CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT HEARS STATEMENTS BY BELARUS AND CANADA

The Conference on Disarmament this morning heard statements from the new Permanent Representative of Belarus on his country’s disarmament policies and its upcoming Presidency of the Conference next year, and from Canada regarding the draft annual programme of work.

Ambassador Mikhail Khvostov of Belarus said for Belarus, international security, arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament had always been priority areas of the Government’s foreign policy. The adoption of the programme of work of the Conference had for many been a positive sign, a sign of moving the Conference out of paralysis. The inability of the Conference to agree on its implementation demonstrated that it still had not achieved a balance of security interests. Belarus was prepared to take up the torch of the Presidency of the Conference in February 2010 and would continue to look for opportunities for progress.

Ambassador Marius Grinius of Canada said Canada wished for the report of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research on its Seminar on Space Security, which was issued as an official document of the Conference, to be duly referenced in the appropriate place in this year’s report by the Conference to the General Assembly.

The President of the Conference, Ambassador Christian Strohal of Austria, welcomed Ambassador Khvostov of Belarus. He said following this formal plenary, an informal plenary would be held to hear a statement from non-governmental organizations. This would be followed by another informal plenary to hold a first reading of the draft annual report of the Conference.


The date of the next formal plenary of the Conference will be announced by the Secretariat. The Conference will conclude the third and last part of its 2009 session next week.


Statements

MIKHAIL KHVOSTOV (Belarus) praised the President of the Conference and the P6 for their efforts and professionalism which had moved forward the work of the Conference. Thanks to their activities, the world had seen a positive dynamic in the Conference this session. For Belarus, international security, arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament had always been priority areas of the Government’s foreign policy. That was why Belarus gave up its nuclear weapons, although the process of renouncing the nuclear weapons had been far from easy. Reducing the size of the armed forces of Belarus and eliminating its military arsenal had taken place in a situation exacerbated by the Chernobyl disaster. In this context, strengthening regional security structures was of particular interest to Belarus. Belarus took a positive view of existing dynamics in the relationship with its historic allies, and at the same time it was inclined towards fruitful dialogue and cooperation with its western allies.


Belarus attached great attention to the activities of the Conference on Disarmament, the most important multilateral body dealing with disarmament issues. The work of the Conference had a significant impact on other bodies. Regarding the situation in the Conference this year, Belarus had mixed feelings. The adoption of the programme of work of the Conference had for many been a positive sign, a sign of moving the Conference out of paralysis. The inability of the Conference to agree on its implementation demonstrated that it still had not achieved a balance of security interests. However, as the Conference looked at how to approach this problem, the world was not becoming safer. International terrorism and climate change threats were increasing and could change the geometry of international security.

Belarus was prepared to take up the torch of the Presidency of the Conference in February 2010 and would continue to look for opportunities for progress. Belarus aimed to support and continue the efforts made in the Conference in 2009. On the draft annual report of the Conference, Belarus hoped it would be a balanced document as it should be the starting point for the common way forward next year.

MARIUS GRINIUS (Canada) said on 15 and 16 June 2009, the United Nations Institute on Disarmament Research held a Seminar on Space Security. It was entitled “moving towards a safer space environment”. UNIDIR had compiled a conference report of this seminar and Canada had submitted this report to the Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament, Sergei Ordzhonikidze, with a request that this report be issued as an official document of the Conference. Canada requested to the Secretariat that this document be duly referenced in the appropriate place in this year’s report by the Conference on Disarmament to the General Assembly.


For use of the information media; not an official record

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