INCLUSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL NORMS IN DISARMAMENT, ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENTS CALLED FOR BY FIRST COMMITTEE-APPROVES DRAFT
Press Release
GA/DIS/3046
INCLUSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL NORMS IN DISARMAMENT, ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENTS CALLED FOR BY FIRST COMMITTEE-APPROVES DRAFT
19951120 The Assembly would ask the Conference on Disarmament to include environmental norms in disarmament and arms control agreements and to conclude a comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty as soon as possible in 1996, under a draft resolution approved this morning by the First Committee (Disarmament Committee).By other terms of the text, the Assembly would call on States parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention to ensure that its implementation was environmentally sound. It would also urge all States parties to the Biological Weapons Convention to consider environmental protection norms in implementing that Convention.
Approved by 149 votes in favour to 4 against (France, Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States) with 4 abstentions (Canada, Estonia, Japan and Republic of Korea), the text would also have the Assembly urge States to accede to the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques. (For results of voting, see Annex.)
The Assembly would urge all States parties to arms limitation and disarmament agreements to comply with all their provisions, by another text approved this morning without a vote, as orally amended. By its terms, the Assembly would call on Member States to support efforts aimed at the resolution of non-compliance questions.
Statements were made by the representatives of the United States, Congo, Colombia (for the Non-Aligned Movement), Russian Federation, Mexico, United Kingdom, Lebanon, Gambia, Lesotho and Thailand. The representative of Myanmar withdrew proposed amendments to the draft resolution on compliance with disarmament agreements.
In other business, the representative of Colombia (for the Non-Aligned Movement) introduced oral amendments to a draft resolution on small arms, while Egypt and Pakistan withdrew proposed amendments to the same text. The United States and Colombia offered oral amendments to a text on a fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament.
The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m today to continue taking action on draft resolutions relating to disarmament.
Committee Work Programme
The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met this morning to continue taking action on draft resolutions and decisions on disarmament. It had before it texts on regional confidence-building measures, the Treaty on an African nuclear-weapon-free zone, a fourth special session on disarmament, environmental standards in disarmament agreements, and compliance with disarmament agreements.
By a draft resolution on regional confidence-building measures (document A/C.1/50/L.20/Rev.1), the Assembly would ask States and governmental and non- governmental organizations to facilitate the holding of a training programme on peace operations in the Central African subregion. It would ask the Secretary-General to continue providing assistance to States members of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa and to establish a trust fund for additional voluntary contributions for the Committee's work.
The text is sponsored by Cape Verde and by Congo, as Chairman of the Standing Advisory Committee.
The Committee also has before it a statement of programme budget implications (document A/C.1/50/L.61) of the draft resolution on regional confidence-building measures. It states that, should the Assembly adopt the draft resolution, no additional requirements would arise under the relevant sections of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 1996-1997. In addition, the Secretary-General would act to establish the trust fund of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Question in Central Africa, to meet the other costs involved in the full implementation of the Committee's programme of work.
By a draft resolution on the final text of a Treaty on an African nuclear-weapon-free zone (the Pelindaba Treaty) (document A/C.1/50/L.23/Rev.1), the Assembly would invite the African States to sign and ratify the Treaty as soon as possible. It would call on all States to respect Africa as a nuclear-weapon-free zone, and to ensure the speedy application of the Treaty to territories for which they are internationally responsible -- de jure or de facto -- and which lie within the zone established in the Treaty.
By other terms of the text, the Assembly would call on the nuclear- weapon States to sign the Protocols that concern them as soon as the Treaty becomes available for signature. The Secretary-General would be asked to extend assistance to the African States in 1996, within existing resources, to achieve the aims of the draft resolution. The text is sponsored by the Marshall Islands and by South Africa on behalf of the African Group of States.
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Another draft resolution (document A/C.1/50/L.25) would have the Assembly convene a fourth special session on disarmament in 1997, and establish an open-ended Preparatory Committee for that session. The Preparatory Committee would prepare a draft agenda and submit it to the Assembly's next session. Further provisions would invite all Member States to communicate to the Secretary-General before April, 1996, their views on the draft agenda. The Preparatory Committee would submit a progress report to the next Assembly and convene a short organizational session to set the date for its substantive session.
The text is sponsored by Colombia, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.
