STATES BEGIN TO DEFINE WAY FORWARD ON PROGRAMME OF WORK OF THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT
The Conference on Disarmament this morning heard from Rose Gottemoeller, Acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security of the United States, who underscored the commitment of the United States to doing its part with regard to implementing the decision last week to begin negotiations on a verifiable fissile material cut-off treaty, as well as to conduct substantive discussion on other core issues in the Conference. Argentina, as the incoming President of the Conference, Ecuador, Pakistan, Peru, Brazil, Turkey and Japan also spoke in support of the decision, many of them outlining their views on how to organize the work ahead, and Algeria spoke to acknowledge the many accolades received from colleagues on the “enormous contribution” of the Algerian Presidency to getting the Conference back to work.
Ms. Goettemoeller, while recognizing how “important” and “groundbreaking” the adoption of a programme of work had been, stressed that there .should be no misapprehensions or illusions on the difficulty of their task. Until the Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) was completed, delegations should ensure that the Conference did not return to deadlock, and should pledge themselves to passing in the beginning of each year a programme of work authorizing the resumption of focused negotiations on an FMCT and discussion of related disarmament issues. She also noted that the FMCT was a necessary but not sufficient step towards nuclear disarmament. It had to be complemented by deeper respect for non-proliferation rules, consequences for those who violated them, improved verification of compliance, and further progress on arms control. She then outlined a number of actions the United States was taking in these areas, including the start of negotiations for a new agreement to replace the strategic arms reduction treaty between Russia and the United States.
Ambassador Roberto Garcia Moritan of Argentina, speaking in his capacity as the incoming President of the Conference on Disarmament, said the decision adopted on 29 May was a key opening the door to their future. It articulated a delicate balance of elements that offered a practical answer, taking into account the different national interests involved. However, they had to continue focusing attention on certain additional decisions in order to make the decision of 29 May a reality and to allow as soon as possible for substantive and concrete work to take place.
States then took up the theme of how to set about getting back to work, with Ecuador saying it was no longer the time for subterfuge and delays. Pakistan highlighted the need for future work to envisage a balanced allocation of time for the four Working Groups and Special Coordinators and sufficient space to enable delegations to substantively participate in the deliberations. They should not move in haste, and at the end of the session they should assess progress made and also their willingness to work on all four core issues. Pakistan and Peru specifically mentioned the need for equitable geographical distribution in the Working Groups. However, most delegations stressed the need for speed in their work. Now was not the time to relax. Japan wanted to ensure that they carried over the great momentum of this year into the next by trying to sort out the organizational matters for next year's work as well before the end of the current session, which should be reflected in this year's report.
Pakistan also appeared to issue a warning about the way forward in light of the situation on the ground, saying that nuclear cooperation arrangements in its neighbourhood had upset the strategic balance of the region. “Unless the equilibrium is re-established, the fashioning of an appropriate fissile material treaty appears to be difficult”, Pakistan said, noting that a treaty that would merely legalize national moratoria of nuclear weapon States and freeze the asymmetries would undermine the international community’s vision of a nuclear-weapon-free world, as well as Pakistan’s national security.
By decision CD/1863, on the establishment of a programme of work for the 2009 session, the Conference on Disarmament will establish several Working Groups. Under agenda item 1, cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament, it will establish a Working Group to exchange views and information on practical steps for progressive and systematic efforts to reduce nuclear weapons with the ultimate goal of their elimination, including on approaches toward potential future work of multilateral character. A second Working Group under this agenda item will negotiate a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, on the basis of the document CD/1299 of 24 March 1995 and the mandate contained therein (also known as the Shannon Mandate). It will also establish Working Groups on prevention of an arms race in outer space and on negative security assurances. The Conference will appoint Special Coordinators on the other agenda items, including weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons; radiological weapons; comprehensive programme of disarmament; and transparency in armaments; to seek the views of its members on the most appropriate way to deal with those issues.
Also, at the end of this morning’s meeting it was decided to invite Honduras to participate in the work of the Conference's 2009 session as an observer.
The next plenary of the Conference will be held at 10 a.m., on Tuesday, 9 June.
Statements
ROSE GOTTEMOELLER, Acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security of the United States, observed that the decision last week to begin negotiations on a verifiable fissile material cut-off treaty, as well as to conduct substantive discussion on other core issues, reflected growing recognition of the value of non-proliferation and disarmament agreements to international peace and security. It also demonstrated the importance of all delegations realistically appraising the present situation and showing the necessary flexibility to allow the Conference to move forward. Special appreciation and thanks went to Ambassador Idriss Jazaïry of Algeria, for his enormous contribution to that result.
