Conference on Disarmament Continues High-Level Segment, Hearing from the Syrian Arab Republic, New Zealand, Morocco, Ireland, Poland, Latvia, Japan, Cyprus, Estonia, Australia, Turkey, Germany, Norway and the Islamic Republic of Iran
The Conference on Disarmament this morning continued its high-level segment, hearing statements by dignitaries from the Syrian Arab Republic, New Zealand, Morocco, Ireland, Poland, Latvia, Japan, Cyprus, Estonia, Australia, Turkey, Germany, Norway and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Speaking were Fayssal Mekdad, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic; Phil Twyford, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control of New Zealand; Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of Morocco; Simon Coveney, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland; Zbigniew Rau, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland; Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia; Hayashi Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan; Ogasawara Ichiro, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations Office at Geneva; Ioannis Kasoulides, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus; Jonatan Vseviov, First Deputy Foreign Minister of Estonia; Marise Payne, Minister for Women, Minster for Foreign Affairs of Australia; Sedat Önal, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey; Thomas Göbel, Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations Office at Geneva; Tine Mørch Smith, Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations Office at Geneva; Esmaeil Baghaei Hamaneh, Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Conference will next meet in public today at 3 p.m., to continue and conclude its the high-level segment.
High-level segment
FAYSSAL MEKDAD, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic, denounced the insistence of the United States and its allies to instigate the Ukrainian crisis to threaten national security of the Russian Federation. Syria had been under a terrorist war for more than eleven years. The risks of terrorist organizations acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction, was a concern which needed to be addressed. Israel continued to destabilize the region, through illegal occupation of Arab territories, and attacks on Syrian territory; attacks would not have continued without international negligence and the United States protection of Israel. Syria looked forward to the Tenth Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.
PHIL TWYFORD, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control of New Zealand, called for Russia to cease military operations in Ukraine, saying New Zealand was disturbed by President Putin’s veiled threats of nuclear retaliation, which increased the risk of miscalculation, which could have catastrophic consequences for humanity. Russia had put at risk decades of diplomacy on nuclear non-proliferation and must comply with international humanitarian law. New Zealand was concerned at reports of cluster munitions use by Russia in the current conflict. The upcoming Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference would require concrete steps to be taken by the nuclear weapon States to achieve the total elimination of nuclear weapons. The Conference on Disarmament needed to fulfil its negotiating mandate and needed everyone to demonstrate political will and flexibility.
NASSER BOURITA, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of Morocco, reiterated Morocco’s support for multilateral initiatives, within the framework of the United Nations, aimed at supporting the efforts of the international community to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and phase out weapons of mass destruction. Morocco recalled its commitment to the principle of non-use of force for the settlement of disputes between States and encouraged all initiatives promoting the peaceful settlement of conflicts, saying the Conference was the right place to carry that message. Currently, the multilateral disarmament system was more reactive than proactive. A failure to adopt a programme of work had sown the seeds of weakness for the Conference, which was not just a laboratory of ideas but also a body of action and negotiation.
SIMON COVENEY, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland, condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, calling it a blatant violation of international law. Russia’s actions threatened to undermine the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Russia had placed its nuclear forces on high alert status, a dangerous escalation which heightened the risk of a catastrophic miscalculation. There was no justification for threatening use of nuclear weapons. Ireland called on Russia to revoke that order, and reminded Belarus of its responsibility to abide by international law. Russia’s extensive use of explosive weapons in populated areas in Ukraine raised grave concerns about the protection of the civilian population. The mounting human cost of the war was increasing daily, and Russia must turn away from war and choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy, embodied by the work of the United Nations and the Conference.
ZBIGNIEW RAU, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, said the Conference was meeting at a critical juncture of twenty-first century history. Poland condemned the aggression of Russia and Belarus, and appealed to all like-minded partners around the world to stand against it. Their attack on Ukraine and their irresponsible rhetoric concerning nuclear weapons was affecting a wide spectrum of discussions on arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation. Poland expressed hope that it could bring the Conference back to the basic reasons of its existence: To prevent real wars. Disarmament challenges which needed to be addressed included the extension of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and the strengthening of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
EDGARS RINKĒVIČS, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, said the Conference must speak with one voice, adding that an unprecedented proliferation of nuclear weapons was being faced. It was unacceptable that chemical weapons had been used in recent years, and that biological weapons were being pursued. Latvia believed in a progressive approach to disarmament. The Non-Proliferation Treaty was the cornerstone of international disarmament, and Latvia hoped that its Review Conference could take place as soon as possible. For arms control to be effective, all parties needed to abide by the rules, and Russia had proved itself incapable of playing fair. The world was facing truly difficult times, which had been caused by certain States seeking to undermine the rules based international order.
