CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT HEARS STATEMENTS FROM CUBA AND TURKEY

The Conference on Disarmament today heard general statements from Cuba and Turkey in which they outlined their priorities in the spheres of disarmament and non-proliferation.

In its statement, Cuba recalled and supported the conclusions reached on disarmament and international security at the Non-Aligned Summit held in Havana in September 2006, in which 118 Heads of State and Government had reaffirmed the importance of the Conference on Disarmament as the sole multilateral disarmament negotiations forum, and urged it to establish an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament as a matter of urgent priority. Also emphasized had been the need to commence negotiations as soon as possible on a phased programme with established time limits for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, including a nuclear weapons convention. While some countries were trying to focus the international community's attention on horizontal non-proliferation to avoid the issue of disarmament, in Cuba's view the only true way to ensure secure and effective disarmament was through the total and complete elimination of weapons of mass destruction. Until progress was made in that direction, it would be impossible to conclude a binding, verifiable instrument on security guarantees.

Turkey, in its statement, said it was a party to all international non-proliferation instruments and export control regimes and wished to see the universalization and effective implementation of those instruments. Turkey attached special importance on the negotiation of a non-discriminatory and universal treaty banning the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices. A more comprehensive and non-discriminatory approach should include the issue of existing stockpiles and effective verification. Turkey welcomed the establishment of nuclear weapon-free zones, freely arrived at, and in that context supported in principle the establishment of an effectively verifiable zone, free of all weapons of mass destruction, in the Middle East. Similarly, Turkey had voiced its support for the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. In that connection, it was with great pleasure that Turkey would be hosting the second meeting on that initiative on 12 and 13 February 2007 in Ankara.

Following the public plenary, an informal plenary was held so that the Coordinators appointed last week for each agenda item could outline their ideas for the meetings they would chair starting next week.

The next plenary of the Conference will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 1 February.

Statements

JUAN ANTONIO FERNÁNDEZ PALACIOS (Cuba) said that in the modern world it was increasingly necessary to strengthen multilateralism in international relations in order to find effective solutions to the issues of international peace and security, based on a strict respect for the principles of the UN Charter and international law. In that context, the role of the Conference on Disarmament was of great importance as it represented an essential link in that system. After years of lethargy and stalemate, the Conference on Disarmament was now passing through a critical moment in its history. No matter how innovative they might be in organizing their debates, however, the Conference could not attain its objectives as the sole multilateral disarmament forum unless there was a real political will, in particular on the part of those whose intransigence had been an obstacle to achieving results in the past.

Cuba had asked the secretariat to distribute, as an official document of the Conference, the chapter entitled "Disarmament and international security" from the Final Document of the Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, held in Havana in September 2006. Among other things, in that text the Heads of State and Government of 118 countries had reaffirmed the importance of the Conference on Disarmament as the sole multilateral disarmament negotiations forum, and urged the Conference to commit to a balanced and comprehensive programme of work as soon as possible, which would establish an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament as a matter of urgent priority. They had also emphasized the need to commence negotiations as soon as possible on a phased programme with established time limits for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, including a nuclear weapons convention. In that regard, Cuba recalled that there were some 33,000 nuclear weapons in the world, more than 12,000 of which stood ready to be used. There was also no instrument to prevent the production of nuclear weapons. While some countries were trying to focus the international community's attention on horizontal non-proliferation to avoid the issue of disarmament, the only true way to ensure secure and effective disarmament was through the total and complete elimination of weapons of mass destruction. Until progress was made in that direction, it would be impossible to conclude a binding, verifiable instrument on security guarantees. Cuba was also committed to developing a treaty banning the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices that responded both to the objective of non-proliferation as well as disarmament, and to commence negotiation on a treaty to prevent an arms race in outer space.

Cuba recalled that global military spending exceeded 1 billion United States dollars, and continued to increase. According to UN estimates, the cost of attaining the Millennium Development Goals would be approximately 10 per cent of the global funds spent on armaments. That was a modest amount, considering what could be achieved with such a sum. Millions of persons all over the world would be able to escape from poverty, and it would be possible to educate every boy and girl in the third world. They would also be able to more effectively address the terrible HIV/AIDS pandemic. Could they possibly change this situation? Did the Conference on Disarmament have a role to play? The answer was yes. It might not be easy, but they had no other option but to continue fighting to achieve the objectives of peace and the total elimination of weapons.

AHMET ÜZÜMCÜ (Turkey) said that it was high time for the Conference on Disarmament, the world's single negotiating forum for multilateral disarmament, to reassert itself and play its envisaged role. Turkey was a party to all international non-proliferation instruments and export control regimes and wished to see the universalization and effective implementation of those instruments. Located in a region of particular concern with respect to proliferation, Turkey monitored with vigilance the developments in that field and took part in collective efforts aimed at devising measures to reverse that alarming trend. Despite the failure of the Review Conference in 2005 and recent developments contesting its standpoint, Turkey believed that the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was still a unique and irreplaceable multilateral instrument, the cornerstone of the global non-proliferation regime, and the essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. They should take every effort to protect its integrity and credibility. Turkey also wished to underline the critical and indispensable role of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Turkey remained convinced that the verification authority of the Agency should be further strengthened and the Model Additional Protocol should be adopted as the universal norm for verifying compliance with the NPT. In Turkey's view, the NPT regime would be further reinforced with the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Turkey also attached special importance on the negotiation of a non-discriminatory and universal treaty banning the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices. A more comprehensive and non-discriminatory approach should include the issue of existing stockpiles and effective verification. Turkey welcomed the establishment of nuclear weapon-free zones, freely arrived at, and in that context supported in principle the establishment of an effectively verifiable zone, free of all weapons of mass destruction, in the Middle East. Similarly, Turkey had voiced its support for the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. In that connection, it was with great pleasure that Turkey would be hosting the second meeting on that initiative on 12 and 13 February 2007 in Ankara.

Conventional weapons proliferation was also a cause of concern for Turkey. Despite setbacks, Turkey remained committed to the effective implementation and strengthening of the UN Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons. It also supported the project of an Arms Trade Treaty, which aimed to halt unregulated and uncontrolled trade in arms worldwide and to establish common standards for trade in conventional weapons. Turkey also maintained the view that the international community should act decisively to improve stockpile security and strengthen export controls in countries that imported and manufactured Man-Portable Defence Systems. Another worrying issue was the scourge of indiscriminate and inhumane weapons called Anti-Personnel Mines. Turkey had become a party to the Ottawa Convention in 2004, yet Turkey's mine clearance activities had dated back to 1998. The work to clear all emplaced anti-personnel mines was scheduled to be completed by 2014. Finally, Turkey wished to mention its support for the UN Register system, which was a very useful mechanism, complementing their work in this field.