PRESIDENT OF DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE, CHAIRMAN OF SMALL ARMS PANEL, ADDRESS DISARMAMENT, INTERNATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE

21 October 1997

Press Release
GA/DIS/3086

PRESIDENT OF DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE, CHAIRMAN OF SMALL ARMS PANEL, ADDRESS DISARMAMENT, INTERNATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE

19971021 Conference President Says Session One of 'Pause and Reflection'; Eight Other Speakers Address Committee in Continued General Debate

The dangers of the entire spectrum of weaponry -- conventional to nuclear -- were addressed this morning in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), as it heard statements by the Chairman of the Panel of Governmental Experts on Small Arms and the President of the Conference on Disarmament, in its continuing general debate.

The Conference President, Bernard Goonetilleke (Sri Lanka), focusing in particular on the failure of the Conference to advance efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons, told the Committee that the persistence of political divergences among the membership caused the failure of negotiations. It seemed to have been a year of "pause and reflection" for the Conference following the end of the cold war, the conclusion of the Chemical Weapons Convention, the indefinite extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the conclusion of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), he added.

The Conference could not be expected to produce a global arms treaty every few years, he said. All major negotiations were preceded by a pre- negotiating stage, involving the harmonization of views that considered the security concerns of all. He was hopeful that the process would move forward in the Conference's 1998 session.

The Chairman of the Panel of Governmental Experts on Small Arms, Mitsuro Donawaki (Japan), told the Committee that preventing and reducing the excessive and destabilizing accumulation of small arms was one of the most serious challenges facing the international community. Yet, the task was intractable because those weapons were easy to produce, obtain, use and transport, and hard to place under effective governmental controls.

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He said that measures aimed at the reduction of small arms required immediate attention, because they were the weapons most used in regional conflicts. Preventive measures required concerted efforts by all nations, because those weapons were being produced, stockpiled, used and traded on a global scale. The Panel endorsed the new approach initiated by the United Nations in Mali in March 1996, where thousands of small arms were handed over by ex-combatants and publicly destroyed in a ceremony that had come to be known as the "Flame of Peace".

Several speakers today expressed grave concern over the problem of small arms. The representative of Senegal said that, in addition to the threat of nuclear destruction, the problems of security were linked to the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. The representative of Jamaica, speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), noted the relationship between the accumulation of small arms and the illicit drug trade and said that efforts were under way to develop a regional instrument in the Caribbean to deal with those weapons.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Venezuela, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Jordan and Ethiopia.

The First Committee will meet again at 10 a.m., Wednesday, 22 October, to continue its general debate.

Committee Work Programme

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met this morning to continue its general exchange of views on a wide range of disarmament initiatives and a number of international disarmament agreements.

In the context of assurances to non-nuclear weapon States, the Committee is expected to focus on the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones. Such zones have already been created by: the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco); the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Rarotonga); the South-East Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Bangkok); and the African Nuclear- Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Pelindaba Treaty). Committee drafts are anticipated for the establishment of similar zones in South Asia, Central Europe, and the Middle East.

Other nuclear disarmament issues under review include the adoption last year of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), so far signed by 148 States. The Committee will assess the implementation of the principles and objectives of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament that were adopted at the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

Another matter before the Committee is the convening of the fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, subject to the emergence of a consensus and agenda. The role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the international non-proliferation regime will also be considered.

The Committee is expected to focus attention on the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (Chemical Weapons Convention). It will consider the multilateral efforts under way to strengthen the verification mechanism of the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (Biological Weapons Convention).

Also under discussion will be the treaty agreed to in Oslo following the so-called "Ottawa process" -- the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction. The Committee will also consider ways to further negotiations on that weapon in the Conference on Disarmament, namely Protocol II of the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons).

(For more background, see Press Release GA/DIS/3079 of 9 October.)

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RAMON ESCOVAR-SALOM (Venezuela) said that he believed firmly in the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones and warmly welcomed the initiatives for the establishment of such a zone in Central Asia. He hailed the political will demonstrated by Mongolia in its wish to free itself from nuclear weapons, and of the initiative for such a zone in South Asia.