A draft resolution sponsored by Colombia on behalf of States members of the Non-Aligned Movement concerns observance of environmental norms in drafting disarmament and arms control agreements (document A/C.1/50/L.41/Rev.2). By its terms, the Assembly would invite the Conference on Disarmament to include corresponding environmental norms when negotiating disarmament and arms control agreements, with a view to ensuring that the process of implementing such agreements and treaties is environmentally sound, in particular the destruction of weapons covered by them. It would call on the Conference to give highest priority to concluding a comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty as soon as possible in 1996.
By other terms of the text, the Assembly would urge all States parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and Their Destruction (Biological Weapons Convention) to consider all relevant norms relating to protection of the environment in implementing the Convention. It would call on all States parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and Their Destruction (Chemical Weapons Convention) to ensure that all aspects of its implementation were environmentally sound. It would also urge States not yet party to the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques to consider adhering to it as soon as possible.
Under a draft resolution on compliance with arms limitation and disarmament agreements (document A/C.1/50/L.42/Rev.1) agreements, the Assembly would urge all States parties to such agreements to comply with all their provisions. It would also encourage them to develop additional cooperative measures to increase confidence in compliance with existing obligations and reduce the possibility for misinterpretation and misunderstanding. The Assembly would call on Member States to support efforts aimed at the resolution of non-compliance questions by means consistent with such agreements and international law.
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The draft is sponsored by Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxenbourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Moldova, Monaco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela and Zambia.
Another proposal before the Committee (document A/C.1/50/L.55) contains amendments to the draft resolution on compliance with arms limitation and disarmament obligations (document A/C.1/50/L.42), as follows:
The proposed amendments would replace the seventh, eighth and ninth preambular paragraphs which read as follows:
"Recognizing, in this context, that full compliance by parties with existing agreements and the resolving of compliance concerns effectively can, inter alia, facilitate the conclusion of additional arms limitation and disarmament agreements,
"Believing that compliance with arms limitation and disarmament agreements by States parties is a matter of interest and concern to all members of the international community, and noting the role that the United Nations has played and should continue to play in that regard,
"Convinced that resolution of non-compliance questions that have arisen with regard to arms limitations and disarmament obligations would contribute to better relations among States and the strengthening of world peace and security,"
The new paragraphs would read as follows:
"Recognizing, in this context, that full compliance by parties with all provisions of existing agreements and resolving compliance concerns effectively through procedures provided in such agreements can, inter alia, facilitate the conclusion of additional arms limitation and disarmament agreements,
"Believing that compliance with all provisions of arms limitation and disarmament agreements by States parties is a matter of interest and concern to all members of the international community, and noting the role that the United Nations has placed and should continue to play in that regard,
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"Convinced that resolution of non-compliance questions that have arisen with regard to arms limitations and disarmament obligations through procedures provided in relevant agreements would contribute to better relations among States and the strengthening of world peace and security,"
The proposed changes to the text would also replace operative paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, which read as follows:
"1. Urges all States parties to arms limitation and disarmament agreements to comply with the entirety of the spirit and provisions of such agreements;
"2. Calls upon all Member States to give serious consideration to the implications that non-compliance with arms limitation and disarmament obligations has for international security and stability, as well as for the prospects for further progress in the field of disarmament;
"3. Also calls upon all Member States to support efforts aimed at the resolution of non-compliance questions, with a view to encouraging strict observance by all parties of the provisions of arms limitation and disarmament agreements and maintaining or restoring the integrity of such agreements;
"4. Welcomes the role that the United Nations has played in restoring the integrity of certain arms limitation and disarmament agreements and in removal of threats to peace;
"5. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to provide assistance that may be necessary in restoring and protecting the integrity of arms limitation and disarmament agreements;"
The new paragraphs would read as follows:
"1. Urges all States parties to arms limitation and disarmament agreements to implement and comply with the entirety of the spirit and provisions of such agreements, including those related to transfer of technology and peaceful use;
"2. Calls upon all States parties to give serious consideration to the implication that non-compliance with any provision of arms limitation and disarmament obligations has for international security and stability, as well as for the prospects for further progress in the field of disarmament;
"3. Also calls upon all States parties to support efforts aimed at the resolution of non-compliance questions through procedures provided for in relevant agreements, with a view to encouraging strict observance by all parties of the provisions of arms limitation and disarmament agreements and maintaining or restoring the integrity of such agreements;
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"4. Welcomes the role that the United Nations has played in fostering negotiations on certain arms limitation and disarmament agreements;
"5. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to provide any assistance that may be necessary in fostering negotiations on arms limitation and disarmament agreements;"
The proposed amendments were submitted by Iran, Myanmar and Pakistan.
