressed support for its efforts. The Group of 21 emphasised the importance of preserving the Conference by strengthening its nature, role and mandate. The Conference needed to redouble its efforts to preserve its credibility through the resumption of substantive work, including negotiations on nuclear disarmament. The Group of 21 reiterated its continued concern at the current difficult situation in the field of international security, and called for renewed efforts to resolve the current impasse in achieving nuclear disarmament. Nuclear disarmament continued to be the highest priority of the international community. The Group of 21 called on the Conference to start negotiations on a phased programme for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons, including a nuclear-weapons convention prohibiting the possession, development, production, stockpiling, transfer and use of nuclear weapons.

The Group welcomed the formal proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a “Zone of Peace” in 2014, and expressed hope that other Zones of Peace would be proclaimed in other regions. Further, the Group of 21 recognised the work of the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean as the pioneering organization dedicated to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. In addition, it welcomed that the African Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Treaty had come into effect in 2009. Multilateralism was the core principle of negotiations in disarmament and non-proliferation. The Group of 21 fully supported the goals of the 2013 General Assembly on Nuclear Disarmament. The Group also welcomed the decision to convene a United Nations high-level international conference on nuclear disarmament. The Group further welcomed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons’ entry into force on 22 January 2021, noting that 86 States has signed the Treaty and 59 States had ratified or acceded to it as of 1 February 2022. The Group remain fully committed to implementing and promoting the Treaty to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons. The Group reaffirmed the urgent need for the conclusion of an instrument to effectively prohibit the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and protect non-nuclear-weapon States. It expressed concern that no tangible progress had been made in this regard, and that nuclear weapon-holding States had made threats against non-weapon-holding States.

The Group praised the Conference’s establishment of subsidiary bodies to advance substantive work on all agenda items in a balanced and comprehensive manner. It was important for the Conference to implement a balanced and comprehensive Programme of Work based on its agenda. It expressed deep concern that the Fourth Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly devoted to disarmament had not yet been held. The Group expressed its strong support for the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free of nuclear weapons. It acknowledged the successful first and second sessions of the Conference on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction, and called upon all States to actively support that process.

The Group also expressed its disappointment that three State parties had blocked consensus on the draft outcome document of the ninth Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, including the process to establish a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons. The 1995 Resolution on the Middle East continued to constitute the basis for the establishment of such a zone. The Group called on all State parties to fully implement the 1995 Resolution, as well as related commitments, without delay. Finally, the Group stated that there was an urgent need for progress on disarmament, and called on all Member States to invest in disarmament and non-proliferation education through training and fellowship provided by the United Nations. It recognised the importance of enhancing engagement between civil society and the Conference on Disarmament, and welcomed the convening of Conference on Disarmament-Civil Society Dialogues in 2015, 2018, and 2020.

Peru congratulated Cuba on assuming the Presidency of the Conference. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons had been ratified by Peru. That Treaty explicitly prohibited the use of nuclear weapons throughout the world. The ratification of that legally binding instrument was consistent with the pacifist vocation of the Peruvian people and with the State’s foreign policy, which had a long regional and multilateral tradition in the promotion of disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. Threats to international peace in Europe were evidence of the urgent need to eliminate nuclear weapons irreversibly. In that context, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was of utmost importance. No weapon had caused as much human suffering as nuclear weapons. Their mere existence was a threat to the survival of humanity, and their use constituted a crime against humanity and a violation of international law.

Peru called for an early resumption of the substantive work of the Conference on Disarmament. It was crucial for States to resume negotiations to reduce strategic risk and strengthen the disarmament architecture. That responsibility also fell on the Tenth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which would take place in August. The current grave scenario obliged States to demonstrate political leadership to reach concrete commitments, especially in the implementation of complete disarmament. Peru reiterated its commitment to multilateralism and nuclear disarmament, stating that its ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was testimony to its commitment to preventing the use of nuclear weapons. Peru invited States which had not yet done so to accede to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons or to conclude the domestic ratification procedure as soon as possible.

Nigeria congratulated the Cuban Presidency. As a result of the Presidency of China, five subsidiary bodies had been established with dedicated mandates. The doomsday clock continued to increase in pace, and the Conference needed to establish means of stemming the development and proliferation of dangerous weapons, such as nuclear weapons, and work toward peace.

United States congratulated Cuba on the Presidency, but wholehearted rejected the narrative that the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization were responsible for the conflict in Ukraine, reiterating that Russia was the sole aggressor. The United States called on all State delegations to critically review claims otherwise. Cuba was supporting the wrong side regarding the conflict, and the United States called for Cuba to press Russia to remove its troops from Ukraine and cease its aggression against that State immediately.

Colombia congratulated Cuba on assuming the Presidency, and expressed hope the Conference on Disarmament would have constructive debates under the Cuban Presidency. Columbia hoped that the Conference would continue its efforts to modify its rules of procedure to reflect equality between men and women. That issue was of high importance for Colombia and many other delegations. Those efforts were part of the Conference’s mandate to permanently strengthen its foundations. Colombia would work toward making substantive progress within the Conference and its subsidiary groups.

