CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT HEARS FROM JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, MEXICO, UNITED KINGDOM AND INDONESIA

The Conference on Disarmament this morning concluded the first part of its 2005 session after hearing statements from Japan, New Zealand, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Indonesia.

At the onset of the meeting, the President of the Conference, Ambassador Joseph Ayalogu of Nigeria, expressed condolences and profound sorrow on behalf of the Conference to the families and victims of the earthquake which took place earlier this week in Indonesia. Indonesia thanked the Conference for the expression of condolences for the people and Government of Indonesia.

Japan noted the consistent efforts made by successive Presidents of the Conference which had resulted in a strong momentum in the Conference, and said it was the responsibility of the members of the Conference to try to keep that momentum to initiate substantive work and to make concerted efforts to that end.

New Zealand, speaking on behalf of the New Agenda Coalition, said the Coalition shared the concern of other members that the Conference on Disarmament had been unable to meet the expectations of the 2000 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty's Review Conference with respect to the programme of work. While noting the efforts made to overcome the impasse in the Conference through the "A5 proposal" and Chris Sanders' "Food for Thought" non-paper, the New Agenda Coalition strongly urged the Conference to make all possible efforts to agree on a programme of work.

Mexico drew attention to the meeting which would be hosted by the Government from 26 to 28 April in Mexico City for States parties and signatories to treaties that had established nuclear weapons free zones.

The United Kingdom associated itself with the remarks made by Japan which expressed the need for the continued engagement by the members of the Conference on Disarmament in reaching a consensus on its programme of work and in building on the positive developments made. It also associated itself with the statement made on behalf of the New Agenda Coalition.

The second part of the 2005 session of the Conference will be held from 30 May to 15 July. The next plenary of the Conference on Disarmament will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 2 June 2005.

Statements

YOSHIKI MINE (Japan) noted that he had been advocating that the term of the President of the Conference on Disarmament was too short to ensure consistency and integrity of the session and, therefore, that it should be extended. It was regrettable that the Conference on Disarmament had to undergo frequent changes of presidency, especially as Conference members must concentrate their efforts on the adoption of the programme of work. This constituted an institutional deficit of the Conference. Throughout the session of the Conference on Disarmament, consistent efforts had been made by successive Presidents, which resulted in a strong momentum in the Conference, he noted. It was the responsibility of the members of the Conference try to keep that momentum to initiate substantive work in the Conference and to make concerted efforts to this end.

TIM CAUGHLEY (New Zealand), speaking on behalf of the New Agenda Coalition (Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and Sweden), said the Coalition had been focusing its efforts on the review process of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The Coalition shared the concern of other members that the Conference on Disarmament had been unable to meet the expectations of the 2000 NPT Review Conference with respect to the programme of work. While noting the Conference's inability to live up to the measures it agreed to in respect of negotiations for such a treaty under the heading "Principles and Objectives for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament" at the NPT Review and Extension Conference and its inability to agree to a work programme for a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, he said these failures had not only harmed the credibility of the Conference but has done nothing to strengthen the Non-Proliferation Treaty itself.

While noting the efforts made to overcome the impasse in the Conference through the "A5 proposal" and Chris Sanders' "Food for Thought" non-paper, he said the New Agenda Coalition strongly urged the members of the Conference to make all possible efforts to agree on a programme of work. The broad support for the Coalition's United Nations General Assembly resolution entitled "Accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments" demonstrated increased impatience and dissatisfaction with progress under that pillar of the NPT. Recalling the final statement made at the 2000 NPT Review Conference to which all States parties agreed: "The Conference reaffirms that the total elimination of nuclear weapons is the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons", he said in order to reflect developments since 2000, the international community could add to the achievement of that goal by offsetting the risk of nuclear proliferation to States as well as non-State actors.

The New Agenda Coalition saw the pursuit of nuclear disarmament as a fundamental tool in addressing the international community's deep concern about proliferation. Any member whose approach failed to reflect the careful balance of the NPT challenged the treaty. The New Agenda Coalition continued to be concerned that India, Israel and Pakistan remained outside the Treaty, he added.

Referring to the recent report of the Secretary-General "In Larger Freedom", he recalled that the Secretary-General pointed out that "the unique status of the nuclear weapon States also entails a unique responsibility, and they must do more, including and not limited to further reductions in their arsenals and pursuing arms control agreements that entail not just dismantlement but irreversibility". In that context, the New Agenda Coalition called on the permanent members of the Security Council to seize the opportunity for leadership to help strengthen the NPT as the cornerstone of international security.

The New Agenda Coalition was prepared to play its part in safeguarding the NPT regime and securing a balanced approach at the Review Conference, he said. The approach of the New Agenda Coalition would be to emphasize that nuclear disarmament was a basic tool to help offset proliferation and was therefore a central element in a balanced outcome. Moreover, the New Agenda Coalition was deeply concerned about plans to research the development of new weapons or the modification of existing ones and would press for practical implementation of existing obligations and undertakings, including the universalization of the Treaty.

The New Agenda Coalition welcomed the efforts that had been made in the context of the Six Party Talks. The talks needed to address peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula, including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's proclaimed nuclear weapons programme. The Coalition also welcomed the negotiations that were taking place between Germany, France and the United Kingdom, supported by the High Representative of the European Union, and Iran in regard to addressing the latter's nuclear initiatives. The New Agenda Coalition was concerned, however, about the risk of non-State actors gaining access to nuclear weapons and about the risk that despite strenuous efforts by the nuclear-weapon States and others, vast amounts of nuclear material world-wide remained susceptible to theft and diversion.

In concluding, Mr. Caughley said there had never been a more urgent need for all States including the five nuclear weapon States to deliver on their commitments under the regime of the NPT.

PABLO MACEDO (Mexico) said the Conference on Disarmament should spare no effort to overcome the impasse facing it in reaching a consensus on its programme of work, a goal to which Mexico was fully committed. Over the course of the next few weeks the attention of the Conference would be focused on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference which would be taking place in May in New York. With the goal of contributing to the success of that Conference, Mexico would be hosting the first meeting, from 26 to 28 April in Mexico City, for States parties and signatories to treaties that had established nuclear weapons free zones. The meeting would aim to strengthen the efficiency of this regime. Mexico was convinced that the establishment of new zones was an invaluable contribution to international peace and security and to nuclear non-proliferation. Once the regime of the existing treaties was complete then there would be a southern hemisphere that was completely free of nuclear weapons, he added.

JOHN FREEMAN (United Kingdom) expressed his delegation's support for the President in directing the Conference in its work and said the United Kingdom associated itself with the remarks made by Japan which expressed the need for the continued engagement by the members of the Conference on Disarmament in reaching a consensus on its programme of work and in building on the positive developments made. It was hoped that the President would also further these positive developments through his own efforts. The United Kingdom also expressed support for the statement made on behalf of the New Agenda Coalition.

DIAN WIRENGJURIT (Indonesia) expressed appreciation and gratitude on behalf of the people and Government of Indonesia for the condolences articulated by the President for the victims of this week's earthquake in Indonesia which had resulted in great suffering.

For use of the information media; not an official record

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