CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT HEARS STATEMENTS FROM UNITED KINGDOM AS INCOMING PRESIDENT, IRAN AND POLAND

The Conference on Disarmament this morning heard statements from the United Kingdom as the incoming President of the Conference on getting the body back to substantive work, and general statements from Iran and Poland.

Fiona Paterson, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the Conference on Disarmament, chaired the meeting in the absence of United Kingdom Permanent Representative John Duncan, who was unable to attend because of a meeting in Dublin. She said that the United Kingdom was a strong advocate of multilateral disarmament and supported efforts to sustain and strengthen international security. The Conference on Disarmament had a long and distinguished history, but the last decade had seen a degree of stagnation and malaise. Now it was time to demonstrate the Conference’s desire to create a safer and more ordered world by restarting its work.

Ms. Paterson said the Presidential Draft Declaration (CD/1840) represented the culmination of over two years of discussion, work and refinement. It would allow them not only to begin negotiating a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty but also to commence substantive discussions on three other agenda items: nuclear disarmament and the prevention of a nuclear war; issues related to prevention of an arms race in outer space; and appropriate arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. Beginning negotiations without pre-conditions on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty would give them the opportunity to further identify those areas which presented difficulties to delegations. Negotiations were the very platform for designing an outcome acceptable to all. All would have difficulties with aspects of that negotiation, but they should not lose sight of the bigger picture. Progress on multilateral disarmament was of pivotal importance to global security. The vital next step down that road was a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons and other explosive devices.

Ambassador Ali Reza Moaiyeri of Iran said that nuclear disarmament remained the highest priority of the delegation of Iran. Lack of progress in nuclear disarmament was a serious challenge to the international community. The maintenance of strategic and tactical nuclear forces and their continued modernization as well as new military doctrines setting rationale for their possible use particularly against non-nuclear weapon States represented the greatest threat to mankind. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty did not provide the right for nuclear weapon States to keep their nuclear arsenal indefinitely. They had obligations under the treaty which had yet to be fulfilled.

Ambassdor Zdzislaw Rapacki of Poland said that the outcome of the second Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee and the extensive discussions conducted during its course demonstrated that there was room for manoeuvre in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation and ultimately the stalemate in the United Nations system in this regard could be overcome. Poland unequivocally supported the Presidents’ Draft Decision. This proposal did not prejudge any future outcome of negotiations and allowed the delegations to formulate and table any proposals during the course of negotiations. Poland called on all States parties to show the utmost flexibility to get the Conference back to substantial work.

According to draft decision CD/1840 by the 2008 Presidents of the Conference, the Conference would appoint Chile as Coordinator to preside over substantive discussions on nuclear disarmament and the prevention of nuclear war; appoint Japan as Coordinator to preside over negotiations, without any preconditions, on a non-discriminatory and multilateral treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, thus providing all delegations with the opportunity to actively pursue their respective positions and priorities, and to submit proposals on any issue they deem relevant in the course of negotiations; appoint Canada as Coordinator to preside over substantive discussions dealing with issues related to prevention of an arms race in outer space; appoint Senegal as Coordinator to preside over substantive discussions dealing with appropriate arrangements to assure non-nuclear weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons; and would request those Coordinators to present a report to the Conference on the progress of work before the conclusion of the session. The Conference would also decide to request the Coordinators for the agenda items previously appointed by the 2008 Presidents (i.e., new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems for such weapons, radiological weapons; comprehensive programme of disarmament; and transparency in armament) to continue their work during the current session.

The next plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 3 June.

Statements

FIONA PATERSON (United Kingdom), Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the Conference on Disarmament, chaired the meeting in the absence of United Kingdom Permanent Representative John Duncan, who was unable to attend because of a meeting in Dublin. Opening the first meeting of the Conference on Disarmament under the Presidency of the United Kingdom, she thanked Ukraine for the valuable work made during their presidency. This period had witnessed a strengthening of the consensus on the need to get back to work. The United Kingdom was a strong advocate of multilateral disarmament and supported efforts to sustain and strengthen international security. The Conference on Disarmament had a long and distinguished history, but the last decade had seen a degree of stagnation and malaise.

