CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT CONCLUDES 1998 SESSION

10 September 1998

Press Release
DCF/350

CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT CONCLUDES 1998 SESSION

19980910 GENEVA, 8 September (United Nations Information Service) -- The Conference on Disarmament, the world's sole multilateral forum for disarmament negotiations, concluded today its 1998 session. During the session, the Conference examined the following agenda items: cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament; prevention of nuclear war; prevention of an arms race in outer space; effective international arrangements to assure non- nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons; new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons, radiological weapons; comprehensive programme of disarmament, anti-personnel landmines; and transparency in armaments.

In order to examine certain items on its agenda, the Conference established two Ad Hoc Committees on fissile material and negative security assurances and appointed three Special Coordinators on anti-personnel landmines, prevention of an arms race in outer space, and transparency in armaments. Three other Special Coordinators were appointed to consider the improvement and effective functioning of the Conference, review of the agenda and expansion of membership.

On 26 March, the Conference created an Ad Hoc Committee on effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons -- negative security assurances. Under the Chairmanship of Antonio de Icaza of Mexico, the report of the Ad Hoc Committee concluded that pending the complete and effective elimination of nuclear weapons, non-nuclear-weapon States should be effectively assured by the nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. The report recommended the Conference re-establish the Ad Hoc Committee at the beginning of the 1999 session.

It was towards the end of its annual session that the Conference decided on 11 August to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to negotiate a non-discriminatory, multilateral, internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. Mark Moher of Canada was appointed as its Chairman. He also recommended that the Ad Hoc Committee be re-established in 1999 to continue the work accomplished during the present session.

Nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation were among the most debated issues in the Conference. The rotating presidency of the Conference continued, throughout the session, to pursue intensive consultations and to seek the views of the Member States on appropriate methods and approaches for dealing with agenda item 1, taking into consideration all proposals and views in this respect. The President of the Conference, Ian Soutar of the United Kingdom, said the positions of delegations were still too far apart to be bridged and there was no prospect of agreeing at this session on the establishment of any further mechanism to address nuclear disarmament.

The 1998 session heard numerous addresses on the importance of nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation following the nuclear weapons tests carried out by India and Pakistan, as well as discussions on the role of the Conference on Disarmament on the issue of anti-personnel landmines in light of the Ottawa Convention signed last year.

Many speakers denounced the nuclear tests carried out by India and Pakistan in May 1998 and there were calls for the two States to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The nuclear tests also prompted Member States to urge the five nuclear-weapon States to fulfill their responsibility to implement nuclear disarmament in a time-bound framework. Some Member States, including the Group of 21, stressed the importance of considering nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation within the Conference. Western Group countries said it was more important to negotiate a ban on production of fissile material for nuclear weapons.

The Conference also heard a joint declaration by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia, South Africa and Sweden, issued on 9 June, in which they said the nuclear-weapon States should immediately abandon present hair-trigger postures by proceeding to deactivate their nuclear weapons. Non-strategic nuclear weapons should also be removed from deployed sites. Such measures would create beneficial conditions for continued disarmament efforts and help prevent inadvertent, accidental or unauthorized launches. The declaration said the three nuclear-weapon-capable States must also clearly and urgently reverse the pursuit of their respective nuclear weapons development or deployment and refrain from any actions which could undermine the efforts of the international community on nuclear disarmament.

The issue of anti-personnel landmines also generated many statements within the Conference this session. Member States were discussing the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to negotiate a ban on the transfer of anti-personnel landmines. Many States stressed the moral and humanitarian duty of the Conference to pursue this goal, while others underlined that any negotiations should be complementary to the Ottawa process.

At the opening of the session on 20 January, the Conference heard a message from Secretary-General Kofi Annan, read out on his behalf by Vladimir

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Petrovsky, Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament and Mr. Annan's personal representative, in which he underlined the central importance of disarmament to the global agenda, and that the United Nations had an essential role and primary responsibility in that field. While acknowledging the significant progress achieved in recent years to outlaw chemical and biological weapons and to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime, the Secretary-General also pointed out the opportunities afforded by the end of the Cold War to make further progress in the area of weapons of mass destruction. In his message, the Secretary-General emphasized that nuclear disarmament should be pursued more vigorously, particularly by nuclear-weapon States, with the view to the progressive reduction and complete elimination of nuclear weapons at the earliest date. At the same time, he expressed serious concern at the spread of various types of conventional weapons, especially landmines and small arms, which were extensively used in regional and subregional conflicts.

During the course of the session, the Conference heard statements by many senior Government Ministers, including the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Pakistan, Kazakstan and Iran; the Ministers of State for Foreign Affairs of Switzerland and Norway; and the Deputy Foreign Ministers of Colombia and Iran.

The Conference adopted its annual report this morning, setting the dates for its 1999 session in three parts: from 18 January to 26 March; from 10 May to 25 June; and from 26 July to 8 September.

Questions Examined

Cessation of the Nuclear Arms Race and Nuclear Disarmament: The President of the Conference on Disarmament, Ian Soutar of the United Kingdom, reported on the consultations carried out by the Presidency to seek the views of Member States on appropriate methods and approaches for dealing with agenda item 1. The exchange of views revealed a divergence of opinion between those delegations who believed that the Conference should now concentrate its energies on launching the negotiations for a ban on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, which they regarded as the next necessary step towards nuclear disarmament, and those who believed that the Conference also needed to establish an Ad Hoc Committee or some other mechanism for addressing nuclear disarmament.

