CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT HEARS REPORTS FROM ITS FIVE SPECIAL COORDINATORS

Press Release
DCF/347

CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT HEARS REPORTS FROM ITS FIVE SPECIAL COORDINATORS

GENEVA, 27 August (UN Information Service) -- The Conference on Disarmament, approaching the close of its 1998 session, this morning heard reports from its five Special Coordinators on anti-personnel landmines, prevention of an arms race in outer space, transparency in armaments, improved and effective functioning of the Conference, and review of the agenda.

The Special Coordinator on anti-personnel landmines said that while he was naturally disappointed that he had been unable to come up with a consensus, he believed the Conference should reappoint a Special Rapporteur on anti-personnel landmines next year to conclude the work and achieve consensus necessary for the Conference to take an early decision to establish a committee on this subject.

Concerning the prevention of an arms race in outer space, the Special Coordinator said there was a wide measure of support for the draft text of the mandate he had presented, although a complete consensus would require further consultations. He recommended that this text be used as a basis for further consultations with a view to taking a decision on the re-establishment of the ad hoc committee under this agenda item.

The Special Coordinator on transparency in armaments said the common endeavours on transparency in armaments had brought the Conference closer to a consensus. His progress report illustrated the need for continuation next year of the work resumed at this session by appointing a Special Coordinator.

With regards to the improved and effective functioning of the Conference, the Special Coordinator said there remained differences and doubts which prevented a consensus at this stage, and lack of time did not allow for further exploration of these and other ideas which might be useful. He recommended that the Conference continue at its next session pursuing the study of its improved and effective functioning.

The Special Coordinator on the review of the agenda said that while he was not in a position to make specific recommendations on the substance of the review of the agenda, he had the impression that delegations were interested and willing to take up this issue in 1999. He recommended the Conference continue consultations on the review of the agenda during the next session by

appointing a special coordinator on this issue at the start of the 1999 session.

The representatives of Argentina and Germany also addressed the meeting. The public plenary was immediately followed by an informal one to discuss the annual report of the Conference on Disarmament. The 1998 session of the Conference concludes on 9 September.

Statements

J.C. SANCHEZ ARNAU (Argentina) said he would be leaving his post in Geneva in a few days and he would not break with the tradition of giving a speech; but rather than speak about his experience in Geneva, he would review the external policy of Argentina with regard to disarmament. Among other steps, Argentina in 1994 had ratified the treaty banning nuclear weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean. A year later, Argentina had presented its instrument of accession to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Weapons of mass destruction had never been very popular in Latin America. The region had also made progress with conventional weapons to enhance security, and numerous steps had been taken by Argentina with regard to banning anti-personnel landmines. The problem of landmines called for coordinated cooperation within the international community as a whole, and Argentina supported the work of the Conference on Disarmament on this issue. Another sphere of non-proliferation concerned chemical weapons, and Argentina in October 1995 had ratified the Convention on Chemical Weapons.

Mr. Arnau referred to three important moments during his work at the Conference on Disarmament. The first was when he arrived in Geneva in the intense final stages of negotiating the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which was the greatest achievement of the Conference in past years. The second major moment was the arduous negotiation to adopt Ambassador Shannon's report and its mandate for a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable convention banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear devices. Three years later, after intensive negotiations, the Conference had managed to establish an Ad Hoc Committee on this issue.

In conclusion, Mr. Arnau noted that the group system used within the Conference was dictated by national interests and often hampered in reaching a common minimum denominator. He underlined that Argentina was firmly committed to peace, security and disarmament.

JOHN CAMPBELL (Australia) presented his report as Special Coordinator on anti-personnel landmines, recalling that when he had last proposed a draft mandate and an accompanying statement of understanding to the Conference he said he would continue his consultations. They culminated in a request to the President to ascertain the views of the regional groups. The President

- 3 - Press Release DCF/347 27 August 1998

advised him that China, the Eastern Group and the Western Group had reached a consensus in support of the two documents. However, the President said the "Group of 21" still required further time to consider the proposals. Therefore, he was not yet in a position to advise the President that a consensus existed.

Mr. Campbell said he was naturally disappointed that he had been unable to come up with a mandate which would enjoy the full support of all members of the Conference. However, he believed that point had nearly been reached. Therefore, he believed the Conference should reappoint a special rapporteur on anti-personnel landmines next year to conclude the work and achieve the consensus necessary for the Conference to take an early decision to establish an ad hoc committee on this subject. Agreement should be possible within the Conference to negotiate a ban on transfers of landmines. Any work in the Conference on anti-personnel landmines could contribute to reducing these enormous costs to the international community, which would be a thoroughly worthwhile and justified objective. It was important that the international community attack both the supply and the demand sides of this conundrum; where it was not possible to persuade political groups to forsake the use of anti-personnel landmines, the international community, through the Conference, could take measures to diminish the international supply of these weapons.

