CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT OBSERVES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY, AND DISCUSSES PROPOSED DRAFT PROGRAMMES OF WORK

The Conference on Disarmament held a public plenary session this morning, in which it observed International Women’s Day and heard from a number of delegations on proposed draft programmes of work and the adoption of the Security Council resolution 2270.

Ambassador Steffen Kongstad of Norway, President of the Conference, stated that the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day was “Planet 50-50”, with the goal of achieving gender equality by 2030.

The Russian Federation said that its initiative on the convention for the suppression of chemical terrorism could help stop terrorism in the world and revive the Conference on Disarmament as a unique negotiating forum on disarmament and non-proliferation. Kenya, behalf of the Group of 21, stressed that nuclear disarmament continued to be the highest priority of the international community, and the Conference should start negotiations on a phased programme for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. The Netherlands, on behalf of the European Union, believed that the unanimous adoption of the Security Council resolution 2270 was a clear expression of the unity and resolve of the international community to uphold the global non-proliferation regime. Colombia stated that with all the positive options for the programme of work on the table, it would be a paradox if the Conference did not make any way forward.

The Republic of Korea supported the unanimous adoption of resolution 2270 against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and asked Conference on Disarmament members to cooperate fully. Japan welcomed the Security Council resolution 2270 and highly appreciated its unanimous adoption. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was urged to comply fully with the resolution. China believed that the Russian proposal was of great importance for strengthening international anti-terrorism efforts, and China was ready to further explore that proposal with other parties. Belarus said that considering the Russian proposal would provide a possibility to restart the negotiating process and combat terrorism. It could also serve as a ground for adopting the programme of work.

The United States was committed to advocating for the rights of women and closing the existing gaps, which was evident, inter alia, through its support for Geneva Gender Champions. It was not certain that the Conference was the best forum to discuss the Russian proposal.

The Netherlands suggested that all incoming presidents of the Conference focus more on women and disarmament, and hoped that the issue would indeed be given further attention. Pakistan supported the full inclusion of women in disarmament affairs, and supported the equal and full participation of both men and women for obtaining sustainable peace and security. Sweden supported any proposal which had a chance of moving the work of the Conference forwards, while judging each proposal on its own merits. Syria stressed that the Russian proposal was not Syria-specific, but it referred to the general terrorist use of chemical weapons. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea stated that another vicious resolution had been fabricated by the United States by using the Security Council. If the access to nuclear weapons was to be brought into question, we had to remember that the United States had been the first country in the world to have developed and used one. Turkey opined that the Russian proposal required a careful consideration, and one question to be considered was whether the Conference would be the best venue for such negotiations.

The Conference will next meet in public on Tuesday, 15 March at 10 a.m.


Statements

Ambassador Steffen Kongstad of Norway, President of the Conference, stated that gender equality and equal opportunities benefited us all. The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day was “Planet 50-50”, with the goal of achieving gender equality by 2030. It included ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls everywhere as well as eliminating violence against them in all spheres of life. The Conference had seen some progress in that regard, notably with the adoption of the Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. However, recent research had shown that in meetings on disarmament only one quarter of delegates were likely to be women. Gender insights should be included in the debate, and there was definitely still a way to go.

The President informed that the letter by the Russian Federation to the Secretary-General, transmitting the Russian proposal of the programme of work for 2016, had been circulated among the delegations. The Russian Federation also requested that the letter be issued as a Conference document. The President reminded that currently there were four draft proposals for the programme of work: by the United States, Algeria, the United Kingdom, and the Russian Federation.

The Russian Federation wished the women of the world all the best on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. The Russian initiative on the convention for the suppression of chemical terrorism could help stop terrorism in the world and revive the Conference on Disarmament as a unique negotiating forum for international legal instruments on disarmament and non-proliferation. Foreign Minister Lavrov’s statement pointed out at the increasing threat of terrorism, and stressed the role of the Conference in that regard. The first part of the proposal provided for a negotiating mandate on the convention itself, a separate legally binding instrument which would not undermine the Convention on Chemical Weapons. The second part of the programme of work was committed to continuing negotiations on the four core issues of the agenda. The Russian project was not the only one; through joint efforts, mutually acceptable results could be achieved and a programme of work could be adopted. Members of the Conference were called upon to consider the draft proposal. The Russian Federation was ready for bilateral and multilateral negotiations, and an explanatory note would be distributed as soon as it was finalized.

