CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT DISCUSSES DRAFT PROGRAMME OF WORK AT THE LAST PLENARY UNDER THE PRESIDENCY OF VENEZUELA

The Conference on Disarmament this morning held its last plenary under the presidency of Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) in which it discussed the draft programme of work presented by the president.

Jorge Valero, President of the Conference on Disarmament and Permanent Representative of Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) to the United Nations Office at Geneva, in concluding remarks, said that the second revised draft programme of work was the result of constructive comments and valuable contributions made by delegations. While noting that a majority of delegations understood that consensus on the programme of work was the joint responsibility of members of the Conference on Disarmament, Mr. Valero said he deeply regretted a few delegations’ failed attempts to undermine the presidency of the Conference. These attempts aimed to not only attack Venezuela’s democracy and the legitimate Government of President Nicolas Maduro Moros, but also to deepen the current gridlock.

Iraq, speaking on behalf of the Group of 21 in a statement on nuclear disarmament, reaffirmed the importance of the multilateral disarmament machinery and underscored the urgent need to commence negotiations on nuclear disarmament in the Conference on Disarmament without delay. The Group of 21 reaffirmed the inalienable right of each State to develop research production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination.

Viet Nam said that during its upcoming presidency, it intended to follow the dual-track plan of activities, which would be divided between drafting the programme of work and facilitating thematic discussions on the four core issues of the Conference.

Cuba noted that the lack of consensus that had marked the Conference on Disarmament’s work for 20 years remained. At least there had been a pause in the politicization of the Conference’s work as well attempts at undermining the fundamental principles of the United Nations’ Charter. China said that, although the draft had not garnered the agreement of all Member States, the process was very important. During this process, innovative ideas had been put forward to ensure some form of continuity in the Conference’s substantive work. The Russian Federation said that unfortunately, politicization had had a negative impact on the Conference’s work. The Russian Federation categorically rejected the use of this forum to discuss political issues that fell outside of the Conference’s purview.

The Syrian Arab Republic regretted the politicization that had prevented the adoption of the draft programme of work submitted by the Venezuelan presidency, which had been keen on achieving progress to overcome the current stalemate. The Democratic Republic of Korea said that the proposed draft programme of work was a good starting point to resume substantive work in the Conference and a good basis to continue consultations under the next presidencies. Iran stated that reaching consensus in the Conference on Disarmament was very difficult. The draft programme of work could be used and built-on to that end. Unfortunately, under Venezuela’s presidency, the meetings had been politicized.

South Africa reiterated its support for any efforts that would allow the Conference on Disarmament to get back to substantive work and maintained its position that there were several items that were ripe for negotiations and that there was no reason why these issues should not be subjected to negotiations. Egypt said that, while it could not garner consensus, the proposed programme of work was carefully drafted and accommodated the concerns of several delegations. Egypt stood ready to work with all delegations and contribute to efforts aiming to resume substantive work. Algeria remarked that despite the absence of a consensus on the draft programme of work, it was a platform that would facilitate the work of the Conference on Disarmament.

The next plenary of the Conference on Disarmament will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 25 June under the presidency of Viet Nam. Viet Nam will hold the presidency from 24 June to 18 August, including during the intersessional period from 1 to 26 July.

General Statements

JORGE VALERO, President of the Conference on Disarmament and Permanent Representative of Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said that a second revised version of the draft programme of work had been circulated on 18 June. Prior to discussing it, the floor would be opened to delegations wishing to make statements on other topics.

Iraq, speaking on behalf of the Group of 21 in a statement on nuclear disarmament, recalled that the final documents of the tenth special session of the General Assembly, the first special session on disarmament and the very first resolution of the United Nations General Assembly 1(1) of 1946, adopted unanimously, called for the elimination of nuclear weapons from national arsenals.

