CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT HEARS STATEMENT FROM SWEDEN

The Conference on Disarmament today heard a farewell address by Ambassador Elisabet Borsiin Bonnier of Sweden, who was one of the Conference's Six Presidents this year. The President of the Conference also made two statements, to present his report to the Conference on the third part of the 2007 session, and to outline proceedings for the consideration of the draft annual report of the Conference to the General Assembly.

Ambassador Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui of Syria, the President of the Conference on Disarmament, at the beginning of the meeting, welcomed the presence of the 2007 fellows on disarmament at the plenary today. He also bid farewell to Ambassador Borsiin Bonnier of Sweden, who was leaving the Conference, and welcomed the arrival of Ambassador Marius Grinius of Canada, replacing Ambassador Paul Meyer.

President Khabbaz Hamoui then introduced his presidential report to the Conference on Disarmament on the third part of the 2007 session, which contained an assessment of where the Conference stood with reference to the Presidential Proposal for a programme of work, as contained in documents CD/2007/L.1**, CD/2007/CRP.5*, and CD/2007/CRP.6, concluding that a momentum had been created to move the Conference on Disarmament out of its longstanding stalemate, and that the efforts to reach an agreement had to be continued.

Ambassador Borsiin Bonnier of Sweden, in a farewell speech, said that for altogether nine years she had entered the Council Chamber with hope and expectations. New dangers were emerging, adding to the burden of the old ones. The overall balance between global security problems solved and those unsolved was, in her view, negative. Reluctantly or enthusiastically, they had to accept that the global problems in a time of galloping globalization could not be solved unilaterally, bilaterally or even in small circles of likeminded nations. Since the beginning of this year, she had had the privilege of working as one of the Six Presidents, which had worked jointly and consistently to try and put the Conference back to work. They had come very close to a new beginning. She was sorry she would not be there when the Conference crossed that last bridge. Because cross it they would; there was no other way.

The three documents which the Conference has been discussing this session include a Presidential draft decision CD/2007/L.1 that calls for the appointment of four coordinators to preside over substantive discussions on the issues of nuclear disarmament; prevention of an arms race in outer space; and negative security assurances; and to preside over negotiations on a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. The second text CD/2007/CRP.5 is a complementary Presidential statement reflecting an understanding of the Conference on the implementation of the Presidential decision, and the third text CD/2007/CRP.6 is a short decision stating that when the Conference adopts the Presidential decision, it will be guided by the Presidential statement in its implementation. For technical reasons, the three documents had been reissued and were now CD/2007/L.1**, CD/2007/CRP.5* and CD/2007/CPR.6* respectively. Their content was unchanged.

The next plenary of the Conference will be on Tuesday, 4 September, at 10 a.m., when a draft annual report of the Conference will be presented, to be followed by a first reading of the draft in closed session.

Statements

FAYSAL KHABBAZ HAMOUI (Syria), President of the Conference on Disarmament, welcomed the presence of the 2007 fellows on disarmament at the plenary today. He then bade farewell to Ambassador Elisabet Borsiin Bonnier of Sweden, one of this year's Six Presidents (P6), who would be leaving Geneva soon to take up other important duties. He also extended a cordial welcome to the new Ambassador of Canada, Marius Grinius, who would be replacing Ambassador Paul Meyer.

Introducing his presidential report to the Conference on Disarmament on the third part of the 2007 session, Mr. Khabbaz Hamoui said that he had followed closely the efforts made by his predecessor, Ambassador Streuli of Switzerland, to bring the Conference closer to consensus on the presidential proposal. He himself had conducted a considerable number of consultations which, in addition to those undertaken by Ambassador Streuli, had allowed him to formulate an assessment of where the Conference stood.

A wide range of delegations had expressed their support for the Presidential Proposal, based on the three documents CD/2007/L.1**, CD/2007/CRP.5*, and CD/2007/CRP.6*. Some delegations, though they had some concerns about certain elements in the proposal, had said that they would not oppose consensus on it. Others had expressed their position that more work and consultations were needed to reach a consensus on it. The Conference had achieved substantive progress by conducting important thematic debates on all agenda items and advancing considerably in its efforts but could not yet reach consensus on a programme of work. Finally, a momentum had been created to move the Conference on Disarmament out of its longstanding stalemate, and the efforts to reach an agreement had to be continued, Mr. Khabbaz Hamoui said.

ELISABET BORSIIN BONNIER (Sweden), in a farewell speech, said that for altogether nine years she had entered the Council Chamber with hope and expectations. She had seen this room when it had been the anchor of sincere multilateral work to bring about a more secure world; she had also seen the opposite: an anaemic stalemate with delegations resorting to recitals of ceremonious mantras, hiding behind commas and rules of procedure to abort any attempt to seriously tackle difficult or sensitive issues. Still, she continued to enter this room with hope and expectations.

