'BARBARIC' USE OF LANDMINES, PROLIFERATION OF SMALL ARMS HIGHLIGHTED IN DISARMAMENT COMMITTEE DEBATE

16 October 1998

Press Release
GA/DIS/3112

'BARBARIC' USE OF LANDMINES, PROLIFERATION OF SMALL ARMS HIGHLIGHTED IN DISARMAMENT COMMITTEE DEBATE

19981016 Benin, Citing Risks to Children, Appeals for Ottawa Convention Adherence; Some Speakers Resist Total Mine Ban, Reserving Legitimate Use in Self-Defence

As the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) continued its general debate this morning, the representative of Benin urgently appealed to all States to join the ranks of those who chose not to expose innocent children to the danger and destruction of landmines by adhering to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Ottawa Convention).

He said it was regrettable that the combatants in many wars had continued to use those "barbaric weapons" which spread devastation and poverty several years after hostilities had ended. Furthermore, the world community had largely ignored the unbridled proliferation of small arms, which threatened peace and security, especially in Africa, and introduced banditry and violence in both rural and urban regions.

Several other nations also emphasized the scourge posed by those two categories of conventional arms. The representative of Burkina Faso -- the fortieth country to ratify the Ottawa Convention, thereby triggering its entry into force -- said his country remained committed to ridding the earth of landmines. The proliferation of small arms and light weapons, particularly among fragile African States, had exacerbated criminal activities, hampered development and jeopardized the democratic process.

The representative of Viet Nam expressed his grave concern over the consequences of the indiscriminate use of landmines, but recognized the right of States to resort to those weapons to defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity. Similarly, the representative of Cuba said that while his country shared the concerns over the humanitarian consequences of the indiscriminate and irresponsible use of those weapons, renouncing them was a luxury his country could ill-afford.

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The representative of the United Kingdom, Ian Soutar, addressed the Committee in his capacity as President of the Conference on Disarmament. He said it was evident that the Conference had benefitted from its period of pause and reflection, and was now entering a new stage which would enable it to play its role as the sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum.

Also this morning, the Committee elected a Rapporteur, Motaz Zahran of Egypt.

Statements were also made by the representatives of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Venezuela, Croatia and Mauritius.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today 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.

The Committee is also expected to take up the role of the Conference on Disarmament, which is the sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum. Discussion is likely to focus on the recent establishment in the Conference of two ad hoc committees, the first on security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and the second on banning the production of fissile material for weapons purposes.

Among the nuclear disarmament issues under review is the adoption in 1996 of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). The Treaty was negotiated in the Conference although it was unable to achieve consensus which that body requires. The Treaty, subsequently adopted by the General Assembly, was identical to the version negotiated in the Conference. The CTBT requires ratification by 44 States listed in its annex, including India, Israel and Pakistan.

Other treaties negotiated in the Disarmament Conference include the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (Chemical Weapons Convention), which entered into force on 29 April 1997. Its complex verification mechanism that will be implemented by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The Conference also concluded negotiations on the instrument governing biological weapons, namely the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (Biological Weapons Convention).

The Committee is also expected to review 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). The underground nuclear tests conducted last Spring by India and Pakistan have raised serious concerns about the future of the Treaty and the non-proliferation regime overall.

The establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones will be another focus of the debate. The zones already in existence are governed 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 (Treaty of Pelindaba). Committee drafts are anticipated for the establishment of such zones in the Middle East, Central Europe and South Asia.

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Bilateral agreements, negotiated between the United States and the Russian Federation, aimed at nuclear disarmament will also be considered, including the Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START). While reductions of nuclear weapons were proceeding under START I, the entry into force of START II had been delayed pending ratification by the Russian Federation. The Committee is also expected to review agreements between those two countries on the demarcation between strategic and non- strategic anti-ballistic missile systems, which sought to strengthen the Anti- Ballistic Missile Treaty and provide new opportunities to work together to reduce their nuclear weapons stocks.

Discussion will continue on the subject of landmines, in the context of the two instruments to ban or limit their use. The first was Protocol II of the Convention on the 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), a partial ban negotiated in the Conference on Disarmament. The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Ottawa Convention), a total ban, was agreed upon in Oslo as part of the so-called "Ottawa process" and will enter into force on 1 March 1999.

