DRAFT RESOLUTIONS ON REGIONAL DISARMAMENT, NUCLEAR WEAPON ELIMINATION, ASIA/PACIFIC CENTRE, SMALL ARMS INTRODUCED IN FIRST COMMITTEE

Press Release
GA/DIS/3155

DRAFT RESOLUTIONS ON REGIONAL DISARMAMENT, NUCLEAR WEAPON ELIMINATION, ASIA/PACIFIC CENTRE, SMALL ARMS INTRODUCED IN FIRST COMMITTEE

The asymmetries in conventional defence capabilities could, in turn, lead to the search for non-conventional means of self-defence and deterrence, the representative of Pakistan said, as he introduced a draft resolution on regional disarmament this morning in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security).

The draft resolution, one of five introduced today, would have the General Assembly call upon States to conclude agreements for nuclear non- proliferation, disarmament and confidence-building measures at the regional and subregional levels. Such measures were essential complements to global efforts, the representative of Pakistan said. In the post-cold-war era, the imperative need for such measures, especially in areas of tension, had been self-evident. Major threats to peace and security had proliferated in recent years because of regional disputes and tensions. Those had often led to the excessive acquisition and accumulation of conventional armaments, raising the scale of violence and suffering.

The other texts introduced this morning dealt with: nuclear disarmament with a view to the total elimination of nuclear weapons; the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific; illicit traffic in small arms; and assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and collecting them.

By the terms of the nuclear disarmament text, introduced by the representative of Japan, the General Assembly would call upon all States to redouble their efforts to prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, confirming and strengthening their policies not to export equipment, materials or technology that could contribute to those weapons. The Assembly would also call for the determined pursuit by the nuclear-weapon States of systematic and progressive efforts to reduce nuclear weapons globally, with the ultimate goal of eliminating those weapons, and by all States of general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.

Introducing a 77-Power draft resolution on the illicit traffic in small arms, the representative of South Africa said the text recognized the value of regional, indigenous approaches to the problem and had underlined the importance of increased cooperation and coordination among Member States, as well as intergovernmental bodies to the United Nations. By its terms, the

First Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/DIS/3155 18th Meeting (AM) 28 October 1999

General Assembly would request the Secretary-General to continue his broad- based consultations and to submit to the international conference on the subject, information on: the magnitude and scope of illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons; measures to combat illicit trafficking in and circulation of small arms and light weapons; and the role of the United Nations in collecting, collating, sharing and disseminating information on illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons.

Under a related draft text on assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and collecting them, introduced by the representative of Mali, the Assembly would welcome the Declaration of a Moratorium on the Importation, Exportation and Manufacture of Small Arms and Light Weapons in West Africa, adopted by the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on 30 October 1998, and urge the international community to support the implementation of the moratorium. It would also encourage the setting up, in the countries of the Saharo-Sahelian subregion, of national commissions against the proliferation of small arms, and invite the international community to support their smooth functioning.

A draft resolution introduced by the representative of Nepal on the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific would have the Assembly reaffirm its strong support for the continuing operation and further strengthening of the Centre. The Assembly would underscore the importance of the Kathmandu process as a powerful vehicle for the development of the practice of region-wide security and disarmament dialogue and appeal to Member States, as well as to international governmental and non-governmental organizations and foundations, to make voluntary contributions, the only resources of the Centre.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Argentina, Mexico (on behalf of the Rio Group), Viet Nam, Niger, India and Kenya.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. Friday, 29 October, to conclude its thematic discussion on all disarmament and security-related items, as well as its introduction and consideration of all draft resolutions. Action on those texts will begin on Monday, 1 November.

Committee Work Programme

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met this morning to continue its thematic discussion, as well as consideration of draft resolutions concerning: nuclear disarmament with a view to the total elimination of nuclear weapons; regional disarmament; United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific; illicit traffic in small arms; and assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms.