The certainties of yesterday were gone, Ms. Borsiin Bonnier said. Security perceptions, threats and challenges were in a state of flux. New dangers were emerging, adding to the burden of the old ones. Unless they tried to face both, neither would be dealt with. In the nuclear field they saw more brinksmanship than statesmanship. Globalization had worked to make complex weapons widely available, and cyberwars were no longer just science fiction, but could disrupt societies on a massive scale. The overall balance between global security problems solved and those unsolved was, in her view, negative.

Reluctantly or enthusiastically, they had to accept that the global problems in a time of galloping globalization could not be solved unilaterally, bilaterally or even in small circles of likeminded nations. Global security had to be built globally, Ms. Borsiin Bonnier underscored. Just as the rule of law was a fundamental cornerstone in domestic affairs, so it must be in international affairs. That was particularly important in the area of international security relations. But there were serious lacunae, both as regarded the laws themselves and with regard to the ability to see them complied with.

There was a forum where those realities could be approached together. It was called the Conference on Disarmament. Rejecting the use of the Conference was irresponsible. Since the beginning of this year, she had had the privilege of working as one of the six Presidents (P6). That presidential sextet had worked jointly and consistently to try and put the Conference back to work. Today, most delegations stood ready to try. They had come very close to a new beginning. As she was now leaving, Ms. Borsiin Bonnier was sorry she would not be there when the Conference crossed that last bridge. Because cross it they would; there was no other way.

FAYSAL KHABBAZ HAMOUI, President of the Conference on Disarmament, turning to the issue of the final report of the Conference of Disarmament to the General Assembly, said that a draft of that report would be distributed to Member States this afternoon. The report would be presented at the next plenary of the Conference, on Tuesday, 4 September, and they would continue to discuss it in closed session following the plenary.

The P6 had already given their full support to the report, and were working to establish consensus among the wider membership. Moreover, the report took into account the considerable range of opinion expressed in the Conference. Mr. Khabbaz Hamoui asked Member States to support the report, in which utmost pains had been taken to incorporate the views of all. He urged all to show flexibility and to join in a consensus adoption of the report.
The Conference on Disarmament today heard a farewell address by Ambassador Elisabet Borsiin Bonnier of Sweden, who was one of the Conference's Six Presidents this year. The President of the Conference also made two statements, to present his report to the Conference on the third part of the 2007 session, and to outline proceedings for the consideration of the draft annual report of the Conference to the General Assembly.

Ambassador Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui of Syria, the President of the Conference on Disarmament, at the beginning of the meeting, welcomed the presence of the 2007 fellows on disarmament at the plenary today. He also bid farewell to Ambassador Borsiin Bonnier of Sweden, who was leaving the Conference, and welcomed the arrival of Ambassador Marius Grinius of Canada, replacing Ambassador Paul Meyer.

President Khabbaz Hamoui then introduced his presidential report to the Conference on Disarmament on the third part of the 2007 session, which contained an assessment of where the Conference stood with reference to the Presidential Proposal for a programme of work, as contained in documents CD/2007/L.1**, CD/2007/CRP.5*, and CD/2007/CRP.6, concluding that a momentum had been created to move the Conference on Disarmament out of its longstanding stalemate, and that the efforts to reach an agreement had to be continued.

Ambassador Borsiin Bonnier of Sweden, in a farewell speech, said that for altogether nine years she had entered the Council Chamber with hope and expectations. New dangers were emerging, adding to the burden of the old ones. The overall balance between global security problems solved and those unsolved was, in her view, negative. Reluctantly or enthusiastically, they had to accept that the global problems in a time of galloping globalization could not be solved unilaterally, bilaterally or even in small circles of likeminded nations. Since the beginning of this year, she had had the privilege of working as one of the Six Presidents, which had worked jointly and consistently to try and put the Conference back to work. They had come very close to a new beginning. She was sorry she would not be there when the Conference crossed that last bridge. Because cross it they would; there was no other way.

The three documents which the Conference has been discussing this session include a Presidential draft decision CD/2007/L.1 that calls for the appointment of four coordinators to preside over substantive discussions on the issues of nuclear disarmament; prevention of an arms race in outer space; and negative security assurances; and to preside over negotiations on a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. The second text CD/2007/CRP.5 is a complementary Presidential statement reflecting an understanding of the Conference on the implementation of the Presidential decision, and the third text CD/2007/CRP.6 is a short decision stating that when the Conference adopts the Presidential decision, it will be guided by the Presidential statement in its implementation. For technical reasons, the three documents had been reissued and were now CD/2007/L.1**, CD/2007/CRP.5* and CD/2007/CPR.6* respectively. Their content was unchanged.