Other matters to be discussed include the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, as well as regional transparency and confidence-building measures, such as the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms. The role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will be discussed in the context of the international non-proliferation regime.

(For detailed background, see Press Release GA/DIS/3106 issued 9 October.)

PHAM QUANG VINH (Viet Nam) said that the much expected peace dividend had yet to come and it had to be fought for. At the turn of the new millennium, mankind was still living under the threat of nuclear weapons. The horrors of the first-time use of nuclear bombs remained fresh and haunting. Although the world community had hoped it could eliminate nuclear weapons, they still existed and their stockpiles remained unacceptably huge with their further upgrading possible.

A regrettable lack of will and determination by the nuclear Powers to eliminate the concept of nuclear deterrence from their security strategies must be reversed in order to facilitate breakthroughs on nuclear related issues, he said. Under legally-binding instruments, the nuclear-weapon States were obligated to conduct genuine nuclear disarmament leading towards the total elimination of those weapons. The provisions of the NPT should be fully implemented and, in particular, those States should fulfil their obligations under article VI of the Treaty.

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He said that the countries of the Non-Aligned Movement had made clear their rejection of the arguments pursued by the nuclear-weapon States that nuclear weapons provided unique security benefits. It was time to start negotiations to conclude a convention banning nuclear weapons. In that regard, the Non-Aligned Movement summit held recently in Durban, South Africa had called for the establishment by the Conference on Disarmament, of an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament and the convening of an international conference aimed at achieving agreement on a phased programme for the complete elimination of those weapons within a specified time frame.

The establishment in the Conference on Disarmament of the ad hoc committees on fissile material and security assurances were welcome, he said. His country also supported regional efforts to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones. Their establishment on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among concerned regional States enhanced international peace and security.

He said his country deeply shared the grave concern over the consequences generated by the indiscriminate use of land mines. It fully recognized the gravity of the problems and the tragedy in terms of both human and material losses and, thus, supported the strict prohibition of the indiscriminate use of those weapons, as well as the moratorium on their export. Mine clearance, demining and humanitarian assistance were very important to mine-affected countries and his country called for greater efforts in that regard. Moreover, while the indiscriminate use of mines must be strictly prohibited, the right of States to resort to such weapons in defending their sovereignty and territorial integrity must also be recognized.

Viet Nam was a State party to a number of disarmament treaties, including the Biological Weapons Convention, the NPT and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, he said. It was also a signatory to the CTBT. In addition, on 30 September it had deposited with the Secretary-General its instrument of ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention, thereby becoming the 118th State party to that important Convention.

IAN SOUTAR (United Kingdom), speaking in his capacity as President of the Conference on Disarmament, presented the report of the Conference (Document A/53/27). He said that since the conclusion of negotiations on the CTBT, the Conference had undergone a period of pause and reflection. It had to take stock to review the priorities before it and undertake a consensus-building process on its next steps.

Those efforts, he continued, resulted in the establishment of an ad hoc committee on effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. Also created was an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament, to negotiate a treaty banning the production of fissile materials for nuclear-weapon purposes. The establishment of those two negotiating mechanisms on important nuclear issues signified the vitality of the Conference.

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The ad hoc committee on assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States held substantive discussions on all aspects of the issue, confirmed the importance attached to the issue and agreed to search for a mutually acceptable solution, he said. The other committee considering the banning of fissile materials devoted the little time it had to a general exchange of views, as a first step to substantive negotiations, which were scheduled to start next year. Furthermore, during the session, successive Presidents, assisted by the outgoing and incoming Presidents, held intensive consultations and sought the views of the Conference members on an appropriate mechanism to deal with the issue of nuclear disarmament.

He said those consultations confirmed the importance attached to finding a mutually acceptable basis for dealing with the issue. Although they were unable to reach a consensus on any further mechanism in that regard, the Conference agreed that the consultations on the matter should resume at the 1999 session. The other substantive issues on the agenda that were also the subject of intensive consultations by special coordinators, included anti-personnel landmines, the prevention of an arms race in outer space and transparency in armaments. It was not possible to reach any consensus on any of those subjects.

The Conference also continued consideration of the expansion of its membership, the review of its agenda and its effective functioning, he said. In particular, considerable attention was accorded to the issue of expanding membership and, as a result, the special coordinator was able to propose a formula for a possible consensus on the issue. That would also require further examination at the beginning of the next session.

