CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT HEARS STATEMENTS ON PREVENTION OF AN ARMS RACE IN OUTER SPACE AND NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
The Conference on Disarmament this morning heard statements from the United States, Bangladesh on behalf of the Group of 21, and Iran on the prevention of an arms race in outer space and nuclear disarmament.
On the prevention of an arms race in outer space, the United States said that following the collision last week between an Iridium communication satellite and an inactive Russian Cosmos satellite, the United States was in communication with the Russian Federation, and those discussions had begun promptly after the collision. This in itself was a valuable transparency and confidence building measure. As a leading space-faring nation, the United States took these issues very seriously. They had been and continued to be active in identifying potential hazards and were taking steps to preserve safety of flight in the complex environment of outer space.
Bangladesh, speaking on behalf of the Group of 21, said that outer space and other celestial bodies were the common heritage of mankind and had to be used, explored and utilized for the benefit and interest of all mankind in a spirit of cooperation and their use should be for peaceful purposes. All States with major space capabilities had a special responsibility to contribute actively to the objective of the peaceful use of outer space and to refrain from actions contrary to that objective. The Group of 21 considered that it was time to start negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament on matters related to the prevention of an arms race in outer space.
On nuclear disarmament, Bangladesh, speaking on behalf of the Group of 21, said that the total elimination of nuclear weapons was the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and they remained convinced that as long as such weapons existed, so also would the risk of their proliferation and possible use remain with us. Pending the achievement of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons, the Group of 21 reaffirmed the urgent need to reach an early agreement on a universal, unconditional and legally binding instrument to assure non-nuclear weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. The Group of 21 also reiterated its support for the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free of all nuclear weapons and reaffirmed the need for its speedy establishment in accordance with Security Council Resolution 487.
Iran said that the most serious threat to the security of all States was nuclear weapons. Their existence simply meant that all States would continue to live with a permanent sense of insecurity. The primary goal of the Conference should be to remove this source of insecurity and to establish a world free of nuclear weapons. Thus, Iran saw no other issue that was more urgent than nuclear disarmament that had to be negotiated in the Conference.
The next plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament will be held on Thursday, 26 February at 10 a.m.
Statements
GAROLD LARSON (United States) said that they had all noted with concern the collision last week between an Iridium communication satellite and an inactive Russian Cosmos satellite. The United States was in communication with the Russian Federation regarding the collision, and those discussions had begun promptly after the collision. This in itself was a valuable transparency and confidence building measure. The United States Department of Defence was currently assessing the events that had led up to the collision, but it would need additional time to arrive at definitive conclusions, perhaps weeks.
As a leading space-faring nation, the United States took these issues very seriously. They had been and continued to be active in identifying potential hazards and were taking steps to preserve safety of flight in the complex environment of outer space. Last week’s collision underscored the increasingly congested space environment, said Mr. Larson. Collisions and other similar events could have the effect of denying valuable areas of space for productive uses. This collision emphasized the vital importance of international cooperation between governments and industry, which was critical in the future to improve space safety. The United States delegation was looking forward to further productive discussions in the Conference in connection with outer space.
MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN (Bangladesh), speaking on behalf of the Group 21, said that that the role of space technology in our day-to-day life had become pervasive. Never before had information, communication, banking, economic transactions, navigation and even political and strategic decision-making been so dependent on space based technologies. The Group of 21 reiterated that outer space and other celestial bodies were the common heritage of mankind and had to be used, explored and utilized for the benefit and interest of all mankind in a spirit of cooperation and their use should be for peaceful purposes.
The Group of 21 also stressed that the growing use of outer space increased the need for greater transparency, confidence building measures and better information on the part of the international community. All States with major space capabilities had a special responsibility to contribute actively to the objective of the peaceful use of outer space and to refrain from actions contrary to that objective. The Group of 21 further recognized that prevention of an arms race in outer space would avert a grave danger for international peace and security.
The Group of 21 further emphasized the importance and urgency of preventing an arms race in outer space and was deeply concerned over the negative implications of the development and deployment of anti-ballistic missile defence systems and the pursuit of advanced military technologies capable of being deployed in outer space. All countries bore the responsibility to refrain from activities that could jeopardize the collective goal of maintaining outer space free from weapons of mass destruction.