Concerning international arrangements to provide guarantees to non- nuclear-weapon States against the threat or use of nuclear weapons, he appealed to States to arrive at a speedy agreement on a common formula which could be included in a legally binding international instrument. The General Assembly had issued the same appeal at its fifty-first session.

The problem of small arms was of great importance, he said. The Assembly, in its consideration of the matter, was aware of the greater likelihood of arms being obtained for violent purposes through illicit trafficking, including by terrorist groups and drug traffickers. Such activities posed a threat to regional and international security. He was closely following that phenomenon and would support the forthcoming draft on that item.

Concerning curbing the illicit transfer and use of conventional arms, he said he was concerned that the Disarmament Commission at its recent session had been unable to arrive at a definitive agreement. During the Committee's consideration, he would support the draft to be submitted under that item. He also attached paramount importance to regional disarmament and was pleased with recent initiatives that sought to strengthen international peace and security. Those included meetings of the defence ministers of the hemisphere, and the dialogue between the Rio Group and the European Union on confidence- building measures, and the programme on demining in Central America. He would support the draft on that matter, as well.

On the question of nuclear disarmament, he said the Assembly had been appealing to the nuclear-weapon States for the gradual reduction of those weapons in a step-by-step programme. The Group of 21 in Geneva, a group of non-aligned and other countries in the Conference on Disarmament, introduced a proposal relating to the international community's aspiration for the elimination of nuclear weapons. The Committee also had before it the opinion of the International Court of Justice and, in keeping with the terms of article VI of the NPT, significant progress must be made in that regard. The next step to be taken by the international community had to be directed towards the elimination of nuclear weapons by those countries that possessed them.

The entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention was welcome, he said. His country was working towards its ratification and that would soon be achieved. While he could not at the time go along with the agreement reached in Oslo to ban anti-personnel landmines, that agreement was of great significance and he was open to further dialogue on that matter. He also

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hoped the issue would be considered within the context of the Conference on Disarmament. Concerning the convening of the fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, the Assembly should take into account the expense of such a meeting. Such a decision should not be rushed and the session should be convened on the basis of a universal agreement.

MOHAMMAD J. SAMHAN (United Arab Emirates) said continued regional conflicts stood in the way of the goal of international peace and security. Efforts made by the United Nations in pursuit of that goal, and other international investigations, had revealed the rekindling of hotbeds of tension, as a result of the accumulation of arms around the world. Increasing arsenals led to many forms of human suffering -- genocide, ethnic cleansing, international crime, violations of human rights and economic problems, such as poverty and lack of education.

The international community must enhance constructive dialogue to redress imbalances in armaments, he said. That could not be done without the adoption of mechanisms based on solidarity, tolerance, mutual respect and the rule of international law. He supported the proposal of the Non-Aligned Movement to set up a special committee on disarmament. Further, he was in favour of establishing a time-frame for disarmament and convening a fourth special session of the General Assembly on disarmament.

He said nuclear-weapon States should give greater guarantees that they would not use such weapons against non-nuclear States. Confidence-building measures and the settling of disputes by peaceful means was important. States would then be in a position to channel their resources towards development and other peaceful pursuits. Peace and stability could not be achieved through the use or threat of use of force. His country had long pursued a policy of cooperation and was keen to see such a policy more widely adopted.

He endorsed the globalization of the NPT, the CTBT and the Chemical Weapons Convention and he supported arrangements for transparency in the Biological Weapons Convention. Noting the need for international interdependence, he welcomed the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones around the world. His was one of many Arab States that were trying to establish such a region in the Middle East. He called on Israel, as the only nuclear State in the region, to submit to the safeguard system of the IAEA. Israel's nuclear policy was contrary to the will of the international community.

He said anti-personnel landmines imperiled the lives of innocent people, not only during wars, but after wars were over. He called for the comprehensive prohibition of such weapons. He urged all States to accede to the treaty banning such weapons that would be open for signature in Ottawa in December.

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MITSURO DONAWAKI (Japan), speaking in his capacity as Chairman of the Panel of Governmental Experts on Small Arms, said that small arms and light weapons were increasingly being used as primary instruments of violence in the conflicts dealt with by the United Nations. Even where those regional conflicts had ended, the easy availability of such weapons was causing an alarming rise in criminal activities and seriously hampering the reorientation of the nations involved.