The current phase of the Committee’s work will extend through Friday, 29 October. It combines the thematic discussion with consideration of drafts, as part of a reform to streamline the Committee's work. The third and final stage of its work, which is scheduled to begin on Monday, 1 November, will be action on all disarmament draft resolutions.

Under a draft resolution sponsored by Japan on nuclear disarmament and the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons (document A/C.1/54/L.9), the Assembly would call upon all States to redouble their efforts to prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, confirming and strengthening their policies not to export equipment, materials or technology that could contribute to those weapons. The Assembly would also call for the determined pursuit by the nuclear-weapon States of systematic and progressive efforts to reduce nuclear weapons globally, with the ultimate goal of eliminating those weapons, and by all States of general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.

The Assembly would further stress that, in order to make advancements towards the ultimate goal of eliminating nuclear weapons, it was important and necessary to pursue such actions as: the early signature and ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), especially by States whose ratification was required for its entry into force, with a view to its early entry into force, as well as cessation of nuclear tests pending its entry into force; the intensive negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament on, and their early conclusion of, a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other explosive devices, and, pending its entry into force, a moratorium on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons.

The Assembly would further stress the importance of pursuing: multilateral discussions on possible future steps in nuclear disarmament and nuclear non- proliferation; the early entry into force of the Treaty on Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START II) and the early commencement and conclusion of negotiations for START III by the Russian Federation and the United States, and the continuation of the process beyond START III; and further efforts by the five nuclear-weapon States to reduce their nuclear arsenals unilaterally and through their negotiations. It would reaffirm the importance of achieving universality of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and for all States parties to fulfil their obligations under the Treaty.

A draft resolution on the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (document A/C.1/54/L.14) would have the Assembly reaffirm its strong support for the continuing operation and further strengthening of the Regional Centre. The Assembly would underscore the importance of the Kathmandu process as a powerful vehicle for the development of the practice of region-wide security and disarmament dialogue.

In that connection, the Assembly would appeal to Member States, as well as to international governmental and non-governmental organizations and foundations, to make voluntary contributions, the only resources of the Regional Centre, so as to strengthen it. It would express its appreciation for the continuing political support and financial contributions to the Regional Centre, which were essential for its continued operation.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam.

By the terms of a draft text on assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and collecting them (document A/C.1/54/L.25), the Assembly would welcome the Declaration of a Moratorium on the Importation, Exportation and Manufacture of Small Arms and Light Weapons in West Africa, adopted by the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at Abuja on 30 October 1998, and urge the international community to support the implementation of the moratorium.

The Assembly would encourage the Secretary-General to continue his efforts to curb the illicit circulation of small arms and to collect such arms in the affected States that so requested. It would also encourage the setting up in the countries of the Saharo-Sahelian subregion of national commissions against the proliferation of small arms, and invite the international community to support their smooth functioning.

It would express its full support for the appeal launched by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) at its thirty-fifth ordinary session for a coordinated African approach to the problems posed by the illicit proliferation and circulation of and traffic in small arms, bearing in mind the experiences and activities of the various regions.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Japan, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.

According to a draft resolution on regional disarmament (document A/C.1/54/L.38), the Assembly would call upon States to conclude agreements, wherever possible, for nuclear non-proliferation, disarmament and confidence- building measures at the regional and subregional levels. It would stress that sustained efforts were needed, within the framework of the Conference on Disarmament and under the umbrella of the United Nations, to make progress on the entire range of disarmament issues. It would affirm that global and regional approaches to disarmament complemented each other and should therefore be pursued simultaneously to promote regional and international peace and security.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Egypt, Indonesia, Niger, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tunisia.

By the terms of a text on the illicit traffic in small arms (document A/C.1/54/L.44*), the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to continue his broad-based consultations, within available financial resources and with any other assistance provided by Member States in a position to do so, and to submit to the international conference on the subject information on the magnitude and scope of illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, measures to combat illicit trafficking in and circulation of small arms and light weapons, and the role of the United Nations in collecting, collating, sharing and disseminating information on illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons.

