DISARMAMENT COMMISSION HEARS PROGRESS REPORTS BY CHAIRMAN OF WORKING GROUPS
Press Release
DC/2604
DISARMAMENT COMMISSION HEARS PROGRESS REPORTS BY CHAIRMAN OF WORKING GROUPS
19980420 The Disarmament Commission this morning heard reports from the chairmen of its three working groups on the progress made so far on the key disarmament issues before the current session.Working group I is considering the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones. Working group II is working towards agreement on the date and the elements of a provisional agenda of a fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament. The third working group is formulating a comprehensive approach to guidelines on conventional arms control/limitation and disarmament.
The Chairman of working group I, Miguel Aguirre de Carcer (Spain), said the group held a wide-ranging discussion last week on the nuclear-weapon-free zone issue. It had gathered a broad range of comments and proposals from delegations, with a view to enriching the Chairman's working paper from last year. It was now ready to begin consideration of additional issues requiring more thorough discussion. Overall, the group was making "good progress", which would be reflected in the report to be submitted to the Commission at the end of the week.
With respect to the Assembly's fourth special session on disarmament, the Chairman of working group II, Subjadnan Parnohadiningrat (Indonesia), said that the group had focused on the formulation of a common agenda for the special session. Discussions and negotiations were continuing on a number of contentious issues. The delegation of Germany had been asked to chair a small group to resolve those issues. That sub-group would present a working paper to the larger group for discussion. Working group II would present its report by end of the week.
The Chairman of the third working group, Matia Mulumba Semakula Kiwanuka (Uganda), said the group had held wide ranging discussions based partly on the Chairman's working papers from its 1997 session and on those submitted by delegations. It had completed discussions on practical disarmament measures as they related to the consolidation of peace. It would now take up the items on codes of conduct for conventional arms transfers and the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, on which more time was needed. The group was making "good progress" and would report to the Commission by the middle of the week.
The Disarmament Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 28 April, to introduce and adopt the reports of its subsidiary bodies.
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