The next plenary of the Conference will be on Tuesday, 4 September, at 10 a.m., when a draft annual report of the Conference will be presented, to be followed by a first reading of the draft in closed session.

Statements

FAYSAL KHABBAZ HAMOUI (Syria), President of the Conference on Disarmament, welcomed the presence of the 2007 fellows on disarmament at the plenary today. He then bade farewell to Ambassador Elisabet Borsiin Bonnier of Sweden, one of this year's Six Presidents (P6), who would be leaving Geneva soon to take up other important duties. He also extended a cordial welcome to the new Ambassador of Canada, Marius Grinius, who would be replacing Ambassador Paul Meyer.

Introducing his presidential report to the Conference on Disarmament on the third part of the 2007 session, Mr. Khabbaz Hamoui said that he had followed closely the efforts made by his predecessor, Ambassador Streuli of Switzerland, to bring the Conference closer to consensus on the presidential proposal. He himself had conducted a considerable number of consultations which, in addition to those undertaken by Ambassador Streuli, had allowed him to formulate an assessment of where the Conference stood.

A wide range of delegations had expressed their support for the Presidential Proposal, based on the three documents CD/2007/L.1**, CD/2007/CRP.5*, and CD/2007/CRP.6*. Some delegations, though they had some concerns about certain elements in the proposal, had said that they would not oppose consensus on it. Others had expressed their position that more work and consultations were needed to reach a consensus on it. The Conference had achieved substantive progress by conducting important thematic debates on all agenda items and advancing considerably in its efforts but could not yet reach consensus on a programme of work. Finally, a momentum had been created to move the Conference on Disarmament out of its longstanding stalemate, and the efforts to reach an agreement had to be continued, Mr. Khabbaz Hamoui said.

ELISABET BORSIIN BONNIER (Sweden), in a farewell speech, said that for altogether nine years she had entered the Council Chamber with hope and expectations. She had seen this room when it had been the anchor of sincere multilateral work to bring about a more secure world; she had also seen the opposite: an anaemic stalemate with delegations resorting to recitals of ceremonious mantras, hiding behind commas and rules of procedure to abort any attempt to seriously tackle difficult or sensitive issues. Still, she continued to enter this room with hope and expectations.

The certainties of yesterday were gone, Ms. Borsiin Bonnier said. Security perceptions, threats and challenges were in a state of flux. New dangers were emerging, adding to the burden of the old ones. Unless they tried to face both, neither would be dealt with. In the nuclear field they saw more brinksmanship than statesmanship. Globalization had worked to make complex weapons widely available, and cyberwars were no longer just science fiction, but could disrupt societies on a massive scale. The overall balance between global security problems solved and those unsolved was, in her view, negative.

Reluctantly or enthusiastically, they had to accept that the global problems in a time of galloping globalization could not be solved unilaterally, bilaterally or even in small circles of likeminded nations. Global security had to be built globally, Ms. Borsiin Bonnier underscored. Just as the rule of law was a fundamental cornerstone in domestic affairs, so it must be in international affairs. That was particularly important in the area of international security relations. But there were serious lacunae, both as regarded the laws themselves and with regard to the ability to see them complied with.

There was a forum where those realities could be approached together. It was called the Conference on Disarmament. Rejecting the use of the Conference was irresponsible. Since the beginning of this year, she had had the privilege of working as one of the six Presidents (P6). That presidential sextet had worked jointly and consistently to try and put the Conference back to work. Today, most delegations stood ready to try. They had come very close to a new beginning. As she was now leaving, Ms. Borsiin Bonnier was sorry she would not be there when the Conference crossed that last bridge. Because cross it they would; there was no other way.

FAYSAL KHABBAZ HAMOUI, President of the Conference on Disarmament, turning to the issue of the final report of the Conference of Disarmament to the General Assembly, said that a draft of that report would be distributed to Member States this afternoon. The report would be presented at the next plenary of the Conference, on Tuesday, 4 September, and they would continue to discuss it in closed session following the plenary.

The P6 had already given their full support to the report, and were working to establish consensus among the wider membership. Moreover, the report took into account the considerable range of opinion expressed in the Conference. Mr. Khabbaz Hamoui asked Member States to support the report, in which utmost pains had been taken to incorporate the views of all. He urged all to show flexibility and to join in a consensus adoption of the report.