The question of how to prevent and reduce their excessive and destabilizing accumulation was a matter of the highest priority and one of the most serious challenges facing the international community, he said. The intractable nature of that new challenge had to be recognized. Those weapons were relatively easy to produce, obtain, use and transport. They were hard to place under effective governmental controls even in developed countries. Consequently, they were prone to be traded in an illicit or clandestine manner. Their excessive and destabilizing accumulation in regions of conflict was "unfortunately a foregone fact that has already taken place".

He said that, given the mandate to report on the ways and means to "prevent and reduce" the excessive and destabilizing accumulation and transfer of small weapons, the Panel grouped together one set of recommendations under the heading of "reduction" and the other under the heading of "prevention". The measures for reduction required immediate attention, because they related to some specific regions where conflicts were taking place or had taken place and where those weapons were already causing deaths, displacement, the rise in criminality and so forth. The measures for prevention required concerted efforts by all nations, because those weapons were being produced, held in stockpiles and used and traded on a global scale.

The specific recommendations under the heading of "reduction" stressed the importance of mobilizing all-out efforts of the donor nations, he said. People of the troubled regions would not easily turn in their weapons, unless their security was adequately guaranteed by their governments. The Panel found a new approach initiated by the United Nations in Mali and surrounding West African nations. That proportional and integrated approach to security and development, including the identification of appropriate assistance for the internal security forces, was first recommended in the Secretary-General's Sahara-Sahel Advisory Mission Report of 1995. During the past year, that approach was further endorsed and had obtained the cooperation of the donor nations, including Japan.

The new approach with respect to Mali, according to the unanimous view of the members of the Panel, was not only the right and correct approach, but should be pursued vigorously by arousing greater awareness among the donor community, he said. Moreover, it should be applied to all other regions where the excessive and destabilizing accumulation of small arms and light weapons was causing real and serious problems.

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Another related recommendation included turn-in initiatives, which had been used locally in some specific regions with significant successes, he continued. Ways should be found to enlighten the donor nations in that regard, so that they might contribute financial and other support. The Panel recognized the need for intensified, cooperation among police, security and customs officials and related regional and international organizations in addressing the problem.

Unlike the seven categories of larger conventional weapons covered by the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, what was needed for small arms and light weapons was their immediate reduction, he said. In that regard, the concept of a regional register could be pursued through the establishment of regional networks for information sharing among regional governments.

The Panel found that the guidelines for international arms transfers adopted by a General Assembly resolution in 1991 were of great relevance, he said. Other recommendations by the Panel addressed the disposal of the surplus of such weapons, as well as their safeguarding them from loss through theft and corruption. While the Panel recommended that Member States take appropriate measures in that regard, it also recommended, that the United Nations consider an international conference on the elicit arms trade.

He said the Panel recommended that the United Nations carry out three specific studies, concerning -- reliable system of marking weapons and of the feasibility of a computerized ballistic fingerprinting system of all the small arms and light weapons manufactured to military specifications; a database of authorized manufacturers and dealers aimed at narrowing the field for the illegal trading of such arms; and the problems of ammunition and explosives that required highly developed and precise industrial tools.

MARIA LAOSE-AJAYI (Nigeria) said it would be a signpost on the road towards international peace if the nuclear-weapon States would recognize the necessity of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. Instead, the accumulation of weapons continued, against the backdrop of the ever-present nuclear threat. Every State should consider the maintenance of international security as a collective responsibility. In particular, the elimination of nuclear weapons was a priority. Current conditions were favourable for the start of real negotiations on nuclear disarmament.

It was widely accepted that the United Nations had the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, she said. The United Nations relied to a large extent on regional and subregional organizations in that regard. The experience of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the West African subregion was a demonstrative example of how genuine intentions and collaboration could contribute to conflict resolution. The situation in Liberia underscored the symbiotic

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relationship between peace and development. That reinforced the determination of ECOWAS leaders to resolve crisis situations in their region.