HAYASHI YOSHIMASA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, strongly condemned the action taken by Russia. Japan also expressed concerns over the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea's continued development of nuclear and missile capabilities, urging the country to abide by all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. The security environment surrounding Japan was becoming even more severe. Against that backdrop, Japan attached importance to thoroughly discussing arms control in a transparent manner. Japan was strongly committed to international efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons, and urged all States to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which strengthened the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
OGASAWARA ICHIRO, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said Russia’s recent aggression against Ukraine was an attempt to change the status quo by force and was a violation of international law, which Japan condemned. Russia’s threats of nuclear weapons ran counter to the joint statement issued by the five nuclear weapons States, affirming that a nuclear war could not be won and should never be fought. As the only country which had experienced nuclear weapons being used against it, Japan hoped that it would never happen again.
IOANNIS KASOULIDES, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, said Cyprus supported the Conference on Disarmament being open for participation by all United Nations member States. Cyprus attached great value to the Conference on Disarmament as the world’s only multilateral disarmament treaty negotiating forum, and supported efforts aiming at overcoming the current impasse. Cyprus considered the Comprehensive Test-Ban-Treaty of high importance and its entry into force was a top priority; equally, Cyprus attached great importance to the negotiations for a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty. Cyprus welcomed the announced agreement between the United States and the Russian Federation to extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.
JONATAN VSEVIOV, First Deputy Foreign Minister of Estonia, condemned Russia’s extensive military attack on Ukraine as a clear violation of international law and norms, saying the international community needed to send a strong and united political message condemning Russia’s illegal actions. If Russia’s attacks against Ukraine were allowed to continue, no Conference on Disarmament could ever be successful. Estonia was hopeful that 2022 would see the Tenth Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. Estonia shared the goal of a world without nuclear weapons, pursued in a realistic and responsible way, and supported all international efforts toward the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. The determination of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to advance its weapons technology and develop missiles was a matter of grave concern to Estonia.
MARISE PAYNE, Minister for Women, Minster for Foreign Affairs of Australia, joined the international community in condemning Russia for its aggression against Ukraine, calling on Russia to cease its unlawful and unprovoked actions and withdraw its military from Ukraine. Australia was fully committed to making sustained, practical contributions in arms control, non-proliferation, and disarmament. Progress on a treaty to ban the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons remained a top priority for Australia. Australia remained deeply concerned about ongoing provocative and unlawful activities by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and disregard for United Nations Security Council Resolutions. The Conference of Disarmament could continue to be the key element of the disarmament architecture.
SEDAT ÖNAL,Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey , said that for the Conference to be effective, its negotiating mandate needed to be restored, in order to start discussions on a treaty banning the production of fissile material. Turkey viewed the Non-Proliferation Treaty as the cornerstone of the disarmament and non-proliferation regime, expressing hope that its Review Conference could be held soon, and would produce tangible results. The establishment of a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction remained a priority. The re-emergence of the use of chemical weapons was a cause for concern.
THOMAS GÖBEL, Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said the aggression by Russia was a violation of the United Nations Charter. Germany condemned Russia aggression against Ukraine, calling on Russia to withdraw its troops without delay. The rules-based international order needed to be defended, and the Conference on Disarmament was crucial in that regard. Germany’s vision for a world without nuclear weapons remained unchanged, and the country was a firm North Atlantic Treaty Organization ally. Small arms and light weapons represented the real weapons of mass destruction, and the Arms Trade Treaty was building up a firewall against that. Rules on lethal autonomous weapons needed to be established and the Biological Weapons Convention needed to be strengthened.
TINE MØRCH SMITH, Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said Norway remained committed to achieving a world without nuclear weapons. Disarmament was about protecting people’s lives. Norway strongly condemned Russia’s aggression and called on Russia to stop its attack and withdraw its forces. The Conference had a responsibility to make progress on nuclear disarmament and substantive work needed to be commenced. The full implementation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty was an overarching goal, and it was vital that the Tenth Review Conference occurred soon. The Stockholm initiative was well-designed to advance the disarmament pillar. Norway would maintain its engagement in the field of nuclear arms control and would support initiatives to involve the younger generations in that work.
ESMAEIL BAGHAEI HAMANEH, Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said that multilateralism and diplomacy were under unprecedented attack. The Conference on Disarmament’s decade-long stalemate could be reversed if all members demonstrated political will and lived up to their commitments on nuclear disarmament. A balanced and comprehensive programme of work was needed for the Conference to start negotiations. International efforts to establish a nuclear weapon-free zone in the Middle East had been effectively blocked by the United States and its allies. The recent decision to establish subsidiary bodies to advance substantive work on Conference agenda items was a step in the right direction.
Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the information media;
not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.
DC22.015E