CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT ADOPTS TIMETABLE FOR THE WORK OF THE WORKING GROUP ON THE WAY AHEAD

The Conference on Disarmament this morning agreed on a timetable for the work of the Working Group on the way ahead.

The Working Group was mandated to take stock of the progress on all agenda items of the Conference, identify issues for substantive work under the agenda, taking into account the efforts and priorities of the international community, identify common ground for a programme of work with a negotiating mandate, and consider steps for the way ahead.

The President of the Conference and delegates expressed their deep condolences to the people of Iran for the loss of lives in the terrorist attack in Tehran, which had shown that terrorism was a global threat.

Ambassador Fedor Rosocha of Slovakia, President of the Conference on Disarmament, presented the timetable for the work of the Working Group, which had been agreed with Ambassador Htin Lynn of Myanmar, the Chair of the Working Group, and then opened the floor for discussions.

Pakistan expressed appreciation for the efforts of Ambassador Lynn in consulting with the delegations and welcomed this approach which, in the absence of negotiations, offered an opportunity to make progress on substantive agenda items. Pakistan noted that agenda item 2 was related to the prevention of nuclear war and was not focused on nuclear disarmament, and asked why those two matters were clubbed under one agenda item.

Egypt raised the issue of merging of agenda item 1 on nuclear disarmament and agenda item 2 on prevention of nuclear war and asked whether this proposed timetable for the work of the Working Group needed to be formally adopted by the delegates.

Syria highly appreciated the cooperative approach of the Chair of the Working Group and the willingness to listen and welcomed the approach that would make progress on all agenda items. Syria viewed positively the proposal to refer to the co-facilitators of meetings of the Working Group as friends of the Chair. The assumption of the work of the Working Group was that the prevention of a nuclear war would be achieved through the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty, but this premise did not reflect the reality as it was not certain that this international agreement would be adopted.

The President of the Conference on Disarmament said that there would be no subgroups in the Working Group and that the proposed timetable did not require a formal approval by the Member States.

Ambassador Htin Lynn of Myanmar explained that the timetable of the Working Group had been prepared by keeping in mind the previous programmes of work of the Conference and said that it would not be a problem to respect the wishes of the majority of the members.

Germany said that the request by Pakistan could be accommodated.

Iran noted with satisfaction that the present timetable indicated to which extent the rules of procedures of the Conference of Disarmament had been met. It had been prepared in consultation with the President, who had then sought informal reactions by the Member States. Iran noted that the issue of nuclear disarmament was very dear to the G21 and said that its focus of attention was important not only for Iran but for all members of the G21. In the understanding of Iran, the “all related matters” were not related only to the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty, and that nuclear disarmament was a very serious issue which required particular attention of all as it was the raison d'être of the Conference of Disarmament.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea asked what would be the specific outcomes of the proposed meetings of the Working Group.

The President of the Conference answered, saying that the Chairman of the Working Group would produce a report which would then feed into the programme of work of the Conference on Disarmament.

Belarus requested that the discussions on agenda items 5, 6, and 7, which would be co-facilitated by the Ambassador of Belarus, be moved to 10, 11 and 14 August.

Egypt clarified the point concerning the outcome of the work of the Working Group, which would have to be brought to the attention of the delegates for the adoption, as defined by article 7.

The Conference on Disarmament then agreed on the timetable for the work of the Working Group, with changes proposed by Belarus and Pakistan, as follows:

The Working Group would continue its stock taking exercise today, 8 June.

On 14, 15 and 16 June, the Working Group would address the prevention of an arms race in outer space (agenda item 3) and the meetings would be co-facilitated by Ambassador Lagos of Chile in his capacity as friend of the Chair.

On 20, 22 and 23 June, it would discuss the cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament (agenda item 1) and the prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters, with general focus on the ban on the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices (agenda item 2). The meetings would be co-facilitated by Ambassador Biontino of Germany in his capacity as friend of the Chair.

The effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons (agenda item 4) would be discussed on 28, 29 and 30 June, with co-facilitation by Ambassador Biontino of Germany in his capacity as friend of the Chair.

On 8, 9 and 10 August, with the co-facilitation by Ambassador Biontino of Germany, the Working Group would continue the discussions on the cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament (agenda item 1) and the prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters, with general focus on the ban on the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices (agenda item 2).

The Working Group would address new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons; radiological weapons (agenda item 5), comprehensive programme of disarmament (agenda item 6) and transparency in armaments (agenda item 7) on 11, 14 and 15 August. The meetings would be co-facilitated by Ambassador Ambrazevich of Belarus in his capacity as friend of the Chair.

The Working Group, which would be presided by the Permanent Representative of Myanmar, Ambassador Lynn, would also meet on 16 and 17 August. By 22 August, the Chair would submit the final report of the Working Group to the Conference through its President.

The next public plenary of the Conference on Disarmament will be held on Tuesday, 13 June, at 10 a.m.


For use of the information media; not an official record

DC17/022E