On Friday, President Obama had recognized the importance of the decision that the Conference had made to end its decade-long impasse and adopt a programme of work. He said "there is no greater security challenge in the world today than turning the tide of nuclear proliferation, and pursuing the goal of a nuclear-free world." He welcomed the important agreement to begin negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT), adding that "a verified cut-off treaty is an essential element of my vision for a world free of nuclear weapons. The treaty will help to cap nuclear arsenals, strengthen consensus underlying the Non-Proliferation Treaty and deny terrorists access to nuclear materials ... [This] decision ... signals a commitment to work together on this fundamental global change." As important and groundbreaking as adopting a programme of work was, there should be no misapprehensions or illusions on the difficulty of their task. The United States, for its part, was committed to doing its part. Until the FMCT was completed, Ms. Gottemoeller asked delegations to ensure that the Conference did not return to deadlock, and to pledge themselves to passing in the beginning of each year a programme of work authorizing the resumption of focused negotiations on an FMCT and discussion of related disarmament issues.
This treaty had been on the international agenda for most of the nuclear age, Ms. Gottemoeller noted. If they succeeded on an FMCT, they would have taken a necessary but admittedly not sufficient step towards nuclear disarmament. It had to be complemented by deeper respect for non-proliferation rules, consequences for those who violated them, improved verification of compliance, and further progress on arms control. Together with the FMCT, the United States would also seek to bring into force the last accomplishment of this forum into force, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, by pursuing ratification by the United States. The United States and Russia had already begun negotiations on a new agreement to replace the strategic arms reduction treaty, which would expire just five months from now. President Obama and Russian President Medvedev had instructed that the new agreement achieve reductions lower than those in existing arms control agreements, and that the new agreement should include effective verification measures drawn from their experience in implementing START. They had been here in Geneva for the past three days with the United States delegation engaged in productive talks with their Russian counterparts, working towards a START follow-on agreement. They were to report by July on progress in working out a new agreement.
ROBERTO GARCIA MORITAN (Argentina), President of the Conference on Disarmament, said he had been a witness to other moments in the Conference when the feeling of euphoria was based on the final results of substantive negotiations. He remembered when the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty had been adopted. He had felt it again when he was President of the Conference in 1993 and they had approved the Chemical Weapons Convention and again when they had negotiated the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. He saw the meeting of 29 May as a continuation of those moments, as the point in time when they decided to save the sole multilateral negotiating forum from irrelevance and to look at the future with new eyes and a responsible attitude.
Now the need was to focus on negotiations and to make up for lost time. The adoption of the programme of work had been possible because there had been a change in the international environment reflected by recent positive statements on nuclear disarmament made by the leaders of nuclear weapon States. But it was also possible because of 11 years of painful learning. While those years had been a great tragedy for multilateralism, it had shown them that a lack of progress on disarmament negotiations deteriorated international security. It had also taught them that there were issues that should not be left without a response from the Conference, and that when the Conference did not have a response there were those who would seek a solution outside these walls. They should think carefully about who would benefit from that situation.
The decision adopted on 29 May was a key opening the door to their future, Mr. Garcia Moritan observed. It articulated a delicate balance of elements that offered a practical answer, taking into account the different national interests involved. However, that was not enough. They had to continue focusing attention on certain additional decisions in order to make the decision of 29 May a reality and to allow as soon as possible for substantive and concrete work to take place. He concluded by recalling that the strengthening of mutual trust among Member States continued to be necessary to stimulate their work.
MAURICIO MONTALVO (Ecuador) expressed deep appreciation and congratulations to the excellent work done by Ambassador Idriss Jazaïry of Algeria, as it was thanks to his guidance and the excellent collaboration of the six Presidents that they had been able to give an original and new impetus to the Conference. Also thanked were Viet Nam and Zimbabwe, which had initiated decisive and fundamental process of consultations that had contributed to laying the groundwork for the position they were in today. For its part, Ecuador had supported for the beginning the different proposals presented for getting the Conference back to work. Ecuador had always been constructive and flexible, recognizing the major efforts that had been put into each proposal and keeping an open mind so as to foster the Conference breaking the stalemate. That moment had come. The programme of work adopted on 29 May was the best way to get the Conference back to work and Ecuador pledged its full support to moving forward.
Getting back to substantive work had been the constant cry in this forum. That appeal had now become a duty and a challenge. It was no longer the time for subterfuge and delays. They had embarked on a spirit of new vitality. Ecuador hoped that the establishment of the working groups would take place as soon as possible so that they could begin the exchange of opinions and information regarding practical means to achieve the progressive and systematic elimination of nuclear weapons with the ultimate aim of eliminating them, the negotiation of the treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other explosive devices, as well as substantive discussions on the prevention of an arms race in outer space and on negative security assurances. At the same time, Ecuador hoped that they could rely on the Special Coordinators for discussions on the other topics identified, as soon as possible. Ecuador stood ready to assist and support in these endeavours.