H.M.G.S. PALIHAKKARA (Sri Lanka) presented his report as Special Coordinator on prevention of an arms race in outer space, saying there continued to be the general recognition that this agenda item was one of importance and urgency and that delegations showed readiness to contribute towards the common objective in a constructive spirit. Consultations also revealed that there was no objection in principle to the re-establishment of an ad hoc committee under this agenda item. However, it was evident that further consultations would be needed as to when that decision could be taken.

Mr. Palihakkara said he had presented a draft mandate for the Ad Hoc Committee on this item in open-ended consultations. According to the draft, the Conference would ask the Ad Hoc Committee "to continue to examine and to identify, through substantive and general consideration, issues relevant to item 3 of the agenda with a view to, inter alia, agreeing on a mandate for the Ad Hoc Committee to negotiate specific measures towards the prevention of an arms race in outer space". There was a wide measure of support for the draft text, and the approaches contained therein, although a complete consensus thereon would require further consultations. He recommended that this text be used as a basis for further consultations, with a view to taking a decision on the re-establishment of the Ad Hoc Committee under this agenda item.

PAVEL GRECU (Romania) presented his report as Special Coordinator on transparency in armaments, which he said referred to three main aspects. They were the merits of transparency in armaments, the scope of activity on transparency in armaments, and possible ways of dealing with transparency in

- 4 - Press Release DCF/347 27 August 1998

armaments within the Conference on Disarmament. Transparency was an important ingredient in building confidence. Without confidence, it would not be possible to achieve security for all in a sustained manner. However, transparency was not an end in itself, nor could it be a substitute for removing the root causes of tensions, nor for concrete and verifiable balanced and non-discriminatory arms control agreements.

Mr. Grecu said that, concerning the scope of activity on transparency in armaments, three issues emerged as being of particular interest and sensitiveness: the work of the Conference on Disarmament relating to the United Nations Register for Conventional Arms, transparency in the field of weapons of mass destruction, and the relation between regional and global interests in terms of transparency in armaments. On all of those substantive issues further consultations were needed in order to reach a common ground. As for possible ways of dealing with transparency in armaments, the Special Coordinator said there were several schools of thought. He said that the common endeavours on transparency in armaments had brought the Conference closer to a consensus. His progress report illustrated the need for continuation next year of the work resumed at this session by appointing a Special Coordinator.

JAVIER ILLANES (Chile) presented his report as Special Coordinator on improved and effective functioning of the Conference by noting that when he was appointed as Special Coordinator on 14 May, he took into account the conclusions of his predecessor, Ambassador Mounir Zahran of Egypt. Given the short time available, he gave priority to consulting on certain new ideas and proposals to improve and streamline practices and measures to facilitate functioning of the Conference. There remained differences and doubts which prevented a consensus at this stage, and lack of time did not allow for further exploration of these and other ideas which might be useful. It was worthwhile to note there was a wide convergence of views on the usefulness of informal presidential consultations as a way of advancing the work of the Conference. He recommended that the Conference continue at its next session, pursuing the study of its improved and effective functioning.

PETER NARAY (Hungary) presented his report as Special Coordinator on the review of the agenda, saying his first general observation was that in the light of several new developments since the end of the last session, which were closely related to the work of the Conference and the changing security environment associated with them, delegations had started to reconsider their positions on major issues of disarmament. As a result, he had witnessed more flexibility and increased desire for action on the part of a number of delegations without experiencing a major shift in basic positions on substantive matters or willingness to redefine the disarmament agenda established during the years of the cold war. His second observation was that the practical inactivity of the Conference in the past two years, and some important developments in the field of disarmament which took place outside

- 5 - Press Release DCF/347 27 August 1998

the body, sent a clear message: if Governments did not wish to lose advantages which were associated with this highly appreciated professional disarmament forum, practical arrangements should be made regarding the Conference's agenda and programme of work.

Mr. Naray said since basic positions on the agenda were not sufficiently close to embark on an exercise to combine approaches despite the increased flexibility of many delegations, he was not in a position to make an attempt to propose a new future agenda for the Conference. He would suggest possible amendments, additions and updates within the framework of the present agenda. Among other things, he noted that the most frequently proposed item for deletion was item 5, "New types of weapons of mass destruction and new system of such weapons; radiological weapons". A large number of delegations also suggested, or at least indicated the lack of opposition on their side, to include a new item called "Conventional weapons". In conclusion, the Special Coordinator said that while he was not in a position to make specific recommendations on the substance of the review of the agenda, he had the impression that delegations were interested and willing to take up this issue in 1999. He recommended the Conference continue consultations on the review of the agenda during the next session by appointing a special coordinator on this issue at the start of its 1999 session.

The Representative of Germany took the floor to inform the Conference that his country had on 20 August deposited its instrument of ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. The Federal Government would continue to work for its entry into force with the ultimate goal of making nuclear weapons a thing of the past. He noted that the reports of the Special Rapporteurs just presented showed considerable progress in several areas, and it was important that work on these issues continued.

* *** *