In April 1997, the new review process of the NPT had begun, she said. "The process maybe new, but the old attitudes seem to persist." The request of non-nuclear-weapon States parties to the NPT was still being denied. The ability of the Treaty to stop vertical proliferation of nuclear weapons remained in doubt. At the same time, she welcomed the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which her country had signed at its opening in Paris in January 1993. She was encouraged by the action of major chemical weapon States in favour of that treaty.

Conventional weapons were the only means by which many countries defended themselves, she said. They were also the weapons that inflicted death in the millions and pain and human suffering on a daily basis all over the globe. International action was needed for their control. Calling for control of conventional weapons, while pursuing an aggressive arms sales policy, was dishonest and a disservice to the cause of peace.

BERNARD GOONETILLEKE (Sri Lanka), speaking in his capacity as President of the Conference on Disarmament, said that, as the Secretary-General's report on the Conference indicated, the 1997 session was not the most productive. Despite intensive efforts aimed at developing consensus on how to address its agenda items, the Conference was not in a position to establish ad hoc committees or other mechanisms on any of them.

That was mainly due to the persistence of political divergences among the membership on the priorities to be accorded to the issues, he continued. However, that did not mean that the Conference had not made any attempt to overcome those difficulties. In both formal and informal sessions held throughout the session, a number of documents were tabled by individual delegations and groups of delegations on specific agenda items.

He said that the 1997 session could be characterized as a year of "pause and reflection" following the end of the cold war, the conclusion of the Chemical Weapons Convention, the indefinite extension of the NPT and the conclusion of the CTBT. The Conference could not be expected to produce a global arms treaty every few years. All major negotiations were preceded by a pre-negotiating stage aimed at reaching an understanding among all the participants on the issues to be addressed. That process involved the necessary harmonization of views, taking into consideration the security concerns of all.

The Conference decided to appoint four special coordinators in the course of its work, he said. Those were on the issues of: anti-personnel landmines; review of the agenda; expansion of the Conference's membership; and the improved and effective functioning of that body. It was generally accepted that the conclusion of the Ottawa process would allow the Conference

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to decide upon its role on landmines, if any. No consensus had been possible on the subject of nuclear disarmament, he added.

He said that the consultations on the agenda, though inconclusive, helped clarify priorities on the post-cold war disarmament agenda. Despite the lack of consensus, there was a shared determination to elaborate a balanced agenda that recognized the security concerns of all. With regard to the 1998 session, he was encouraged by the willingness expressed during the final stages of the 1997 session to start substantive work on some issues early in 1998. The determination expressed by all to make full use of the potential of the Conference augured well for a productive 1998 session.

NASTE CALOVSKI (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) said that, although there had been many improvements in the international security situation, there were still areas of concern. That was particularly true of his region, the Balkans. He emphasized that there was no alternative to the full implementation of the Dayton Agreement for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the development of good-neighbourly relations among Balkan States.

He noted the successful continuation of the inter-Balkan process initiated by the Sofia Declaration of 1996, further enhanced by the Thessaloniki Declaration of 1997 on good-neighbourly relations, stability and cooperation in the Balkans. An important contribution to stability in the region was the presence of the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP). He had informally circulated a draft resolution on the development of good-neighbourly relations among the Balkan States. He expected it would be endorsed by many delegations and adopted unanimously.

He said the goal to have a world free from nuclear weapons remained his disarmament priority. The positive results of the NPT process, the adoption of the CTBT and the IAEA model Protocol should not be the last such international events. He supported a ban on the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons and called for a narrowing between the positions of nuclear and non-nuclear-weapon States. He also welcomed the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention and called for the effective implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention.

He also supported measures to control conventional weapons. While it was important that each country should have enough weapons for its national defence, care must be taken not to generate arms races. There should be an international instrument for the limitation of conventional weapons. Perhaps the Conference on Disarmament could prepare a regional model instrument on the limitation of such weapons, based on the experience of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty) Treaty. The problem of illicit trafficking of conventional weapons had been a particular problem in his region. His country also fully endorsed all efforts aimed at banning anti-personnel landmines and supported the Ottawa process to ban such weapons.