The Group of 21 welcomed the formal declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, on the occasion of the second summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States; the political declaration of Quito; the political declaration of Punta Cana; the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Treaty of Tlatelolco; as well as the African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty, known as the Treaty of Pelindaba. The Group of 21 stressed the importance of the effective implementation of concrete measures leading to a nuclear weapon free world. This required renewed political will by the international community towards accelerated progress on nuclear disarmament.

The Group of 21 reaffirmed the importance of the multilateral disarmament machinery. It noted the report of the open-ended working group mandated by the United Nations General Assembly “to develop proposals to take forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations for the achievement and maintenance of a world without nuclear weapons.” The Group of 21 expressed its deepest concern over the immediate, indiscriminate, and massive death and destruction caused by any nuclear weapon detonation and its long-term catastrophic consequences on human health, the environment, and other vital economic resources, thus endangering the life of present and future generations. The full realization of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons must underpin all approaches, efforts and international commitments towards nuclear disarmament, through an inclusive process involving all States.

The Group of 21, stressing its strong commitment to nuclear disarmament, underscored the urgent need to commence negotiations on this issue in the Conference on Disarmament without delay. The Group emphasized that fundamental principles of transparency, verification and irreversibility shall be applied to all nuclear disarmament measures. The Group of 21 expressed its concerns about the strategic defence doctrines of nuclear weapon States and a group of States which set out rationales for the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. There was, in this regard, a genuine and urgent need to eliminate the role of nuclear weapons in strategic doctrines and security policies to minimize the risk that these weapons would ever be used again and facilitate the process of their elimination. The Group of 21 reaffirmed the absolute validity of multilateral diplomacy in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation, and expressed its determination to promote multilateralism as the core principle of negotiations in these areas.

The Group of 21 reaffirmed the inalienable right of each State to develop research production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination. The Group reiterated the following concrete steps: reaffirmation of the unequivocal commitment of the nuclear weapon States to accomplish the complete elimination of nuclear weapons; elimination of the role of nuclear weapons in security doctrines; adoption of measures by nuclear weapon States to reduce nuclear danger; negotiation of a universal, unconditional and legally-binding instrument to assure non-nuclear weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons; and the negotiation in the Conference on Disarmament of a Nuclear Weapons Convention prohibiting the development, production, stockpiling and use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and on their destruction, leading to the global, non-discriminatory and verifiable elimination of nuclear weapons with a specified framework of time.

Statements on the Draft Programme of Work

JORGE VALERO, President of the Conference on Disarmament and Permanent Representative of Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said that in a unique show of transparency and inclusivity, the presidency had met with over 30 delegations. The second revised draft programme of work was the result of constructive comments and valuable contributions made by delegations. While noting that a majority of delegations understood that consensus on the programme of work was the joint responsibility of members of the Conference on Disarmament, Mr. Valero said he deeply regretted a few delegations’ failed attempts to undermine the presidency of the Conference. These attempts aimed to not only attack Venezuela’s democracy and the legitimate Government of President Nicolas Maduro Moros, but also to deepen the current gridlock. Given the vast support expressed for the substance of the programme of work put forward by the presidency, the presidency would ask the secretariat to register the draft programme of work as an official document, hoping that future presidencies could take it into account and make use of it. War, and nuclear war in particular, threatened humankind. The diplomacy of peace, which the Bolivarian Government of Nicolas Maduro Moros promoted, was at the service of wellbeing of humankind at this history juncture, Mr. Valero stated.

Viet Nam highlighted the goodwill shown and tireless efforts made by the presidency of Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and its predecessors. It was unfortunate that the draft programme of work had failed to be adopted due to the lack of consensus amongst members of the Conference on Disarmament. As a strong supporter of peace, security, and a world without nuclear weapons, Viet Nam would endeavour to move forward the work of the Conference through building a programme of work while holding parallel thematic discussions.