Statements
STEPHEN LEDOGAR (United States) introduced the draft on compliance with disarmament agreements, and its amendments. The draft had always been adopted without a vote. The revised draft reflected the results of intensive consultations.
There was a small administrative error in the first line of the eighth preambular paragraph: the words "all provisions of" should be inserted after "believing that compliance with", so that the preambular paragraph would then read: Believing that compliance with all provisions of arms limitation and disarmament agreements by States parties is a matter of interest and concern to all members of the international community, and noting the role that the United Nations has played and should continue to play in that regard".
Compliance was of fundamental importance to international security. It contributed directly to world order. He hoped the draft would reaffirm the importance of compliance with existing treaties and in the negotiation of new agreements.
U MYA THAN (Myanmar), speaking on behalf of Iran, Pakistan and Mynamar, said that after consultations on the draft, their main concerns had been duly reflected in the revision. Their proposed amendments, therefore, would not be put into action. He hoped that consultations would continue with a view to further improvements of the draft.
Action on Draft
The draft on compliance with disarmament agreements was approved by the Committee without a vote.
The draft on environmental standards in disarmament agreements was approved by a recorded vote of 149 in favour to 4 against (France, Israel, United Kingdom and United States), with 4 abstentions (Canada, Estonia, Japan, Representative of Korea). (For details of voting see Annex.)
The representative of the United States said he had voted against the draft because he had not understood its purpose. What was clear, however, was
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that the potential effects of the draft could be to divert attention away from productive work and refocus efforts on vague environmental norms. No one could be against protection of the environment. Clearly such concerns should appropriately be taken into account. The United States had stringent environmental regulations pertaining to disarmament, but the draft singled out certain arms control agreements -- either completed or being negotiated -- and took them out of context. It also implied that all nuclear testing had a negative impact on the environment. The purpose and utility of the draft was in question.
The Committee then heard statements on the remaining draft resolutions to be taken up this morning.
GEORGES BAKALA (Congo) said the text on regional confidence-building measures had been amended following consultations, by removing paragraphs which had programme budget implications. Those paragraphs had involved the training of officers who would have trained soldiers in regional peace-keeping operations. As amended, the text should respond to the views of all delegations. It should therefore be approved without a vote.
ANDELFO GARCIA (Colombia), speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement regarding the text on a fourth special session on disarmament, said that, after consultations, they had decided to amend the text. By that amendment, operative paragraph 1 would be amended to read as follows:
"1. Decides to convene its fourth special session on disarmament to be held in 1997, if possible, with the exact date and agenda to be decided before the end of the current session of the General Assembly, through consultations."
Operative paragraph 2 would be amended to read as follows:
"2. Decides to establish a Preparatory Committee to prepare a draft agenda for the special session, and to examine all relevant questions relating to that session and submit its recommendations thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session;"
[Note: The original paragraphs read as follows:
"1. Decides to convene its fourth special session on disarmament in 1997 and to establish an open-ended Preparatory Committee for the Fourth Special Session of the General Assembly devoted to Disarmament;
"2 Requests the Preparatory Committee to prepare a draft agenda for the special session, to examine all relevant questions relating to that session and submit its recommendations thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session;"]
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GRIGORY V. BERDENNIKOV (Russian Federation) asked whether a revised text would be made available incorporating those oral amendments.
LUVSANGIIN ERDENECHULUUN (Mongolia), Committee Chairman, said the Committee had to finish its work today and he didn't know if the Secretariat could do that in time. He wondered whether the Committee could act on the basis of the oral amendments.
STEPHEN J. LEDOGAR (United States) said there would not be broad support for the proposed amendments. The text, as drafted, was not acceptable to the United States. The amendments were no better. He would have to submit his own amendments.
He proposed a sixth preambular paragraph, which would read as follows:
"Also noting the Secretary-General's report on the deliberations of the Advisory Board on Disarmament, in which the Secretary-General noted the serious doubts expressed by Board members about the advisability of holding a special session on disarmament in the near future;"
The current sixth preambular paragraph would be replaced with the following, now as the seventh preambular paragraph:
"Welcoming also the decision of the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the NPT to extend the Treaty indefinitely, taken without a vote, as well as the decisions on strengthening the review process for the Treaty and on principles and objectives for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament,"
Operative paragraph 1 would be revised to read:
"1. Decides to keep under consideration until the year 2000 the prospects for and timing of a fourth special session on disarmament;"
Operative paragraphs 2, 4 and 5 would be deleted, he said.