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He called for greater participation in the activities of the First Committee by Member States of the Untied Nations. He called for a rationalization of the work programme of the Committee that would avoid duplicating the work covered in other fora, so that delegations from more States could fully participate. The merging of the First Committee with the Special Political and the Fourth Committee should be considered. It was also important to enlarge the membership of the Conference on Disarmament, he said.

RAJAD SUKAYRI (Jordan) said that while the Committee convened this year against the backdrop of some remarkable disarmament and security developments, much was still lacking. Sincere and relentless efforts should be exerted towards more concrete achievements.

In the nuclear disarmament sphere, little, if any, had been done towards commencing serious multilateral negotiations aimed at the total elimination of those weapons, he said. On equal footing with the other two weapons of mass destruction, namely chemical and biological weapons, efforts should be geared towards a treaty banning the production, development, stockpiling, transfer, deployment and use of nuclear weapons. In order to pave the way for such a treaty, besides the considerable step achieved through the conclusion of the CTBT, a total ban on the production of fissile material was now immediately needed. He was disappointed by the failure of the Conference on Disarmament to advance negotiations in that regard.

As the universality of the NPT drew near, it was with much concern that he noted the unique, and even odd, security situation prevailing in the Middle East, he said. All States in the region except Israel were now parties to the NPT. The one State that defiantly monopolized nuclear capabilities in the region had so far refrained from acceding to the Treaty or even declaring its intention to do so. The considerable nuclear facilities operated by Israel were still unsafeguarded, thereby posing a grave threat to the security of all regional States, as well as to the ongoing peace process. He called on Israel to accede to the NPT and to place its nuclear facilities under the full-scope safeguards of the IAEA.

As Jordan's Foreign Minister had announced to the Assembly earlier this month, he said that his Government would accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention. By that step, Jordan had complemented its adherence to all three major treaties concerning weapons of mass destruction. Nuclear-weapon-free zones had proved to be a most effective instrument for promoting nuclear non- proliferation and confidence-building measures. All concerned parties, including the nuclear-weapon States, should spare no effort towards the achievement of such a zone in the Middle East.

He emphasized the vital importance of security assurances to non- nuclear-weapon States. The NPT review process should focus attention on achieving an internationally legally binding instrument on security assurances. Concerning the transparency of conventional weapons, he said that

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unless the Register of Conventional Arms was broadened to encompass military holdings and procurement through national production, as well as stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, its effective operation could not be expected in the near future.

He shared the disappointment of many States on the failure of the Disarmament Commission to reach agreement on the convening of a fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament. It was imperative that agreement be reached during the current Assembly session on a specific date for the special session.

PATRICIA DURRANT (Jamaica), speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said she was encouraged by the progress in the field of disarmament, noting the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the conclusion of the CTBT. She was also pleased that the movement to ban anti-personnel landmines had attracted such wide support. The international community should seize the moment and take concrete steps to consolidate those disarmament gains.

Full and verifiable nuclear disarmament was of major importance to all States, she continued. She called on all nuclear-weapon States to respond to the desire of the overwhelming majority of States for prompt and effective measures towards full and verifiable nuclear disarmament within a specific time-frame. She called on nuclear-weapon States that had not yet done so to ratify outstanding agreements. She also called for a ban on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons production. The stockpiling of such material undermined the promise of the NPT and the CTBT. She appealed to members of the Conference on Disarmament to break the deadlock in that body.

She supported the movement to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones, such as the one in Latin America and the Caribbean that had been established by the Treaty of Tlatelolco. Of specific concern to CARICOM States was the danger posed by the movement of nuclear waste through the waters of the region. She called on the relevant states to take the views of the region on the matter fully into account.

An issue of deep concern to many States was the proliferation of small arms, the gravity of which was reflected in the report of the Panel of Governmental Experts on Small Arms, she said. The Panel had drawn attention to the relationship between the accumulation of small arms and the illicit drug trade, an issue of great concern to CARICOM States. Efforts were underway within her region to develop a regional instrument to deal with such weapons. She hoped the Panel's recommendations would be fully addressed by the General Assembly.