Kenya, speaking on behalf of the Group of 21, stressed the need to redouble the efforts in order to reinforce and revitalize the Conference and preserve its credibility through the resumption of substantive work. Nuclear disarmament continued to be the highest priority of the international community, and the Conference should start negotiations on a phased programme for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. The Group welcomed the formal proclamation, for the first time in history, of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace. It was hoped that other proclamations of “Zones of Peace” would follow. Kenya reaffirmed the absolute validity of multilateral diplomacy in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation, and expressed its determination to promote multilateralism as the core principle of negotiations in those areas. The Group of 21 welcomed the decision to convene, no later than 2018, a United Nations high-level international conference on nuclear disarmament to review the progress made in nuclear disarmament. The Group hoped that the proposals by the Open-Ended Working Group would contribute towards negotiations on nuclear disarmament in the Conference.

The total elimination of nuclear weapons was the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. There was a growing understanding of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons. The Group of 21 welcomed the spirit of the findings of the Conferences on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons, and called on all nuclear weapon States to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty to implement their unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals. The Group, while disappointed with the deadlock at the Conference, believed that promoting the work of the United Nations disarmament machinery hinged on the need to exercising political will, taking into account the security interests of all States. Support was expressed for an early convening of the Fourth Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament. The Group reiterated the importance of the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction. The 1995 Non-Proliferation Resolution Review and Extension Conference Resolution on the Middle East remained valid until fully implemented. The urgency of Israel’s accession to the Treaty was reaffirmed. Finally, the Group of 21 recognized the importance of enhancing engagement between civil society and the Conference.

The Netherlands, speaking on behalf of the European Union, welcomed the adoption of the United Nations Security Council resolution 2270 on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The European Union believed that the unanimous adoption of the resolution was a clear expression of the unity and resolve of the international community to uphold the global non-proliferation regime and to target the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s illegal nuclear and weapons of mass destruction, and ballistic missile programmes. The transposition of the resolution into the European Union law was currently underway. The European Union called on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to comply with its international obligations and abandon its programmes to develop ballistic missiles and nuclear capabilities in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.

Colombia underscored the importance to the efforts made by the delegations to get around the standstill of the Conference. The delegation was still waiting for instructions from the capital regarding the Russian proposal. With all the positive options on the table, it would be a paradox if the Conference did not make any way forward.

Republic of Korea appreciated the detailed Russian explanation of the draft programme of work. The Republic of Korea was closely looking into the proposal and was looking forward to in-depth discussions. The Republic of Korea supported the unanimous adoption of resolution 2270 against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. All Conference on Disarmament members were asked to cooperate fully, so that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea would give its programme finally and irreversibly.

Japan also welcomed the Security Council resolution 2270 and highly appreciated its unanimous adoption. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was urged to comply fully with the resolution.

China was deeply concerned over the impasse at the Conference and hoped that the Conference could resume its substantive work soon. Parties had obvious differences over priorities, and despite huge changes in military technologies, agenda items had not kept up with those developments. Mutual finger-pointing was no way out. Instead, cool heads ought to be kept with the view of finding a solution acceptable to all. The Chinese Government firmly opposed all forms of terrorism and was active in international efforts combating it. The Russian proposal was of great importance for strengthening international anti-terrorism efforts, and China was ready to further explore that proposal with other parties.

Belarus stressed the importance of the International Women’s Day in Belarus, which was an official holiday. Belarus believed that Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov’s initiative was timely and valuable. The Convention on Chemical Weapons was focused more on weapons owned by States, which was why the existing gap ought to be closed. Considering the Russian proposal would provide a possibility to restart the negotiating process and combat terrorism. It could also serve as a ground for adopting the programme of work, and Belarus was ready to help prepare a consensus document.