Mr. Soutar said that in his judgement, and despite the assurances of flexibility and moderation he had received from all quarters, the positions of delegations were still too far apart to be bridged even through the most ingenious drafting. There was no prospect of agreeing at this session on the establishment of any further mechanism to address nuclear disarmament. He believed that the mandate given to successive Presidencies which was related to the 1998 session of the Conference was technically spent. Despite the inconclusive outcome, a number of delegations had told him that they found the consultative process to be useful and that they would favour its continuation

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in some form or other. He recommended that the Troika consultations resume at the start of the 1999 session of the Conference on Disarmament.

On 11 August, and after intensive consultations, the Conference decided to establish under item 1 of its agenda entitled "Cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament" an Ad Hoc Committee to negotiate, on the basis of the Shannon Report (CD/1299), a non-discriminatory, multilateral, internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices (CD/1547).

In reading out the decision, then Conference President Mykola Maimeskul of Ukraine said it was made "without prejudice to any further decisions on the establishment of further subsidiary bodies under agenda item 1" (CD/1548). This came at the request of many Member States which believe that the Ad Hoc Committee to negotiate a ban on production of fissile material should be a step toward creating an Ad Hoc Committee on nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation.

Mark Moher of Canada was chosen as the Ad Hoc Committee's Chairman. He said one of the main issues concerning the Committee that need to be resolved is its scope and whether it should deal with past, present or future stockpiles of fissile material. The report of the Ad Hoc Committee (CD/1555) stated that the delegations had a general exchange of views as a first step in the substantive negotiations and agreed to recommend the Conference on Disarmament to re-establish the Ad Hoc Committee at the beginning of the 1999 session.

Negative Security Assurances: The report of the Ad Hoc Committee on effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons (CD/1554), under the Chairmanship of Antonio de Icaza of Mexico, concluded that pending the complete and effective elimination of nuclear weapons, non-nuclear-weapon States should be effectively assured by the nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. At the same time, the relationship between the question of negative and positive security assurances was noted. Any further negotiations on the issue of negative security assurances should take fully into account the outcome of the 1998 deliberations in the Committee as well as the recommendations and suggestions of the previous session. It was agreed to recommend the Conference to re-establish the Ad Hoc Committee at the beginning of the 1999 session.

Anti-Personnel Landmines: The Special Coordinator on Anti-Personnel Landmines, John Campbell of Australia, said in his final report that although China, the Eastern Group and the Western Group had reached a consensus in support of the draft mandate he had proposed and an accompanying statement of understanding (see press release DC/98/30 of 25 June 1998), 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. However,

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this consensus was close, therefore, he believed the Conference should reappoint a Special Coordinator on Anti-Personnel Landmines next year to conclude the work and achieve 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.

Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space: H.M.G.S. Palihakkara of Sri Lanka presented his final 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 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. 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.

Transparency in Armaments: The Special Coordinator on Transparency in Armaments, Pavel Grecu of Romania, referred in his final report to three main aspects, namely: the merits of transparency in armaments, the scope of activity on transparency in armaments and possible ways of dealing with transparency in armaments within the Conference on Disarmament. He concluded by saying 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.

Issues Regarding Organization of Work of the Conference: Javier Illanes of Chile, the Special Coordinator on Improved and Effective Functioning of the Conference, noted in his final report that given the short time available, he gave priority to consult 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.

Concerning the review of the agenda, the Special Coordinator on this issue, Peter Naray of Hungary, said in his final report that since basic positions on the agenda, despite increased flexibility of many delegations,

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were not sufficiently close to embark on an exercise to combine approaches, 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. The Special Coordinator concluded by saying 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 Special Coordinator on the Expansion of Membership, Erwin Hofer of Switzerland, said his work had resulted in several options. One option could be described as "qualified universality", meaning that all Member States of the United Nations and specialized agencies had the right to apply for membership to the Conference. This had received broad support. Other States had supported another option, which constituted admitting the great majority of States which had asked to join the Conference. Others still wanted a combination of the two options. On the basis of these positions, the Special Coordinator drew the provisional and welcome conclusion that there was a consensus on the principle of future expansion, but differences remained on timing, scope, ways and means of such expansion. The two options were not ripe for the Conference to take a position on, and therefore, the Conference would have to look at them again later.

Mr. Hofer said he also noted an outline of a potential consensus that the Conference could be expanded by the limited number of five States and he had finally arrived at the conclusion that it was possible to form a consensus for such an expansion. This would allow accession to the Conference by one State from each of the following regions: Western Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Africa, Asia and Latin America. There had been a possibility to take the decision to admit Ecuador, Ireland, Kazakstan, Malaysia and Tunisia to the Conference. However, the President of the Conference had informed him that while the forum was close to a consensus, it was not in a position to take an operational decision on this. Therefore, Mr. Hofer recommended that the Conference appoint a Special Coordinator to continue informal consultations on this issue next year.

Conference on Disarmament: The Conference, which works on the basis of consensus, emerged from the decisions of the 1978 special session on disarmament of the General Assembly. Membership stands at 61, following the application of a decision to admit 23 additional members on 17 June 1996. The General Assembly, in its fifty-first session, recognized the legitimate aspirations of all countries to participate fully in the work of the Conference and called upon it to consider all remaining applications for membership, with a view to deciding on its further enlargement before the end of the 1997 session.

The presidency of the Conference rotates among all of its members for a

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four working-week period in accordance with the listing of the membership in English alphabetical order. This session, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom acted as President of the Conference. Ian Soutar of the United Kingdom will remain President of the Conference until 31 December 1998. On 1 January 1999, Robert Grey of the United States will take over.

The annual sessions of the Conference are divided into three parts. The Secretary-General of the Conference is Vladimir Petrovsky, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, who is also the Personal Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General.

Member States of Conference

The following 61 States are members of the Conference: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe.

The representatives of the following non-member States also participated in the work of the Conference in 1998 as observers: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei Darussalam, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kuwait, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, Sudan, Swaziland, Thailand, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Yemen and Zambia.

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