Mr. Rahaman noted that the prevention of an arms race in outer space had assumed greater urgency because of legitimate concerns that existing legal instruments were inadequate. The legal regime applicable to outer space did not in and of itself guarantee the prevention of an arms race in outer space. The Group of 21 considered that it was time to start negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament on matters related to the prevention of an arms race in outer space. As observed by the General Assembly in its resolution 63/40, the Conference on Disarmament had the primary role in the negotiation of a multilateral agreement or agreements on the prevention of an arms race in outer space.
The Group of 21 further welcomed the joint Russian-Chinese initiative of a draft treaty on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space, the threat or use of force against outer space objects, presented by Russia last year. This initiative was a constructive contribution to the work of the Conference and was a good basis for further discussion toward adopting an international binding instrument.
MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN (Bangladesh), speaking on behalf of the Group 21, in a second statement on nuclear weapons, said that the Group of 21 reaffirmed that the total elimination of nuclear weapons was the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and they remained convinced that as long as such weapons existed, so also would the risk of their proliferation and possible use remain with us. Pending the achievement of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons, the Group of 21 reaffirmed the urgent need to reach an early agreement on a universal, unconditional and legally binding instrument to assure non-nuclear weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.
The Group of 21 also underlined the unanimous conclusion of the International Court of Justice that there existed an obligation to pursue in good faith and to bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament. The Group of 21 further remained deeply concerned at strategic defence doctrines, which not only set out rationale for the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, but also maintained unjustifiable concepts in international security based on promoting and developing military alliances’ nuclear deterrence policies, said Mr. Rahman.
The Group of 21 further believed that the establishment of Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zones was a positive step and an important measure towards strengthening global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The Group also reiterated its support for the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free of all nuclear weapons and reaffirmed the need for its speedy establishment in accordance with Security Council Resolution 487. But Mr. Rahman also noted that security assurances guaranteed to State Members of nuclear free zone by nuclear-weapon States could not substitute for universally binding security assurances.
While various approaches existed, efforts to conclude a universal and legally binding instrument on security assurance to non-nuclear-weapons-States had to be pursued, said Mr. Rahman. The conclusion of such an instrument would be an important step towards achieving the objectives of arms control, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in all its aspects.
ALIREZA MOAIYERI (Iran) said that multilateralism was a key element in the foreign policy of Iran and the Government attached great importance to the work of the Conference on Disarmament. The most serious threat to the security of all States was nuclear weapons. Their existence simply meant that all States would continue to live with a permanent sense of insecurity. The primary goal of the Conference should be to remove this source of insecurity and to establish a world free of nuclear weapons. Thus, Iran saw no other issue that was more urgent than nuclear disarmament that had to be negotiated in the Conference.
The Non-Aligned Movement had consistently called nuclear disarmament its highest priority. Developments in the area of nuclear disarmament had not been promising in the past years. Failure towards achieving the goal of a complete nuclear disarmament still threatened international peace and security. As the 2010 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference was approaching, Iran wanted to see a positive change in order for a successful review to take place and to ensure the world that nuclear weapon States would be ready to seriously fulfil their commitments with regards to nuclear disarmament, said Mr. Moaiyeri.
Iran considered the total elimination of nuclear weapons as the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. Pending their total elimination, efforts for the conclusion of a universal, unconditional and legally binding instrument on security assurances to non-nuclear weapons States should be pursued as a matter of priority. The Conference on Disarmament was the appropriate body to fulfil this responsibility in their view, said Mr. Moaiyeri. Iran called on the Conference to establish an Ad-hoc Committee to negotiate a legally binding instrument in that regard.
Tuning to outer space, Iran believed that it was a common heritage of mankind and had to be used, explored and utilized for peaceful purposes. All efforts should be done in order to secure the use of outer space for the well-being and prosperity of all nations around the world. The Conference was also the appropriate body to work in that regard. The draft treaty presented by China and Russia was a step in the right direction, noted Mr. Moaiyeri.
Concerning a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty Mr. Moaiyeri said that it should contribute to the goals of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in all its aspects. Past production and existing stocks as well as the future production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosives devices were to be covered under the scope of the Treaty.
Each of these issues was equally important and the Conference should not prioritize one issue at the cost of others, said Mr. Moaiyeri. Any proposal for the programme of work needed to maintain the balance between the four core issues and the proposed programme of work failed to enjoy consensus within the Conference since it did not maintain a balance between these issues.
For use of the information media; not an official record
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