Ms. Paterson said that the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence had called this February for the Conference to redouble its efforts. With the successful establishment of the P6 platform and the emerging consensus, a light was starting to be seen at the end of this decade-long tunnel. Now it was time to demonstrate the Conference’s desire to create a safer and more ordered world by restarting its work. In the course of 2008, they had witnessed a succession of senior figures reminding them of their obligations, such as the United Nations Secretary-General. Further strong statements had been seen by Ministers and senior officials from Tunisia, the United States, the Russian Federation and China calling for the Conference to begin substantive work.

The Presidential Draft Declaration (CD/1840) represented the culmination of over two years of discussion, work and refinement, said Ms. Paterson. They now had a proposed programme of work which commanded almost complete consensus at this Conference. This would allow them to not only begin negotiating a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty but also to commence substantive discussions on three other agenda items: nuclear disarmament and the prevention of a nuclear war; issues related to prevention of an arms race in outer space and appropriate arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.

Beginning negotiations without pre-conditions on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty would give them the opportunity to further identify those areas which presented difficulties to delegations. Negotiations were the very platform for designing an outcome acceptable to all. All would have difficulties with aspects of that negotiation, but they should not lose sight of the bigger picture. Progress on multilateral disarmament was of pivotal importance to global security. Globally, nuclear arsenals had significantly decreased and were set to continue doing so. The vital next step down that road was a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons and other explosive devices, said Ms. Paterson.

The United Kingdom delegation had the intention to hold P6 and Presidential consultations with regional groups on Monday mornings, plenary sessions on Tuesday mornings and to pursue intensive consultations in close co-operation with their P6 colleagues during the remainder of the week. They sought to end frustration and start meaningful work. When looking at the past work of the Conference on Disarmament one saw the magnitude of what they were capable of producing were they to begin substantive work.

ALI REZA MOAIYERI (Iran) said that the Conference had a crucial role in promoting multilateralism. This should remain as the core principle of any negotiations which might be pursued in the Conference. Nuclear disarmament remained the highest priority of the delegation of Iran. Lack of progress in nuclear disarmament was a serious challenge to the international community. The maintenance of strategic and tactical nuclear forces and their continued modernization as well as new military doctrines setting rationale for their possible use particularly against non-nuclear weapon States represented the greatest threat to mankind. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty did not provide the right for nuclear weapon States to keep their nuclear arsenal indefinitely. They had obligations under the treaty which had yet to be fulfilled.

Mr. Moaiyeri expressed concern over the recent efforts by some States to reinterpret these obligations as conditional. Iran would never accept these reinterpretations and called on nuclear weapon States to fulfil their obligations without delay. Nuclear weapons were as illegal as chemical and biological weapons and the illegality of nuclear weapons should be recognised through a legally binding nuclear weapons convention. It was time to completely ban and eliminate all nuclear weapons. Iran reiterated its call for the establishment of an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament as soon as possible. The total elimination of nuclear weapons was the only absolute guarantee that there would be no use or threat of their use. Pending their total elimination, non-nuclear weapon States should be granted effective negative security assurances through a legally binding instrument. An ad hoc committee was needed for this issue as well.

In order to address the concerns of all, Iran was ready to work on the four core issues identified by the Conference on an equal basis. Weight should not be given to one priority at the cost of the others. With regard to a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty, Iran’s position was clear; they were in favour of a treaty which was comprehensive, verifiable and which covered the existing stocks, said Mr. Moaiyeri. Some had suggested accepting the programme now as it was and then raising positions and priorities during the course of negotiations. It was Iran’s conviction that the Conference needed to be clear in its objectives, as lack of clarity was the most dangerous virus in any collective activity. If they did not resolve the issues now, there was no guarantee that they would be able to resolve them in the course of negotiations.

ZDZISLAW RAPACKI (Poland) said that since Poland and other 2006 Presidents had taken strides to invigorate the Conference’s work by setting up the P6 platform for close cooperation, they had realized that the Conference on Disarmament did not exist in a political or international vacuum. The Conference was at the disposal of the international community. Unfortunately, after nearly a decade of a splendid hibernation, it was believed that the international community would present them a check with a very short payment due.

The outcome of the second Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee and the extensive discussions conducted during its course demonstrated that there was room for manoeuvre in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation and ultimately the stalemate in the United Nations system in this regard could be overcome, said Mr. Rapacki. Poland unequivocally supported the Presidents’ Draft Decision. This proposal did not prejudge any future outcome of negotiations and allowed the delegations to formulate and table any proposals during the course of negotiations. Poland called on all States parties to show the utmost flexibility to get the Conference back to substantial work.




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