CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT CONTINUES HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT

The Conference on Disarmament this afternoon continued its high-level segment, hearing statements by dignitaries from Zimbabwe, Australia, Romania, the Slovak Republic and Venezuela.

Speaking were Fredrick M. Shava, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe; Tim Watts, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia; Ukraine; Bogdan Lucian Aurescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania; Rastislav Káčer, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic; and Yván Gil Pinto, Minister of People's Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

The Conference will next meet in public tomorrow at 10 a.m., to continue with the high-level segment.

High-Level Segment Statements

FREDERICK SHAVA, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe, said that the Conference on Disarmament had played a critical role in the negotiation and conclusion of fundamental arms control agreements, the last of which was the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty two decades ago. Regrettably, in the past few years, a large increase in global military expenditure had been witnessed, as well as the modernisation and expansion of nuclear arsenals by nuclear armed states. At the same time, rapid and radical weapon systems and technologies were being developed. There was also a dangerous trend towards weaponization of outer space. Mr. Shava called for the prevention of an arms race in outer space. He said that all States that had major space capabilities should shoulder greater responsibilities to contribute to the peaceful use of outer space. Zimbabwe was an advocate of the total and complete elimination of nuclear weapons as the only absolute guarantee against their use or threat of use. As one of the pioneering signatories to the African Nuclear-Weapon Free Zone Treaty, the Pelindaba Treaty, Zimbabwe fully supported the establishment of nuclear weapon free zones in all the regions of the world. The Conference remained the cornerstone of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation efforts. However, the politicisation of its work continued to undermine its credibility and its functioning. Bringing the Conference back on track from a deliberative to a negotiating forum should be a major priority.

TIM WATTS, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, stated that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Biological Weapons Convention, and the Chemical Weapons Convention were all examples of the practical contributions that the Conference had made to international peace and security. However, the consensus on which the Conference relied had become increasingly elusive. The Russian Federation’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine was not just an attack on the United Nations Charter, but an attack on all, and on the fundamental norms of territorial integrity and sovereignty. President Putin’s recent announcement on suspending Russia’s participation in the New START treaty added to a growing list of reckless and irresponsible actions. Mr. Watts further urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, and to resume dialogue with the United States and Republic of Korea. He was also deeply concerned by the opaque nuclear arsenal build-up occurring in the Indo-Pacific region. He observed an overwhelming commitment from almost all States parties to maintaining and strengthening the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. He continued to urge all Conference members to agree to commence negotiations for a fissile material cut-off treaty at the earliest opportunity. Further he remained deeply disappointed that the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty was yet to enter into force. Australia continued to promote and seek practical measures in the area of nuclear risk reduction. It was also committed to preserving space as a secure, safe and sustainable domain within the framework of international law.

BOGDAN LUCIAN AURESCU, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, said that Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine drastically changed the paradigms of both European and global security, with long-term consequences for arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament efforts. Romania was firm in its conviction that the principles of international law needed to be upheld, and that all derailments from the law needed to be sanctioned. The Russian Federation should unconditionally cease the use of force and withdraw completely and immediately from the territory of Ukraine. He condemned Russia’s nuclear rhetoric, which put global security and stability at risk. Its decision to suspend its participation in the New START Treaty was also regrettable. This was yet another proof of its complete disregard of its legal obligations and the rules-based international order. Further, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty remained at the core of the current disarmament and non-proliferation regime and an essential instrument of collective security. He remained committed to upholding and preserving the integrity of the Treaty. The immediate start of negotiations in the Conference on a Fissile Material Cut–off Treaty was the next logical step for advancing nuclear disarmament and preventing proliferation. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty’s entry into force would be a step further towards a safer world. He urged all States that had not yet done so to sign and ratify the Treaty without further delay.

RASTISLAV KÁČER, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, lamented that the brutal war of aggression waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine had radically degraded European as well as global security. He fully supported and recognized the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. Russian military actions had been threatening the safety and security of Ukrainian nuclear facilities and thereby raising the risk of a nuclear accident. He called on the Russian Federation to fulfil its obligations by returning to participation in the New START Treaty’s implementation body and facilitating inspections on its territory. Further, the new review cycle of the Non-Proliferation Treaty offered yet another attempt to strengthen the Treaty and achieve progress towards its full implementation. Early entry into force of the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty was also crucial. He supported early commencement of negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty on the basis of the Shannon Mandate. In the outer space domain, he was committed to the prevention of an arms race in outer space. Finally, the Conference on Disarmament clearly did not work in a vacuum insulated from geopolitical realities. It had been deadlocked for more than two decades and needed revitalisation. He supported the enlargement of membership of the Conference; this issue should not be politicised. He also welcomed the efforts to promote the full and equal participation of women in the work of the Conference.

YVÁN GIL PINTO, Minister of People's Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, said the current global scenario presented great challenges in terms of peace and security. The report of the Secretary-General on the work of the United Nations in 2022 raised many concerns. Military expenditure had reached 2.1 billion United States dollars, the highest figure for 30 years. Investing resources in weapons development bled national economies dry. There needed to be recognition of the economic relationship between disarmament and development. Venezuela would make this year’s work on the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention a maximum priority. Unilateral coercive measures created difficult security conditions. They were a direct attack on efforts to promote disarmament, and fermented national and regional crises. The Conference had made significant achievements, including the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Recent increases in weapons expenditure indicated that the world had regressed from these gains. The Conference had a mandate to negotiate legally binding instruments on nuclear disarmament. It was not satisfactory that it held long deliberations without producing a tangible result, including regarding its programme of work. Venezuela supported all initiatives promoting nuclear disarmament, which threatened world peace. Nuclear weapons threatened humanity, and the development of such weapons sucked up resources that could be devoted to health and alleviating poverty. In January 2023, States from Latin America and the Caribbean signed the Buenos Aires Agreement, which reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations Charter. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean had in 2014 proclaimed Latin America and the Caribbean as a “Zone of Peace”. Venezuela hoped that other regions could also establish zones of peace. It was important to pursue discussions on a treaty regulating the production of fissile materials for use in nuclear weapons. Outer space needed to be preserved as a domain for peace. Joint efforts were needed to guarantee peace and security, and to strengthen the international legal framework on disarmament.

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