During its upcoming presidency, which would start on 25 June, Viet Nam intended to follow the dual-track plan of activities, which would be divided between drafting the programme of work and facilitating thematic discussions on the four core issues of the Conference. The Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations would address the Conference on Disarmament during the first plenary session. This first plenary would also devote time to a farewell speech by the departing Secretary-General of the Conference, Michael Møller. The Foreign Secretary of Austria, Karin Kneissl, would deliver a speech to the Conference on 28 June, which would be followed by a thematic discussion on item 4 of the Conference’s agenda. Thereafter, the Conference would hold two sessions per week -- one devoted to the discussion of the programme of work, and the other to the discussion of core issues 1, 2 and 3. Viet Nam highly appreciated and welcomed all inputs and contributions to this plan, the draft programme of work, and thematic discussions.

Cuba, while thanking the Venezuelan presidency for its efforts, respect for the rules of procedure, and attempts to reach consensus on the programme of work, noted that the lack of consensus that had marked the Conference on Disarmament’s work for 20 years remained. At least, there had been a pause in the politicization of the Conference’s work as well attempts at undermining the fundamental principles of the United Nations’ Charter.

China congratulated the presidency of Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) on the smooth completion of its mandate. The Venezuelan presidency had endeavoured to consult with all sides to reach a balanced and comprehensive programme of work, taking into account and respecting their views. Although the draft had not garnered the agreement of all Member States, the process was very important. During this process, innovative ideas had been put forward to ensure some form of continuity in the Conference’s substantive work. China expressed it gratitude to the Venezuelan presidency and the secretariat and pledged its full support to Viet Nam’s presidency.

Russian Federation said that Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) had demonstrated a responsible attitude in fulfilling its mandate. Expressing gratitude for the consultations organized over the past month, the Russian Federation said the draft programme of work which had been submitted could be subject to approval by the Conference on Disarmament. An opportunity to adopt a programme of work had been wasted. Unfortunately, politicization had had a negative impact on the Conference’s work. The Russian Federation categorically rejected the use of this forum to discuss political issues that fell outside of the Conference’s purview. A series of interesting and useful ideas had been put forward, and they could be of use to help the Conference emerge from the gridlock.

Syrian Arab Republic expressed its gratitude for the Venezuelan presidency’s work to achieve consensus on a balanced and comprehensive programme of work. Syrian Arab Republic regretted the politicization that had prevented the adoption of the programme of work submitted by the Venezuelan presidency, which had been keen on achieving progress to overcome the current stalemate.

Democratic Republic of Korea expressed appreciation for the Venezuelan presidency’s hard work aimed at fulfilling its duty and moving forward the Conference on Disarmament. The proposed programme of work was a good starting point to resume substantive work in the Conference and a good basis to continue consultations under the next presidencies. The Democratic Republic of Korea assured Viet Nam of its readiness to work to break the gridlock in the Conference during its presidency.

Iran said it had worked with the presidency of Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), which had done an excellent job in the past month. The consultations it had launched were very fruitful and had helped narrow down the differences. Reaching consensus in the Conference on Disarmament was very difficult. The draft programme of work could be used and built-on to that end. Unfortunately, under Venezuela’s presidency, the meetings had been politicized. Iran congratulated the Venezuelan presidency on completing its mandate smoothly and peacefully.

South Africa congratulated the presidency of Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) for its stewardship, and the inclusive and transparent manner in which it had conducted consultations. South Africa reiterated its support for any efforts that would allow the Conference on Disarmament to get back to substantive work. It maintained its position that there were several items that were ripe for negotiations and that there was no reason why these issues should not be subjected to negotiations in the Conference.

Egypt expressed appreciation for the Venezuelan presidency’s strenuous efforts, its stewardship, the draft programmes of work, the consultations it held and the thematic discussions it organized. While it could not garner consensus, the proposed programme of work was carefully drafted and accommodated the concerns of several delegations. Egypt stood ready to work with all delegations and contribute to efforts aiming to resume substantive work in the Conference.

Algeria congratulated the presidency of Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) on all the work accomplished. Despite the absence of a consensus on the draft programme of work, it was a platform that would facilitate the work of the Conference on Disarmament.