He said it was evident that the Conference had benefitted from its period of pause and reflection. It had now entered a new stage and had gradually started to overcome the obstacles it faced, and to consolidate the process of consensus-building on its priority tasks. That had enabled it to play its role as the sole multilateral negotiating forum of the international community. In full cooperation with the incoming President of the Conference, he intended to fully use the intercessional period to conduct appropriate consultations, with a view to laying the grounds for a smooth and expeditious start to the next session.

RAFAEL DAUSA CESPEDES (Cuba) said that 52 years had passed since the General Assembly adopted a first resolution designed to prevent a nuclear war that would wipe the human race off the face of the earth. It was adopted at a time when the memories of the horrendous experience of the nuclear bombing of Japan were still fresh in everyone's mind. The threat of a reoccurrence had remained, however, and it had even multiplied by the "dizzying" increase in scientific and technological developments. Proposals to eradicate that threat, once and for all, had not been lacking, but none had succeeded.

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Moreover, he said that the prohibition of nuclear testing was never meant to be an end in itself, but rather a step towards an end to the qualitative development of nuclear weapons and the promotion of nuclear disarmament. Even with the prohibition in place, a number of nuclear Powers still had the ability to modernize their nuclear arsenals through subcritical testing and computer simulations.

He said he welcomed the recent creation in the Conference on Disarmament of two special committees to initiate negotiations on negative security assurances and a ban on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. Assurances, in particular, must be clearly reflected in a legally-binding international instrument that was multilateral and non-discriminatory. Negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty must take into consideration future production, as well as existing stocks.

He said that his country had proposed a number of initiatives aimed at elaborating a verification mechanism for the Biological Weapons Convention, to which it was a party. While it remained determined to contribute towards that goal, it rejected the setting of artificial deadlines for the conclusion of that work. Regarding the Chemical Weapons Convention, to which Cuba was also a party, the highest priority should be attached to bringing about its full implementation. In ratifying it, his country had declared that the commercial and financial embargo imposed on Cuba by the United States was incompatible with the letter and spirit of the Convention.

The lack of adequate control by States over the stockpiling and transfers of small arms and light weapons was causing a great deal of harm, he continued. Strengthened controls should be a prime element of strategies to combat the growing traffic of those weapons, and he would unreservedly support all efforts aimed at a multilateral response to the problems. It would object, however, to any effort to manipulate the emergency nature of that effort in order to distort the disarmament priorities adopted by the General Assembly in its final document of 1978.

He said his country fully shared the humanitarian concerns provoked by the indiscriminate and irresponsible use of anti-personnel mines. However, his country could not gloss over the security implications for its nation. For almost four decades, Cuba had been the victim of a policy of aggression and hostility from the world's greatest political, economic and military Power. As such, renouncing the use of those arms was a luxury Cuba could ill afford. His country used landmines along the perimeter that bordered a naval base illegally occupied by the United States Government. It must use mines to try and avoid any provocation and prevent any incursions into its territory.

LI HYONG CHOL (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) said that the international community recognized that nuclear disarmament was the top priority in global disarmament efforts. Although it had striven to eliminate

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those weapons, it had made no real progress. The main problem was the persistence by nuclear-weapon States to pursue their cold war theory of nuclear deterrence. Moreover, the weakness of the existing nuclear non-proliferation regime had been clearly revealed. The Democratic People's Republic was situated in a unique region, both geographically and politically. Nuclear disarmament, in particular, was therefore an issue of critical importance to it. All problems faced in Korea were disarmament related.

He said that the nuclear disarmament objective should be complemented by the total elimination of nuclear weapons. First, a legally-binding international agreement on the complete elimination of those weapons should be concluded as early as possible. Nuclear-weapon States should not insist that such discussions remain entirely in their domain. Rather, they should respond positively to appeals by non-nuclear-weapon States, including those of the Non-Aligned Movement, to start multilateral negotiations as soon as possible. In that connection, a fourth special session of the General Assembly on disarmament should be convened at an early date.