Following a procedural discussion in which Brazil, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Egypt, Mexico, Cuba and Japan participated, the Committee decided to complete action on all remaining draft resolutions before it but one. Action on the text concerning a fourth special session on disarmament was postponed until tomorrow afternoon.
During the course of discussion, ALAA ISSA (Egypt) withdrew an oral amendment to the text on small arms which his delegation had presented on Friday.
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RIVERO ROSARIO (Cuba), speaking on the draft on small arms, said efforts should be made to rationalize the work so that various aspects could be condensed and integrated. Unfortunately, there were various drafts on the matter. Regarding the content of the current draft, he was not convinced that basic clarity and objectiveness had been achieved. Regarding the issue of illicit trafficking in small arms, it was without definition. In addition, the role of the United Nations in that was also unclear. Confusion and incongruity was the result. He would have the matter considered in the afternoon, and if action were taken in the morning, he would have to abstain on the vote.
Following a procedural discussion -- in which representatives of Pakistan, Spain, India and Gambia spoke -- on when to take action on the draft on small arms, the Chairman decided to suspend the meeting for seven minutes.
The Committee then turned to a 28-Power draft resolution on small arms (document A/C.1/50/L.7). By its terms, the Assembly would decide to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second session an item entitled "small arms". According to the text, the Secretary-General would be requested to prepare a report on the types of small arms and light weapons actually being used in conflicts; the nature and causes of the excessive and destabilizing accumulation and transfer of small arms and light weapons; and ways and means to prevent it.
The draft resolution is sponsored by Afghanistan, Australia, Argentina, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Mali, Malta, Moldova, Norway, Portugal, Peru, Romania, South Africa, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom, and the United States.
ANDELFO GARCIA (Colombia), speaking on the amendment of the draft on small arms (L.7), said he wished to make an alternative proposal to the paragraph contained in the amendment, which would read as follows:
"Reaffirming the right of self-determination of all peoples, in particular of peoples under colonial or other forms of alien domination or foreign occupation, and the importance of the effective realization of this right, as enunciated, inter alia, in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the World Conference on Human Rights;"
MUNIR AKRAM (Pakistan), on behalf of his delegation and that of Syria, said he was grateful for the representative of Colombia for his proposal -- which was the result of extensive consultations which reproduced the language from the Copenhagen document. In view of that submission by Colombia, the current amendment would not be put to a vote and he would instead support the adoption of the amendment just proposed.
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SIR MICHAEL WESTON (United Kingdom) said he was as keen as anyone to finish, but he thought it was unreasonable to expect the Committee to vote on that immediately. He needed time to consider it and would be happy to meet on the draft on small arms in the afternoon.
GRIGORY BERDENNIKOV (Russian Federation) said he wished to see in written form the amendment proposed by the representative of Colombia.
The CHAIRMAN said the official amendment in an official document could not be distributed to the Committee by the afternoon, and it would have to be voted on as an oral amendment.
HICHAM HAMDAN (Lebanon) said the paragraph was contained on page 10 of the Copenhagen document, in subparagraph K. All delegations could see it in all languages if they referred to that document.
MOMODOU KEBBA JALLOW (Gambia) said of last Friday's vote on the draft on environmental standards in disarmament agreements that he was to have voted in favour of the draft. He would like that reflected in the records.
M.H. LETEKA (Lesotho) said that on Friday when a decision was taken on the draft on risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East (L.19) he had voted against the draft, in spite of the fact that his delegation had been given specific instructions not to do so. He requested that his vote be deleted.
DARMP SUKONTASAP (Thailand) said that last Friday it was recorded that his delegation had abstained on paragraph 6 of L.19. In fact, it was Thailand's intention to vote in favour of that paragraph.
(annex follows)
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First Committee Press Release GA/DIS/3046 27th Meeting (AM) 20 November 1995
ANNEX
Vote on Draft on Environmental Standards in Disarmament Agreements
The draft on environmental standards in disarmament agreements, (document A/C.1/50/L.41/Rev.2) was approved by a recorded vote of 149 in favour to 4 against, with 4 abstentions, as follows:
In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbardos, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugosalv Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emeritates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Against: France, Israel, United Kingdom, United States.
Abstaining: Canada, Estonia, Japan, Republic of Korea.
Absent: Andorra, Belize, Benin, Costa Rica, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Grenada, Monaco, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Zaire.
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