The Assembly would encourage Member States to promote regional and subregional initiatives and request the Secretary-General, within available financial resources, and also States in a position to do so, to assist States taking such initiatives to address the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons in affected regions. It would invite the Secretary-General to use those initiatives as part of his consultations.

In a related provision, the Assembly would also encourage those Member States, in a position to do so, to take appropriate national measures to destroy surplus small arms and light weapons, as well as confiscated or collected small arms and light weapons, and to provide, on a voluntary basis, information to the Secretary-General on types and quantities destroyed.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Statements

ANA MARIA RAMIREZ (Argentina), on behalf of Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), spoke in praise of the efforts of the countries of MERCOSUR -- Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, along with Bolivia and Chile -- to create a zone of peace in Latin America. Although MERCOSUR had begun as an economic alliance, based on a climate of democracy and freedom, it had expanded its scope to include the objective of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The countries of MERCOSUR, as well as Bolivia and Chile, had committed themselves to a zone free of weapons of mass destruction, and hoped to extend that zone to include the entire hemisphere. The excellent climate of democracy and freedom had made MERCOSUR a model for establishing peace and security on a global level.

GEORGE NENE (South Africa) introduced a draft resolution on the illicit traffic in small arms (document A/C.1/54/L.44). He said the resolution recognized the value of regional, indigenous approaches to the problem of illicit trafficking in small arms and underlined the importance of increased cooperation and coordination among Member States, as well as intergovernmental bodies to the United Nations. Member States would be encouraged to promote regional and subregional initiatives to address the problem, while at the same time inviting the Secretary- General and States in a position to do so, to assist States taking such initiatives.

The draft resolution, he said, also recognized the impact of surplus small arms and light weapons on the illicit trade in those weapons, and welcomed the practical measures undertaken by Member States to destroy surplus weapons and confiscated or collected weapons. Member States in a position to do so would be encouraged to take appropriate national measures to destroy surplus small arms and light weapons, and to provide, on a voluntary basis, information to the Secretary- General.

SOCORRO RUBIROSA (Mexico), on behalf of the Rio Group, spoke about the importance of the nuclear-weapon-free zone in Latin America. She said that, although the disarmament process had been stalled in many respects, there was still progress being made at the regional level. Efforts to rid the southern hemisphere of nuclear weapons had been started in 1967 and had never ceased. She was encouraged that the five countries of Central Asia were trying to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone there, and hoped their negotiations would be successful. International peace could not be based on maintaining nuclear deterrents, military alliances or balances of terror, but only through effective implementation of general and complete disarmament. A nuclear-weapon-free zone in the southern hemisphere and adjacent areas was extremely important, and she hoped Member States who had objected to the resolution in the past could now support it.

HIRA THAPA (Nepal) introduced a draft resolution on the Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (document A/C.1/54/L.14). He said the Centre performed useful activities in encouraging regional and subregional security dialogue and promotion of disarmament measures through the organization of seminars and meetings. The General Assembly should support the further strengthening of the Centre and underscore the importance of the Kathmandu process as a principal tool for enhancing security and dialogue at the regional and subregional levels. He hoped the resolution would be adopted by consensus, as it had been in the past.

MUNIR AKRAM (Pakistan) introduced the draft resolution on regional disarmament (document A/C.1/54/L.38). He said it reflected the virtual international consensus in support of regional measures for confidence-building, non-proliferation and disarmament at regional and subregional levels, as essential complements to global efforts. In the post-cold-war era the imperative need for such measures, especially in areas of tension, had been self-evident. Major threats to peace and security had proliferated in recent years because of regional disputes and tensions. Those often had led to the excessive acquisition and accumulation of conventional armaments, raising the scale of violence and suffering. The asymmetries in defence capabilities that had been created by such situations had exacerbated the dangers of aggression and the use of force. That could, in turn, lead to the search for non-conventional means of self-defence and deterrence.