ZAMIR AKRAM (Pakistan) said that last week the Conference had adopted a programme of work for its 2009 session, as contained in CD/1863, which had helped to break the Conference's long impasse. Document CD/1863, even in its current form, was a litmus test for those who claimed to champion nuclear disarmament and a world free of nuclear weapons. Pakistan had demonstrated a persistent and principled commitment to general and complete disarmament, which was the Conference's raison d'être. For peace and stability in South Asia, Pakistan had worked hard to maintain conventional armaments at the lowest levels. Its pursuit of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region had, however, been thwarted by the nuclear weapons tests conducted in May 1998. Pakistan had been obliged to respond in order to ensure peace and stability in the region. As a responsible nuclear weapon State, Pakistan had since maintained credible minimum mutual deterrence. It had also proposed the establishment of a Strategic Restraint Regime in South Asia that encompassed three interlocked tiers of conflict resolution, nuclear and missile restraint and a conventional balance.
Pakistan stressed that the issues of peace and security were inextricably linked. International peace and security and universal and non-discriminatory disarmament could only be achieved meaningfully by addressing the asymmetries both in nuclear and conventional fields that existed at the regional and subregional levels. Pakistan had not stood in the way of consensus on CD/1863, which had been achieved in good faith that work on all four core issues would lead to the initiation of legally binding instruments for universal and non-discriminatory disarmament; negative security assurances and prevention of an arms race in outer space. Pakistan would like to see progress in tandem on all core issues.
Regarding the fissile material treaty, existing and future stocks had assumed greater significance for Pakistan in the light of the nuclear cooperation arrangements in its neighbourhood. Those upset the strategic balance of the region. “Unless the equilibrium is re-established, the fashioning of an appropriate fissile material treaty appears to be difficult”, he said. A treaty that would merely legalize national moratoria of nuclear weapon States and freeze the asymmetries would undermine the international community’s vision of a nuclear-weapon-free world, as well as Pakistan’s national security. Moreover, Pakistan had noted the conditional agreement of certain States to CD/1863, in particular that they would not accept any hindrance to their strategic programmes. Pakistan would not accept any framework that was prejudicial to its national security interest or that undermined strategic stability in South Asia. While continuing to act with responsibility and continuing to avoid an arms race, Pakistan would not be oblivious to the imperative of ensuring its security by maintaining its credible minimum deterrence. Going forward, Pakistan was ready to work together in an inclusive and transparent manner on the details of the Conference’s future work, which should envisage a balanced allocation of time for the four Working Groups and Special Coordinators. No parallel meetings should be planned. Sufficient space should be available to enable delegations to substantively participate in the deliberations. The principles of equitable geographical representation and rotations should be respected. They should not move in haste. At the end of the session they should assess progress made and also their willingness to work on all four core issues.
ELMER SCHIALER (Peru) said Peru stood ready to contribute enthusiastically to the task ahead of the Conference. Peru had provided its full support to the draft decision adopted last week. They owed its adoption to the brilliance and perseverance of Ambassador Jazaïry's guidance of the Conference, along with the P-6 platform. It was impossible to over exaggerate the importance of the adoption of the decision for the Conference. But its importance spread beyond the Council Chamber, giving new impetus to the international disarmament scene. The wealth of experience accumulated through the years in the Conference now had to be put to full use in organizing the new structures and subsidiary bodies that would now take on a formal character. Peru supported both the need for equitable geographical distribution and the sound practice of drawing on the guidance and coordination of those among them who had considerable practice in the field.
NELSON ANTONIO TABAJARA DE OLIVEIRA (Brazil) said the Brazilian Government had issued a statement welcoming the adoption of decision CD/1863, which would allow the Conference to get back to work. Brazil was confident that implementing that decision would move the world closer to total and complete disarmament.
VEHBI ESGEL ETENSEL (Turkey) informed members that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey had yesterday issued a press release underscoring Turkey's great satisfaction of the Conference's adoption last week of a programme of work, expressing deep appreciation to Ambassador Jazaïry of Algeria for his contribution. It also recognized the substantive contributions made by Turkey last year, when it had held the Presidency of the Conference in February and March. In the statement it said Turkey would continue to support the efforts of the Conference to ensuring international peace and stability.
YOSHINOBU HIRAISHI (Japan) said the adoption of the programme of work, though momentous, was not the end of the story, but only the beginning. Now was not the time to relax. The next task was to sort out all organizational matters, such as the appointment of chairs for the four Working Groups and Special Coordinators and the formulation of a schedule of activities for subsidiary bodies. What was important for strengthening international nuclear disarmament was to produce and enter into force an FMCT as quickly as possible. As such, they should find some way to maintain negotiations until their conclusion. From that perspective they had to carry over the great momentum of this year into the next. They had to try to sort out the organizational matters for next year's work as well before the end of the current session, which should be reflected in this year's report. In that way, they could have a fair projection of how and in what order substantive work, including negotiations, would be conducted next year.
IDRISS JAZAÏRY (Algeria) extended his appreciation for all the kind words of those today in recognition of the work he had done. Algeria stood behind the new President to ensure that the efficiency and team spirit that had characterized Algeria's presidency was handed on. The new President had already hit the ground running, and Algeria was confident that the work would be successful.
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