THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT EXPRESSES “GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT” AT LACK OF PROGRESS
The Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament, Sergei Ordzhonikidze, told the Conference this morning that he had to express on behalf of the Secretary-General great disappointment at the efforts of the Conference, which was supposed to make progress on multilateral disarmament. However, this year what they saw in terms of progress in the Conference had been “not even zero, it was minus”, as they had not been able to adopt a programme of work.
Speaking at the end of the meeting, Mr. Ordzhonikidze, who is the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, underscored that what Members had done for the last four weeks – for the enormous financial expenditure out of the United Nations budget – was nothing. They had to recognize that. That was not only intolerable in the Conference, but it was also becoming intolerable in international relations – with the most important United Nations body dealing with disarmament not able to do anything but even regressing. He ended by warning that unless the Conference was in tune with current trends in international relations it was “not relevant”.
South Africa also spoke, observing that, given the positive statements made by world leaders during the past year, South Africa believed that 2010 presented a real opportunity for progress and to restore the confidence deficit. It was South Africa's hope that a compromise could be found and that the Conference on Disarmament would, once again, be able to play its rightful role as the sole multilateral disarmament negotiating body.
The outgoing President of the Conference, Ambassador Abdul Hannan, made a formal closing statement at the last formal plenary under the Presidency of Bangladesh. Algeria extended the appreciation of Conference Members for the efforts undertaken under the Presidency of Bangladesh. Pakistan also joined Algeria in expressing sincere appreciation and admiration for the work undertaken under the Bangladesh Presidency during a difficult time.
At the beginning of the meeting, President Hannan welcomed Jerry Matjila, the new Ambassador of South Africa to the Conference.
Ambassador Mikhail Khvostov of Belarus also made a statement as the incoming President as of next week, saying that at the next plenary on Tuesday, 16 February at 10 a.m., the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus would address the Conference on the issue of nuclear disarmament.
Statements
JERRY M. MATJILA (South Africa), in his first statement before the Conference, observed that the lack of progress in the disarmament arena for more than 10 years had not only prevented progress in the area of international peace and security, but had also served to undermine international confidence in the multilateral disarmament machinery. Given the positive statements made by world leaders during the past year, South Africa believed that 2010 presented a real opportunity for progress and to restore the confidence deficit. It was South Africa's hope that, with the necessary flexibility and by taking into consideration the security interests of all its members, a compromise could be found and that the Conference on Disarmament would, once again, be able to play its rightful role as the sole multilateral disarmament negotiating body. South Africa would remain actively and constructively engaged towards achieving that goal.
ABDUL HANNAN (Bangladesh), President of the Conference, in a closing statement at the last formal plenary under the Presidency of Bangladesh, thanked all delegations for their cooperation and support to the Bangladesh Presidency as they tried to bring a good beginning to this year's session. As announced at the beginning of the Presidency, Bangladesh's objective had been to give a smooth and steady start to the Conference with an approach that would be inclusive and transparent. He hoped that he had been able to do that, despite the difficulties they had faced in their work. He also hoped that they had been able to highlight the work of the Conference with a number of high-level addresses to the Conference, notably by the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, the United Nations High Representative for Disarmament and the Deputy Foreign Minister of Italy.
IDRISS JAZAIRY (Algeria) said he believed he was speaking on behalf of all the Conference members in extending deep appreciation for the way in which the President had carried out his mandate. Bangladesh had set a high standard for other Presidents in 2010, under difficult circumstances, which bode well for the future work of the Conference.
MIKHAIL KHVOSTOV (Belarus) expressed gratitude to the President for efforts made towards trying to develop a consensus on the most crucial issue they faced, cooperation on a programme of work, as well as for his transparency with the Six Presidents. As the incoming presidency of the Conference, starting next week, Belarus would be as active as Bangladesh to try and establish the necessary balance to ensure the Conference could get down to substantive work. They would do that on the basis of the work of last year and a number of consensus resolutions by the General Assembly. Belarus would rely on the cooperation of the Conference Members, in a spirit of constructiveness and flexibility.
Mr. Khvostov also announced that on Tuesday, 16 February, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus would address the Conference on the issue of nuclear disarmament.
ZAMIR AKRAM (Pakistan) joined Algeria in expressing sincere appreciation and admiration for the work undertaken under the Bangladesh Presidency during a difficult time. In those circumstances, the President had needed to respond to enthusiastic persuasion to follow a certain manner of action.
SERGEI ORDZHONIKIDZE, Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, thanked the President for his efforts during his presidency towards promoting the Conference on Disarmament's agenda. But he also had to express on behalf of the Secretary-General great disappointment at the efforts of the Conference on Disarmament, which was supposed to make progress on multilateral disarmament. That progress had been expected for 10 years. Last year they had been close to some progress. But this year what they had seen was not even zero, it was minus, as they had not been able to adopt a programme of work.
Mr. Ordzhonikidze said it should be remembered that the Conference on Disarmament, which was not formally a United Nations body, was financed by the United Nations budget. And what they had done for the last four weeks – for the enormous financial expenditure out of the United Nations budget – was nothing. They had to recognize that. He hoped that over the snowy weekend Members would think about that. This was not only intolerable in the Conference, but it was also becoming intolerable in international relations – with the most important United Nations body dealing with disarmament not able to do anything but even regressing in comparison with last year. That, at a time when there were more and more Member States agreeing on the problems concerning disarmament and affiliated issues. He hoped that under the Belarusian Presidency they would try their best and start work as soon as possible. However, he knew that was not up to the Presidency alone. He hoped that they would not wind up, after the next four weeks of the session, with no progress. He did not know what to answer when the Secretary-General asked, "what's going on in the Conference on Disarmament". He could only answer "I'm sorry. Nothing is going on." He therefore appealed to all on the part of the Secretary-General to be a little more flexible, because the programme of work of any organ was not much. It was not the finalization of any treaty. It was just a programme of work, and they did not know what was going to happen under each item of that programme of work. But Conference Member States had to see that the Conference on Disarmament was in tune with current trends in international relations. Otherwise, unfortunately, the Conference was not relevant.
For use of information media; not an official record
DC10/007E