He said the international community had now fully accepted the proposition that arms control and disarmament measures at the global level must be compelled by measures at the regional level, which reflected the specific dynamics of the regions concerned. Both must be pursued simultaneously, since both were essential to the creation of general and complete disarmament. He was confident that the draft resolution, once again, would be adopted by consensus.

AKIRA HAYASHI (Japan) introduced the draft resolution on nuclear disarmament with a view to ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons (document A/C.1/54/L.9). He said that this year’s First Committee stood at a juncture. It could and should play a role in creating a conducive review conference for the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) by trying to consolidate the political will of the international community towards the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons. The Committee played an important role in paving the way to success for the NPT review by urging Member States to take a positive view of the conference, since it would be impossible to have a successful meeting otherwise.

Nuclear disarmament, he said, was both the most simple as well as the most complex issue of the disarmament agenda. The ultimate goal was clear, but there were extremely divergent views on how to achieve that goal. His Government believed it was important to create an agreement on near and medium-term concrete measures to be taken, as well as identifying future measures to be taken in successive steps. He hoped for broad support for the resolution, as it provided the international community with the basis for moving further towards the goal of nuclear disarmament.

NIELS HOLM (New Zealand) said it had been a pleasure to join with the other lead co-sponsors, Mexico, Japan and Australia, in submitting the CTBT resolution (document A/C.1/54/L.23). The CTBT was of immense significance for New Zealand. For decades, his country had been among the strongest advocates of a comprehensive nuclear-test- ban as an essential step along the road to the total elimination of nuclear weapons. It had worked actively for the conclusion of the Treaty and its adoption in 1996,.and had ratified it in March. The large and ever-growing number of States that had signed on to the Treaty, as well as the accelerated ratification process, was very encouraging. But, the CTBT was not yet in force. It was essential for the enhancement of international peace and security that it enter into force at the earliest possible date.

He said the draft resolution on the CTBT was transparent and balanced. It had drawn from the Final Declaration issued recently at the CTBT Conference in Vienna. Its calls were straightforward. Its focus was on the need for all States to sign and ratify the Treaty and for those who had not yet signed, to refrain from acts that could defeat its object and purpose, in the meanwhile. For his country, universal adherence to the Treaty had always been crucial. Those countries that had conducted nuclear tests in the past and that had signed, but not yet ratified, the Treaty had a particular responsibility to confirm their commitment to the test ban.

He said his country was deeply disappointed by the decision of the United States Senate not to proceed to ratification of the CTBT. Ratification by the United States and the two remaining nuclear-weapon States required for its ratification would represent confidence in the Treaty and provide a powerful incentive for others to follow suit. His Government would urge the United States Administration to continue its efforts to ensure that ratification occurred sooner, rather than later.

The draft resolution referred to the efforts of the CTBT Organization (CTBTO) Preparatory Commission to ensure that the Treaty’s verification regime would be capable of meeting the verification requirements upon its entry into force. That was important. The CTBT would have the most comprehensive verification network ever set up under an international treaty. As well as providing the essential underpinning for the Treaty, it would also serve as a verification model to be drawn on, as the global disarmament and arms control regime was strengthened through new instruments. He confirmed that establishment or upgrading of his country’s six monitoring stations was well under way.

HOANG CHI TRUNG (Viet Nam) offered comments on draft resolutions that his country supported, in particular measures to rid the world of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. Although significant progress had yet to be made in this regard, he was confident that the world community was forging ahead. The banning of nuclear weapons was a complex, difficult process requiring innovation and political will.

He said his Government had co-sponsored the draft resolution on nuclear disarmament (document A/C.1/54/L.41), as well as the draft on concluding effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons (document A/C.1/54/L.36). It reiterated the need to uphold the decisions of the International Court of Justice concerning the threat or use of nuclear weapons. It was obvious that the nuclear-weapon States needed to commit to an international agreement to foreswear the use or threat of use of such weapons.

