DISARMAMENT COMMISSION CONCLUDES 2000 SUBSTANTIVE SESSION; ADOPTS DRAFT REPORT

Press Release
DC/2718

DISARMAMENT COMMISSION CONCLUDES 2000 SUBSTANTIVE SESSION; ADOPTS DRAFT REPORT

The Disarmament Commission concluded its 2000 substantive session this afternoon by adopting its draft report, as orally revised. It also adopted the draft reports of its two working groups.

According to the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report, the Commission agreed to submit all three texts to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session.

Introducing the main report, Samuel Amehou (Benin), the Rapporteur, said that since this was the first year that the Commission did not have parallel meetings, members had been able to tackle two main disarmament issues of the modern era. Even with their differing national interests, they had found it possible to reach consensus.

The report describes the Commission's work during its two-week session, which began on 26 June. It also lists documents submitted by the Secretary- General and by Member States. During the first of five plenary meetings, the Commission heard a statement by Jayantha Dhanapala, Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs. The subsequent general exchange of views ended on 27 June. The working groups began their work on 28 June and concluded on 6 July.

Issues dominating the Commission’s general debate during the session included the growing need for progress towards total nuclear disarmament. Many delegations, while praising the Russian Federation's ratification of the Anti- Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, called for similar measures by the United States and other nuclear Powers. Serious concern was expressed over last year's nuclear tests in South Asia.

Another major issue during the debate was the alarming proliferation of small arms and light weapons. It was noted that owing to the increasingly frequent intra-State conflicts since the end of the cold war, those weapons were killing millions of people, especially women and children, and particularly in the developing countries. Delegations welcomed the convening in 2001 of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons.

Disarmament Commission - 2 - Press Release DC/2718 239th Meeting (PM) 7 July 2000

Yaw Odei Osei (Ghana) Chairman of Working Group I, introduced that Group’s report on ways and means to achieve nuclear disarmament. He said the group had held five meetings. The report was his own initiative and did not reflect the negotiations. Delegations should not, therefore, feel they had to concede their positions.

Gabriela Martinic (Argentina), Chairperson of Working Group II, introduced that Group’s report on practical confidence-building measures in the field of conventional arms. She said there had been an interesting and useful exchange of views during the group's meetings.

Following the Commission’s adoption of the report, Javad Zarif (Iran), Commission Chairman, thanked members for working in a spirit of friendship and cooperation.

Also making concluding remarks were the representatives of Ghana, Venezuela (on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States), Algeria, Syria, France, South Africa (on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement), Egypt and Pakistan.

The Bureau of the Disarmament Commission comprises: Chairman, Javad Zarif (Iran); Vice-Chairmen, the representatives of Armenia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Luxembourg, Monaco, Sierra Leone and Venezuela; and Rapporteur, Samuel Amehou (Benin).

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