CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT STARTS THIRD PART OF 2000 SESSION

Press Release
DCF/400

CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT STARTS THIRD PART OF 2000 SESSION

Conference President 'Moderately Encouraged' About Reaching Agreement on Programme of Work

GENEVA, 10 August (UN Information Service) -- The Conference on Disarmament this morning started the third and last part of its 2000 session which will conclude on September 22.

In the brief plenary, Ambassador Celso Amorim of Brazil, the President of the Conference, said the fact that there were no speakers inscribed was probably the most eloquent comment that one could make on the state of the work in the Conference on Disarmament. He had been continuing consultations to try to find a solution for the programme of work of the Conference. He had spoken at some length with the different groups and he had also given clear indications yesterday in the presidential consultations of the direction that he was trying to follow.

"I am moderately encouraged by the reaction, although I am also fully aware of the constraints that come from the perceived hard realities from the outside world and time constraints", Ambassador Amorim said.

He said it was his duty as President to continue trying, and if possible to come to a conclusion. If not, then he hoped that he would leave a valuable contribution to his successor. He noted that in the presidential consultations, some members had indicated that in order for him to have a more specific reaction, at some point a text would be useful, even if it was a kind of report on work in progress. He had taken note of that.

The next plenary of the Conference on Disarmament will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 17 August.

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