Second, the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones should be encouraged, he said. They could never be secure by unilateral obligation alone, however, but required the assumption of obligations by the nuclear- weapon States, as well. Those States should recognize the status of existing zones and provide unconditional and legally binding assurances not to use nuclear weapons against the States of those regions. At same time, the nuclear umbrella over the Korean peninsula should be removed in order to realize the goal of its denuclearization. Moreover, the United States should commit itself not to use nuclear weapons against the People's Democratic Republic and withdraw its nuclear umbrella.

He said that the situation in North-East Asia remained tense due to the military manoeuvres to form a new military alliance. Last year, the Japanese-United States defence cooperation guideline was revised, selecting the Korean peninsula as its main operational target. Again this year, an open attempt was made to revise the United States-South Korea mutual defence treaty, combining it with the new Japan-United States defence cooperation guidelines.

He said that Japan was trying to realize its overseas expansionist plan by invoking the new Japan-United States defence cooperation guideline, and taking part in military exercises led by the United States. The South Korean authorities were introducing a large quantity of modern and sophisticated military equipment, such as F-15 fighter planes and AC-130 military helicopters, while begging for security protection from the United States and the permanent stationing of United States troops. That military alliance was being formed under the pretext of coping with the "threat from North".

It was, however, unreasonable and unjustifiable to assert that his country alone could pose a menace to the allied forces of the United States,

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Japan and South Korea, he continued. On the contrary, it was the Democratic People's Republic that was threatened. Moreover, it could not be denied that those other countries might initiate a pre-emptive attack against it at any time they deemed necessary. Under such circumstances, his country had been compelled to increase its defence capability, even while facing a difficult economic situation.

The cold war structure of confrontation on the Korean peninsula must be abandoned, he said. A new peace mechanism should replace the existing armistice system. Towards that goal, a peace agreement should be concluded between the Democratic People's Republic and the United States. Further, since the end of the cold war, there had been no justification maintaining United States troops in South Korea. An agreement on non-aggression was concluded between the North and the South of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic-United States agreed framework had been adopted, thereby committing both parties to make joint efforts towards peace and security.

He said that ensuring peace on the Korean peninsula should be solved in the context of reunification. That was the most urgent national task of the Korean people, whose solution brooked no further delay. Since neither side was willing to give up their system, reunification that was based on one system would inevitably lead to confrontation. The most appropriate and realistic way was to form a unified confederal state, which transcended differences in ideology. Such a system would be based on three principles: independence; peaceful reunification; and great national unity.

To discuss North-South reconciliation and the "sunshine policy" without discarding the notion of confrontation was not even worthy of consideration, he went on to say. There was no need for dialogue and further contacts which perpetuated division and confrontation. In order to bring about genuine peace and stability, the countries concerned should pursue impartial policies towards Korea. The pursuit of biased and unbalanced policies would instigate competition and confrontation and pose further obstacles. Moreover, all relevant issues concerning a peace arrangement, North-South relations and reunification, should be solved simultaneously with the key issue being reunification. It was time for the United Nations -- which had intervened in the Korean question from the beginning -- to correctly understand the reality on the Korean peninsula and to take an epochal measure to support its confederal reunification.

IGNACIO ARCAYA-SMITH (Venezuela) said progress in the maintenance of international security required the total elimination of nuclear weapons. The nuclear-weapon States had a special responsibility in that regard. Therefore, the Conference on Disarmament should establish an ad hoc committee to negotiate specific goals towards complete and general nuclear disarmament. It was encouraging that the Conference had set up an ad hoc committee to consider a treaty that would ban the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapon purposes.

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In the last few years, the world had succeeded in producing important disarmament agreements on the reduction of nuclear weapons, he said. A classical example was START, negotiated by the United States and the Russian Federation. Unfortunately, momentum had been lost due to the non-ratification of that START II by one of the parties. Both countries should intensify efforts to keep up with the deadlines of the treaty process.

He said the nuclear non-proliferation regime had been seriously affected by recent events in South Asia. The underground nuclear tests by India and Pakistan revealed and underlined the nuclear threat facing the international community. There was a need to strengthen non-proliferation norms must be strengthened. Non-proliferation norms must be strengthened. It was encouraging that both countries had indicated their willingness to join the CTBT. The status of the NPT was also a matter of concern. The nuclear-weapon States must pursue concrete disarmament measures in good faith.

