CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT PAYS TRIBUTE TO LATE SYRIAN PRESIDENT HAFIZ AL ASSAD

Press Release
DCF/397

CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT PAYS TRIBUTE TO LATE SYRIAN PRESIDENT HAFIZ AL ASSAD

Japan Says It Does Not Recognize Existence of Arms Race in Outer Space Today

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 15 June (United Nations Information Service) -- The Conference on Disarmament this morning paid homage to the late Syrian President Hafiz Al Assad by observing a one-minute silence. President Assad passed away last week.

At the beginning of the meeting the President of the Conference, Jean Lint, Belgium paid tribute to President Assad saying that he had contributed to the stability of his country. Mr. Lint extended his condolences to the Government of Syria.

In his capacity as the Coordinator of the Group of 21 (Non-Aligned Movement members in the Conference), Munir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said President Assad had worked tirelessly for the betterment of his country and its people, and ably led Syria through many difficult and challenging circumstances.

Taher Al-Hussami, Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations Office at Geneva, thanked the members of the Conference for their sympathy and said President Assad devoted his life in building a modern Syria.

In a general statement, Seiichiro Noboru, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said Japan did not recognize that there was an arms race in outer space today nor that there was an imminent danger for such a situation to arise. He was referring to the outstanding issue of the programme of work regarding the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space. He said that given the advancement of technologies, one could not deny that there might be a need to reflect on possible measures to prevent an arms race in outer space. The existing international legal instruments were established many years ago.

Before adjourning this morning's meeting, the President of the Conference said he had continued his intensive consultations in order to build consensus concerning the programme of work. During his consultations yesterday, he had asked group coordinators to draw the attention of their respective members to the principal elements of the work. He hoped that the spirit of compromise would prevail to attain consensus.

- 2 - Press Release DCF/397 16 June 2000

The next plenary meeting of the Conference will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 22 June.

Statements

MUNIR AKRAM (Pakistan), speaking on behalf of the Group of 21, said the members of the Group expressed their heartfelt condolences to the Government and the people of the Syrian Arab Republic on the sad demise of President Hafiz Al Assad. President Assad had served his country for three decades during which he worked tirelessly for the betterment of his country and its people, and ably had led Syria through difficult and challenging circumstances. Under his sagacious leadership, his country emerged as an important member of the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement and other organizations, creating a place of importance for Syria in the comity of nations. The political acumen and statesmanship of President Assad was acknowledged by the entire international community. His contribution was considered essential for the realization of durable peace in the Middle East. The members of the Group of 21, of which Syria was also a member, shared the grief and sorrow of the Syrian people and wished them fortitude and courage to bear the irreparable loss of President Hafiz Al Assad.

SEIICHIRO NOBORU (Japan) recalled that the outcome of the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference held in New York last month, was truly remarkable that the States parties could reach consensus on a document which covered every aspect of the implementation of the Treaty. That comprehensive agreement could have not been achieved without the painstaking efforts made by every State party to overcome the differences of their positions. The final document adopted at that conference clearly demonstrated that all the States parties to the Treaty were seriously committed to the realization of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The Japanese Government highly valued the outcome as a significant achievement, and strongly hoped that that event would be able to contribute to disarmament efforts in other bodies and fora, especially in the Conference on Disarmament.

Turning to Fissile Materials Cut Treaty (FMCT) negotiations, Mr. Noboru stressed the necessity to immediately start the negotiations with a view to their conclusion within five years. In addition, there was the necessity of establishing in the Conference on Disarmament an appropriate subsidiary body with a mandate to deal with nuclear disarmament. The strong encouragement addressed to the Conference to conduct those two tasks were put forward in consensus by the States parties. The Conference, on its part, should heed that global call and should now take a decisive step to translate that call into a reality. In order to attain that, it was imperative for the members to immediately agree on its programme of work, making best use of the momentum created at the Conference in New York.

Mr. Noboru recalled that the FMCT had not been negotiated since the end of the 1998 session. Japan had been striving to elaborate its national position by conducting bilateral consultations with many interested countries. The basic principles for the FMCT negotiations should be globally applicable and non- discriminatory; the verification measures should be cost effective; it should in no way affect the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; and the stock should be dealt with either in parallel with the FMCT negotiations or in the subsequent negotiations. Bearing in mind the time frame which would be required for the negotiations and entry into force of the FMCT, it was of great significance that, as an interim measure, those which produce or produced fissile

material for nuclear weapons, should declare a moratorium of such production as was announced by some States.

Concerning the necessity to establish a subsidiary body with a mandate to deal with nuclear disarmament, Mr. Noboru reiterated his Government's long standing position that advancement of nuclear disarmament required the combination of unilateral, bilateral and multilateral measures, which would complement and strengthen each other. Furthermore, progress on and prospect for nuclear disarmament, directly or indirectly, would affect global peace and security. That was the reason why Japan strongly believed that the role of multilateral fora on disarmament should not be underestimated, although unilateral or bilateral nuclear disarmament efforts by Nuclear Weapon States were highly appreciated and welcomed. He sincerely hoped that the flexibility and the spirit of cooperation would be demonstrated by members of the Conference, particularly by the Nuclear Weapon States.

Japan did not recognize that there was an arms race in outer space today nor that there was an imminent danger for such a situation to arise, Mr. Noboru went on to state. He was referring to the outstanding issue of the programme of work regarding the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space. He said that given the advancement of technologies, one could not deny that there might be a need to reflect on possible measures to prevent an arms race in outer space. The existing international legal instruments were established many years ago, he said.

* *** *