She noted the efforts to conclude a convention banning anti-personnel landmines, which was now at a decisive stage, and she commended Canada for the efforts it had made in that regard. She also called for the convening of an

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effective and meaningful fourth special session of the General Assembly on disarmament. There should be no debating the efficacy of that move, as it was clear there were fundamental and far reaching issues of disarmament that needed the most serious attention of Member States. The delegations she represented did not possess vast arrays of weapons, nor were they interested in obtaining them, but that decision had not isolated them from the threat posed by the proliferation of weapons elsewhere. She, therefore, called on all States to commit themselves to maintaining only the levels of arms necessary for self-defence. DURI MOHAMMEAD (Ethiopia) said that the effort aimed at banning anti- personnel landmines, concluded in a relatively short time was particularly satisfying. As a country affected by the presence of more than 1.5 million landmines, Ethiopia had fully supported the Ottawa process. The toal ban of landmines was not an end in itself, especially to those parts of the world already affected. The expensive and arduous task of mine clearance remained the most serious challenge facing the international community. To deal with those challenges, the commitment and political will of all States, particularly those that possessed the technological and financial capacity, was indispensable. Notwithstanding the positive achievements in the area of nuclear disarmament, the total elimination of nuclear weapons remained the most urgent challenge to the international community, he said. The Conference on Disarmament, by virtue of its long experience in disarmament negotiations, should continue to play its role in elaborating universal strategy to eliminate the threat of nuclear weapons. It should agree on immediate and concurrent commencement at its 1998 session of -- negotiations and early conclusion of a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons; a multilaterally negotiated legally binding instrument of assurances to non-nuclear weapon States; and a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. The Register of Conventional Arms built trust and confidence, he said. Since its establishment, the increase in information it received underscored the keen interest countries had in promoting greater openness and transparency in conventional arms transfer. Transparency promoted the creation of pragmatic, bilateral and regional confidence-building mechanisms, with regions assuming a role in developing formulas to fit their specific character and situation. He said that Ethiopia was concerned about the increasing illicit trafficking, accumulations and use of small arms worldwide, particularly in conflict affected areas. Illicit trafficking and use of those arms encouraged violence, criminality and terrorism, thereby destabilizing States and entire regions. Governments at all levels needed to address the problem. In that connection, the recommendations of the Panel of Governmental Experts on Small Arms was a sound basis for further follow-up action by governments and by the international community.

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IBRA DEGUENE KA (Senegal) said recent international developments in security and disarmament left him ambivalent. There had been some breakthroughs, but many obstacles remained. Despite his ambivalence, however, he did recognize that important progress had been made in the last five years, which far outstripped the progress of the previous five-year period.

Numerous agreements on disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation had been concluded, he said. In only one year, the CTBT had been signed by more than 140 countries. It was a major step towards the global control of nuclear weapons. He urged all States that had not yet done so to sign it and speed its entry into force. He noted the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention, but said the universality of that treaty was still a distant goal. The Preparatory Committee for the Review Conference had been positive for the progress of the NPT.

He said the recent conference in Tashkent, Kazakstan showed the willingness of States to create a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia, a move that would also strengthen existing zones. However, general and complete disarmament was still a distant goal. Many States were asking what should be done now to follow up on the momentum created in the last five years. He deplored the situation of uncertainty in the Conference on Disarmament. The spirit of consensus that had always guided that body seemed to have been eclipsed by a reign of suspicion, where any proposal was viewed with caution.

Conventional weapons continued to cause much suffering, he continued. In addition to the threat of nuclear destruction, the problems of security were linked to the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which posed obstacles to the building and consolidation of democratic processes. Attention should be given to strategies to halt the proliferation and excessive trade of such weapons. He welcomed the report of the Panel of Governmental Experts on Small Arms, which suggested ways to combat the spread of such weapons.

He applauded the adoption in September of the Convention banning anti- personnel landmines, he said. That represented a happy conclusion to Canada's proposal to ban such weapons and established international standards for the complete elimination of such weapons. He invited all States to sign the Convention, so that it could quickly enter into force.

He represented a country recognized for its spirit of peace and harmony -- which had signed all disarmament treaties. As such, he called for States to be guided by the need to focus on development, as a result of disarmament dividends. That was necessary to build a world of peace and progress.

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