United States emphasized the importance of women’s leadership and their participation in global security affairs. The United States was committed to advocating for the rights of women and closing the existing gaps, which was evident, inter alia, through the United States’ support for the Geneva Gender Champions initiative. The Initiative asked international institutions and Permanent Missions to undertake three concrete pledges, including one to support and promote gender parity in panels. Our world could reach its full potential only when women reached their full potential. On the fifteenth anniversary of the Security Council resolution 1325, it was important to stress that investing in women was the right and reasonable thing to do.

The United States’ policy on weapons of mass destruction was clear and unambiguous. With respect to the recent use of chemical weapons in Syria, the Security Council had passed two resolutions. The United States believed that the Conference on Disarmament was perhaps not an appropriate place to address the issue of chemical terrorism. Nonetheless, the United States was currently studying the proposal. The unanimous adoption of the Security Council resolution 2270 demonstrated the international community’s strong condemnation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s violations of its international obligations and commitments. The resolution aimed at halting that country’s nuclear efforts which posed a threat to the security on the peninsula and the whole world.

Netherlands said that women in disarmament deserved much more attention, which was why the Netherlands had organized an event during in 2015, aiming at bringing more attention to the issue of women and disarmament. The Netherlands suggested all incoming presidents of the Conference focus more on women and disarmament, and was hoped that the issue would indeed be given further attention. The Netherlands was studying the Russian proposal, and it welcomed the fact that there were three proposals by three of the P5 countries on the table, which hopefully showed their renewed engagement.

Pakistan took note of the proposals on the draft programme of work, and welcomed the holding of open ended informal consultations on them. Pakistan noted that the International Women’s League for Peace and Freedom was not present at the meeting to give its traditional statement on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. It was important to have the voice of the civil society heard in the Conference. Pakistan supported full inclusion of women in disarmament affairs, and supported equal, full and participation of both men and women for obtaining sustainable peace and security. There were a number of prominent Pakistani women working on disarmament and other issues at the national and international levels. Pakistan was committed to the better realization of the issue of women in disarmament, conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, but there was still a long way to go.

Sweden shared the frustration over the two decades of the deadlock of the Conference. Thus, Sweden supported any proposal which had a chance of moving the work of the Conference forwards, while judging each proposal on its own merits. The latest Russian proposal on a convention on chemical weapons and terrorism was also noted. Sweden would raise its initial reflections regarding the Russian proposal in the informal consultations later in the day.

Syria noted that there were many proposals on the table, which would hopefully break the impasse faced by the Conference. Syria congratulated all women in the forum and worldwide on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. The Day provided an opportunity to further engage women in disarmament issues. The Conference was the sole negotiating forum on nuclear disarmament, which had to produce international legal instruments in that regard. It was important to stress that the Russian proposal was not Syria-specific, but it referred to the general terrorist use of chemical weapons. When other countries referred to the Syrian Government, they should not be using the term “regime”.

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea stated that another resolution had been fabricated by the United States by using the Security Council. The resolution was unprecedented by its viciousness. If the access to nuclear weapons was to be brought into question, it had to be remembered that the United States had been the first country in the world to have developed and used one. The United States had designed the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as the “axis of evil” and was continuously posing threats to it. The previous Security Council resolutions had also been the product of high-handedness. It was a legitimate right of sovereign States to do satellite launches. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea bitterly denied and totally rejected all resolutions against it, which were being used for sinister purposes by great powers, and were devoid of morality and impartiality. It was a serious miscalculation to think that the sanctions would work against the country. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea would continue its approach as long as the United States continued with its hostile policies, which would then bear the responsibility for the nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Turkey said that the existence of chemical weapons in the world was a major concern to Turkey. Such weapons had been used in Turkey’s immediate neighbourhood over the previous several years. The Russian proposal required a careful consideration, and one question to be considered was whether the Conference would be the best venue for such negotiations.

Ambassador Steffen Kongstad of Norway, President of the Conference, closed the meeting by stating that informal open-ended consultations would be held at 3 p.m. this afternoon, while the next plenary meeting would take place on Tuesday, 15 March at 10 a.m.



For use of the information media; not an official record

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