The idea of nuclear-weapon-free zones was a contribution of transcending importance for the process of nuclear disarmament, he continued. His country welcomed and supported the creation of the four zones so far created and of the proposals for additional zones in Central Asia and the Middle East. Other weapons of mass destruction also posed a credible threat to international peace and security. In that regard, his Government welcomed the Chemical Weapons Convention and had been a party to the agreement since 1997. With regard to the Biological Weapons Convention, it was essential to conclude negotiations for effective verification.

He said Latin America and the Caribbean had made important contributions towards the promotion of the disarmament process. The Inter-American Convention Against The Manufacturing and Illicit Trafficking In Weapons, Munitions and Explosives and other Related Materials, signed last year within the framework of the Organization of American States (OAS), was a significant development in checking the proliferation of small arms. Those weapons exacerbated conflicts and aided terrorism and drug trafficking. Thus, they posed a serious threat to international peace and security. His Government supported the convening of an international conference to tackle the problem.

The Ottawa Convention was a development of particular disarmament significance, he said. His Government had signed it and had begun to consider its ratification. The ratification of Burkina Faso and the consequent deposition of the fortieth instrument of ratification was a favourable development, which would allow the Treaty to soon come into effect. There was need to convene the fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to Disarmament, because it would aid the process of complete and general disarmament. That process required a multi-dimensional approach that would reflect the links among security, peace and development.

ANA MARIJA BESKER (Croatia) noted that her Government had fulfilled its obligations on the disarmament and non-proliferation regime. It had ratified

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the Ottawa Convention and initiated the procedure for the ratification of the CTBT. In the field of conventional arms control, it had carried out all its obligations under the General Framework Agreement for Peace agreed to in Dayton, Ohio. That confirmed the country's strong support for the efforts of the international community in securing global peace and stability.

She said her Government shared the concern of many others regarding the pace and tenor of developments in disarmament and international security since the last meeting of the Committee. Citing a political analyst on the failure of the international community to consolidate the gains of the end of the cold war, she added, "we are now moving beyond the risk of missing opportunities, to the risk of retrogression".

Indeed, 1998 had been a year of serious challenges in the field of disarmament, non-proliferation and international security, she said. Despite the ground that had been broken with the adoption of the CTBT, the enhancement of the NPT and the advent of the Ottawa Convention, there was no real reason for satisfaction. The South Asia nuclear crisis had undermined the integrity and viability of the global non-proliferation regime. Missile proliferation and the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction continued to threaten regional and global security. START II was stagnating, the strengthened NPT review process had reversed course, and the entry into force of the CTBT remained uncertain.

Considering the landmine issue, she said Croatia had been one of the most afflicted countries in Europe and was, therefore, "painfully aware of the urgency of the problem". Further, her Government welcomed the decision of the Conference on Disarmament to establish an ad hoc committee to negotiate a fissile materials cut-off treaty. It was, however, a matter of regret that the Conference was unable to reach a consensus regarding the enlargement of its membership, as her country had hoped to be admitted in the first group.

She said the growing number of States that had ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention was encouraging, and her Government looked forward to the early conclusion of the negotiations on the verification protocol of the Biological Weapons Convention. Also, she considered the recent adoption of a European code of conduct on arms sales to be an important contribution to "greater accountability and transparency in conventional arms control in Europe".

To make progress with the disarmament process, she said the following was necessary: progress in the work of the Conference on Disarmament; deeper strategic arms reductions; a rapid conclusion of negotiations on fissile material and negative security assurances; a genuinely enhanced NPT process; full compliance with the letter and spirit of the CTBT; and more forceful action in dealing with conventional arms. To achieve those goals, every member of the international community had to be prepared to back words and commitments with deeds, particularly the nuclear-weapon States.

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MICHEL KAFANDO (Burkina Faso) said that numerous and important disarmament initiatives had been undertaken, but the most important event at the beginning of the current Assembly session was the announcement of the imminent entry into force of the Ottawa Convention. The inclusion of a large number of countries in that Convention was a reflection of the will of the international community to very rapidly achieve a world free of anti-personnel landmines.

He said that his country, which did not possess those weapons, had joined very early in those negotiations. With respect to the devastating effects of landmines throughout the world, especially in Africa, his country was the fortieth State to ratify the treaty, thereby enabling its entry into force. It remained fully committed to riding the planet of landmines.