Austria congratulated Cuba on assuming the Presidency, and also congratulated Peru on its ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The move highlighted Peru’s commitment to global peace and nuclear disarmament. Implicit and explicit threats to use nuclear weapons were not permissible, and Austria condemned Russia’s threatened use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine.

Iran congratulated Cuba on its assumption of the Presidency, welcoming that Cuba, a Group of 21 member dedicated to nuclear disarmament, was leading the Conference. Iran wished all members a happy International Day of Nowruz, and expressed hope that the coming year would be a peaceful one. The global nuclear arms race and threats of nuclear war endangered world peace. The role of the Conference on Disarmament in that context could not be overemphasised. Negotiating legally binding instruments related to the prevention of nuclear weapons was one of the Conference on Disarmament’s important roles in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Russian Federationcongratulated Cuba on its assumption of the Presidency, and expressed gratitude for the statement made by the distinguished Permanent Representative of Cuba. Russia shared many of the representative’s views, as well as sharing the goals of the Cuban Presidency for the Conference on Disarmament. Cuba could wholeheartedly count on Russia’s support.

Syrian Arab Republic congratulated Cuba on its assumption of the Presidency, and welcomed the statement made by the Permanent Representative of Cuba. Syria wished all States a happy Nowruz. Syria condemned the economic and moral blockade placed on Cuba by the United States. With the unstable international situation, certain States sought to hijack the work of the Conference on Disarmament to support their narrow political agenda. Syria expressed hope that the Cuban Presidency would continue the work of the Chinese Presidency, allowing the Conference to continue its substantive work through its subsidiary bodies and maintaining the focus of the Conference on the items on its agenda.

Venezuela congratulated Cuba on its assumption of the Presidency, and welcomed the statement made by the President. Venezuela pledged its support for the Cuban Presidency, and expressed warm greetings on the International Day of Nowruz. As the multilateral forum to negotiate the prevention of weapons proliferation, the Conference on Disarmament had an important role to play in preventing nuclear weapons proliferation. The Conference on Disarmament needed to conserve its mandate toward establishing concrete and binding international legislation. Economic sanctions were a crime against the people of Venezuela, and undermined the State’s development potential. International security needed to be established on the basis of alliances, which moved against unilateral coercive measures. Venezuela thanked the Chinese Presidency for its efforts toward developing concrete disarmament policies. The Conference on Disarmament needed to promote nuclear-weapon-free zones, and Venezuela called on all States to embrace nuclear-weapon-free zones. Such zones contributed to preventing global proliferation of nuclear weapons and promoted global order and peace. Venezuela would work toward strengthening peace through international diplomacy.

Argentina congratulated Cuba on its assumption of the Presidency. Argentina was convinced that the Cuban Presidency would be able to navigate the difficult international situation and promote the mandate of the Conference on Disarmament. Argentina expressed hope that the Conference on Disarmament would be able to work with its five subsidiary bodies and make efforts to establish binding legislation. Argentina conveyed greetings for the International Day of Nowruz.

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea congratulated Cuba on its assumption of the Presidency, and assured the Cuban delegation of its support. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea expressed its appreciation for the substantial work of the Chinese Presidency. It was hoped that the Cuban Presidency would also work toward the mandate of the Conference on Disarmament, and not waste the Conference’s time with non-constructive arguments.

Mexico congratulated Cuba on its assumption of the Presidency, and congratulated Peru on the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The Treaty was a result of an inclusive, wide-ranging, transparent approach that recognised the catastrophic humanitarian repercussions of any nuclear detonation. It was the result of a negotiation process underpinned by political will across the international community. The Mexican delegation looked forward to actively and substantively participate in the first Meeting of States parties of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was scheduled to be held on 21 to 23 June 2022. Mexico called on all States that were not signatories or parties to that instrument to participate as observers. Mexico supported efforts to make the rules of procedure of the Conference on Disarmament gender-neutral.

China warmly congratulated Cuba on its assumption of the Presidency, and pledged its full support for its work. China also thanked the delegate of Iran for their greetings on International Day of Nowruz.

Zimbabwe congratulated Cuba on its assumption of the Presidency. Zimbabwe pledged its support for the Cuban Presidency, and expressed hope that it would continue the work of the Chinese Presidency in the establishment of subsidiary bodies. The complex international situation only served to remind the Conference on Disarmament of its mandate to make concrete progress toward disarmament.

Brazil warmly congratulated Cuba on its assumption of the Presidency, and expressed its full support. Brazil hoped that Cuba would continue the outstanding work of former Presidents. It welcomed the statement made by Peru on its ratification of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Brazil called on all parties of the Conference on Disarmament to participate in the Tenth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, including as observers.

Cuba thanked all delegates for the professional and constructive manner in which discussion had been carried out.

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not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

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