REGIONAL MEETING ON DISARMAMENT TO BE HELD IN KATHMANDU 22 - 24 FEBRUARY
Press Release
DC/2597
REGIONAL MEETING ON DISARMAMENT TO BE HELD IN KATHMANDU 22 - 24 FEBRUARY
19980220 NEW YORK, 20 February (Department for Disarmament Affairs) -- The Department for Disarmament Affairs, through its Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, will convene a regional disarmament meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 22 to 24 February. This meeting will be held in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Regional Centre and the "Kathmandu process" it has initiated.Since 1989, the Kathmandu meetings have served as a forum for regional and subregional dialogue for the promotion of openness, transparency and confidence-building. This dialogue, facilitated by the Regional Centre, has become known as the "Kathmandu process". Recently, General Assembly resolution 52/39A reaffirmed the continued operation and further strengthening of the Regional Centre as an essential means to promote that process.
In the post-cold war era, as regional approach has become an increasingly important means to assist in identifying and addressing disarmament and security issues, the Kathmandu process has been acknowledged as a valuable tool for promoting such regional efforts. The tenth anniversary will be an opportunity to examine the role of the Regional Centre in furthering the process, to take stock of the achievements so far, and to examine the future prospects of the process.
Approximately 35 participants from government, academic and research institutes, and non-governmental organizations, mainly from the Asia-Pacific region, are expected to attend the three-day meeting. It will be financed entirely from voluntary contributions of Member States and other interested organizations.
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