DISARMAMENT COMMISSION CONCLUDES ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION

19 March 1999

Press Release
DC/2632

DISARMAMENT COMMISSION CONCLUDES ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION

19990319 Maged Abdelaziz (Egypt) Elected Chairman 1999 Commission Session to be Held from 12 to 30 April

At a brief meeting to deal with unfinished organizational matters relating to its forthcoming session, the Disarmament Commission this morning completed the composition of its bureau with the election of a Chairman, 7 Vice-Chairmen, and a Rapporteur. An eighth Vice-Chairman was elected on 2 December 1998.

The officers are as follows: Maged Abdelaziz (Egypt), Chairman; Moctar Ouane (Mali), Jargalsaikhany Enkhsaikhan (Mongolia), Felipe Mabilangan (Philippines), Vice Skracic (Croatia), Milos Koterec (Slovakia), Pier Benedetto Francese (Italy), Rui Vinhas (Portugal), and Maria Angelica Arce de Jeannet (Mexico), Vice-Chairmen; Gaile Ann Ramoutar (Trinidad and Tobago), Rapporteur.

Mr. Abdelaziz (Egypt), speaking after his election as Chairman, noting that the 1999 disarmament calendar was rich with events, said the international climate was propitious for different undertakings in the field of disarmament. It was hoped that that overall atmosphere would positively influence the work of the Disarmament Commission. Without minimizing the existing obstacles, the consensus on the issues before the Commission was politically feasible and practically attainable. That, in turn, made the Commission's job more challenging and intellectually stimulating.

The meeting elected Arizal Effendi (Indonesia) as Chairman of a working group on the fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament. At its last meeting on 2 December, the Commission elected Emilio Izquierdo (Ecuador) to chair the working group on the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones and Michael Hoy (Ireland) as Chairman of the working group on guidelines on conventional arms control/limitation and disarmament.

Also this morning, the Commission adopted the dates of its 1999 session, to be held from 12 to 30 April, and its general programme of work for the session.

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