In that connection, he welcomed the first meeting of States parties in May 1999 in Mozambique. Hopefully, he said, that meeting would further strengthen the determination to secure the necessary resources to implement that multilateral instrument -- namely its demining and victims assistance provisions. Also welcome in that regard were the efforts of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

He said that the creation of nuclear-weapon-free zones had strengthened international peace and security. As such, efforts to establish and consolidate those zones should be broadly encouraged. With the end of the cold war, nothing should justify the maintenance of nuclear arsenals and other weapons of mass destruction. He hoped that the commitment expressed by India and Pakistan in the General Assembly would lead very rapidly to their accession to the various treaties. To truly secure peace, however, general and complete disarmament was required.

Also of concern was the phenomenon of small arms and light weapons, he said. Countries paid a heavy price for their uncontrolled circulation. As a consequence, the moratorium on the export, import and production of small arms was essential. A number of African leaders had observed that the proliferation of light arms constituted a threat to the peace, security and stability of African States, particularly those whose State structures were still fragile. In those countries, the accumulation and illegal possession of those weapons had exacerbated criminal activities, hampered development and jeopardized the democratic process.

In addition to respecting the moratorium, the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) had promised to gather information from members on the breadth of the scourge and on the implementation of measures already undertaken. Of great importance in that regard was the strengthening and operation of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Lomé, Togo. The member States of the OAU were making the fight against the production, dissemination and utilization of light arms an "absolute

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priority". It was a gigantic endeavour which required the support of the international community.

JOYKER NAYECK (Mauritius) informed the Committee that his country did not have an army and was proud to be among the very few countries to have achieved that goal. "We do not spend any money on armaments", he said. "Consequently, we are pleased to submit a nil report yearly to the United Nations Register on Conventional Arms." He expressed the wish, though, that the scope of the Register would be expanded to include a broader category of weapons. Transparency in military expenditures and holdings was undoubtedly a confidence-building measure.

Noting that Africa was plagued by landmines, he said the international community should increase its assistance to demining. He applauded Australia's "destroy a minefield" initiative. Turning to illicit trafficking in small arms, he said that although significant measures were being taken, the international community must act swiftly to curb and eradicate that dangerous scourge. The Security Council had identified that illicit traffic as a major factor in the cause of conflict in Africa.

No country can feel genuinely secure, as long as the threat of nuclear weapons existed from any quarter. It was regrettable that once more the Conference on Disarmament had failed to establish an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament. He noted with satisfaction, though, the establishment of an ad hoc committee on a fissile material cut-off treaty. To be credible and truly universal, any such treaty must address the question of past and existing stockpiles of fissile materials.

SAMUEL AMEHOU (Benin) said that the current disarmament agenda was both interesting and varied, and included complex issues. Benin, for its part, was attempting to develop the culture of peace. Towards that goal, it supported a peaceful settlement of all conflicts and the revitalization of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa.

He said that the international community had recorded much success in the last two years, with the conclusion of various multilateral conventions. Also welcome was the imminent entry into force on 1 March 1999 of the Ottawa Convention. It was regrettable, however, that the combatants in many wars continued to use those barbaric weapons, which several years after the end of hostilities spread devastation and poverty. He urgently appealed to all countries still hesitant about joining the Convention to sign and ratify it, thereby joining the ranks of those who chose not to expose innocent children to the danger and destruction and humiliation of those weapons.

The recent nuclear tests by India and Pakistan had been a brutal reminder that the world was still not free from the risk of nuclear annihilation, he said. As such, the General Assembly should advance innovative ideas and new concepts aimed at binding mankind to the true path of

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general and complete disarmament. It was disconcerting to know that certain States continued to stockpile and develop chemical and biological weapons.

He said that the international disarmament community, in recent years, had not dwelled on the unbridled proliferation of small arms, which endangered peace and security, especially in Africa. Indeed, the proliferation of those weapons had caused the destabilization of many African regimes and had introduced insecurity, banditry and violence in rural and urban regions alike. As a consequence, economic development was blocked, thereby illustrating the indissoluble link between peace and sustainable development.

He said his Government had actively participated in efforts to establish in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a moratorium on the export, import and production of small arms. Those laudable efforts should be supported by the world community through sustained systems to demobilize and reintegrate former combatants from Sierra Leone and Liberia. The small arms and weapons should be collected and repurchased in order to ensure their effective destruction. It was only through such bold action that the international community could help the region.

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