Viet Nam, he said, also supported the draft resolution on the convention prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons (document A/C.1/54/L.33), the draft on a nuclear-weapon-free southern hemisphere (document A/C.1/54/L.34) and the draft entitled, "Towards a nuclear-weapon-free-world: the need for a new agenda” (document A/C.1/54/L.18). It was very important that those resolutions be fully supported.

MOCTAR OUANE (Mali) introduced the draft resolution on assistance to States for curbing illicit traffic in small arms (document A/C.1/54/L.25). The resolution, he said, was the result of the determination of the co-sponsors to combat the proliferation of light weapons, particularly in West Africa. Those weapons were an impediment to development, a threat to populations and a destabilizing factor for States. The resolution sought to adopt a moratorium on the import, export and manufacture of light weapons in West Africa. He believed the other States shared his conviction that the draft offered a chance for more cooperation and coordination in curbing the proliferation and circulation of light weapons, and hoped it could be adopted without consensus.

MOHAMADOU ABOUBACAR (Niger) supported Mali’s statement in regard to the draft resolution on assistance to States for curbing illicit traffic of small arms (document A/C.1/54/L.25). He emphasized the need to undertake both collective and individual efforts for resolutions to help stem the spread of those dangerous weapons. Subregionally, initiatives were still in effect and giving momentum towards reaching that common objective, but African leaders recognized that their continent alone could not manage the problem. He appealed to the international community to support the creation of specific programmes to curb and collect those weapons. Such a process could only be achieved with political will. Because of the scope and gravity of the problem, there could be no delay in efforts. He appealed for more solidarity, and hoped that the international community could give the necessary assistance.

SAVITRI KUNADI (India) said that, as one of the co-sponsors of the draft resolution on prevention of an arms race in outer space (document A/C.1/54/L.22), India supported the statement made by the representative of Sri Lanka on 26 October in the Committee. The Conference on Disarmament had been unable, during the 1999 session, to address issues related to the prevention of an outer space arms race. Her country had co-sponsored last year’s resolution on the subject, which had reiterated that the Conference had the primary role in negotiating a multilateral agreement on the prevention of an outer space arms race.

She said the world had witnessed technological developments, including anti- ballistic missile defence, which could open new areas of competition and add to the pressures on the 1972 Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems -- the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty -- an essential element in maintaining strategic stability. Her delegation had supported the communiqué issued by the Non-Aligned Movement in New York on 23 September regarding the negative implications of those developments and the further erosion of a propitious climate towards disarmament and strengthened security.

She said her country had also supported the early commencement of negotiations in the Conference of an appropriate instrument that, as a first step, would ensure the "non-weaponization" of space and preserve its use for the full range of peaceful and developmental activities. The relevant draft resolution had been tabled to express the overwhelming sentiment in the international community that the Conference should commence work on that subject without delay.

MICHAEL A.O. OYUGI (Kenya) said that, regrettably, the Conference on Disarmament had been unable to substantively address the matter of prevention of an arms race in outer space. The trend of events resulting in advances in space science and technology had been “quite disturbing”. Numerous organizations had continued to highlight the intention of some States to militarily dominate outer space. Part of that vision was known as the “20/20 vision”, whose ultimate aim had appeared to be the absolute domination of outer space by denying or severely restricting access and use of it by other countries. Such actions had contravened the outer space treaty and had jeopardized the ABM Treaty.

He said that outer space should be protected from the risk of becoming a theatre of an arms race or military confrontation. Since it was the common heritage of mankind, no single State should be allowed to dominate it. A legal regime along the lines of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea should be elaborated to govern its use. Considering the existence of a real arms race in outer space, appropriate negotiations of an agreement should begin in the Conference as a matter of priority.

* *** *