Disarmament Commission

2001 Substantive Session

245^th Meeting (AM)

CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES IN CONVENTIONAL ARMS ADDRESSED,

AS DISARMAMENT COMMISSION CONCLUDES GENERAL DISCUSSION

The Disarmament Commission concluded its general exchange of views for its current substantive session this afternoon, with speakers addressing, among other issues, the various ways of building confidence among States in conventional arms.

The representative of the Philippines told the Commission that work on practical confidence-building measures in the field of conventional arms should begin with the recognition that conditions and circumstances varied between countries and regions.  Each region had developed different approaches to the issue.  Also, the Commission's work should be guided by the fact that the excessive accumulation of conventional arms did not contribute to building confidence.

Pakistan’s representative said that, in its second year of considering confidence-building measures, the Commission should not lose sight of the fact that symptomatic treatment and ad hoc recipes did not yield durable results.  The disease must be distinguished from the symptoms.  No one model for dealing with the issue was complete in itself.

Mistrust and suspicions, noted the representative of Iran, had created an atmosphere of insecurity among States, which led them to accumulate arms for self-defence.  Therefore, the interrelationship between building confidence and reliance on conventional arms was an essential element, which must be taken into account in the process of consolidating peace and containing tensions.

The representative of Chile stated that confidence-building measures should promote a climate of social and economic integration and cooperation.  An example of that holistic approach to confidence building had been the “zone of peace” initiative implemented by the countries of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR).  That initiative stressed transparency, social progress and environmental protection.  As long as nations sought to sustain or enhance security and stability as neighbours, it would be possible to achieve broad confidence-building goals and improve political relations.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Cuba, Ecuador, Russian Federation, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Ghana and Iraq.  In addition, the representative of the United States made a statement in exercise of the right of reply.

The Commission will meet again at a date to be announced.

Background

The 2001 substantive session of the Disarmament Commission met this afternoon to conclude its general exchange of views.

Statements

WALDEMAR COUTTS (Chile) said he had complete belief in the guiding principle of human security, as well as the indivisibility of security and the requirements of individual States.  National security could not be invoked to undermine the security of others.  While it was clear that States should exercise a collective responsibility to obtain international disarmament objectives, the responsibility of disarmament had not been equally distributed among States.  Indeed, countries that had opted for nuclear alternatives bore the greatest responsibility for disarmament.  Continued unilateralism by the nuclear-weapon States was also troubling.  There were signs of hope, however, particularly the outcome of the 2000 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), at which the nuclear-weapon States pledged to do away with all weapon stockpiles.

Turning to confidence-building measures, he said that it was important that any such measures should promote a climate of social and economic integration and cooperation.  An example of such a holistic approach to confidence-building had been the “zone of peace” initiative implemented in the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) countries.  That initiative had also stressed transparency, social progress and protection of the environment.  To build confidence in the subregion, measures had allowed for the implementation of an unprecedented integration process, and a standing security committee had been established to deepen bilateral cooperation.  It was important to note that all those efforts had depended on points of convergence beyond national objectives, which was an important lesson for the wider global community.  As long as nations sought to sustain or enhance security and stability as neighbours, it would be possible to achieve broad confidence-building goals and improve political relations.

RAFAEL DAUSA CESPEDES (Cuba) said that, for Cuba, nuclear disarmament continued to be the priority.  The Conference on Disarmament in Geneva had not even been able to agree on an agenda for the past four years.  It was important that the Commission aim to formulate concrete recommendations to advance nuclear disarmament.  The achievement of consensus must not be an end in itself, but a means of solving today’s problems.  For that to happen, the political will of all States was necessary, particularly that of the nuclear-weapon States. 

While, on the one hand, nuclear powers in theory had undertaken measures to advance nuclear disarmament, in reality those promises had not been fulfilled, he said.  The practical actions of those States were directly opposed to their stated intention.  For example, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) maintained plans for a New Strategic Concept, which would increase the number of nuclear weapons in its security areas, rather than reduce them.  In addition, a special committee on nuclear disarmament could still not be created within the Conference on Disarmament.

Also, he continued, some States clearly lacked the political will to convene an international conference to address nuclear disarmament, as called for in the Millennium Declaration.  At the same time, military expenditures around the world were beginning to increase at a rapid pace.  With a mere part of that money, the needs of those living in extreme poverty could be met.  Likewise, there was an increase in the number of conventional weapons, which had nothing to do with legitimate security interests. 

He especially recognized the work done by the chair of working group II in putting forward a paper on confidence-building measures in the field of conventional arms.  He reiterated that models that might work well for some countries and regions must not be imposed on others.  The design and implementation of confidence building measures implied a strict respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter, including respect for sovereignty, as well as the right to legitimate defence.

MARIO ALEMÁN (Ecuador), speaking on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean Group, said the invention of atomic weapons and the resultant nuclear arms race went hand in hand with the growth of the United Nations.  The Organization had realized early on the urgent need to promote disarmament and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.  It was obvious, however, that disarmament could not occur overnight.  Disarmament could not be achieved through a series of isolated measures that did not address the actions of the nuclear protagonists. Creating a selective or narrow regime would only result in disarming those already disarmed.  To avoid such an occurrence, the Millennium Declaration had emphasized the lofty objective of total disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. 

He went on to say that the creation of nuclear-weapon-free zones and peace zones, among others, had made a valuable contribution to disarmament.  But, sadly, several international disarmament treaties had not yet entered into force.  It was also unfortunate that the Conference on Disarmament was still without a programme of work.  In the current fragile security environment, the Conference’s inactivity was most troubling, since it was the sole international body that could identify the risks that might lead to a new and undesirable arms race.  At the same time, the Commission itself had become a useful forum, in which disarmament issues could be deliberated.

ENRIQUE A. MANALO (Philippines) said that work on practical confidence-building measures in the field of conventional arms should build on the recognition that conditions and circumstances varied in each region, and that each region had developed different approaches to that issue.  One of the principles that should continue to guide the Commission's work was that the excessive accumulation of conventional arms did not contribute to building confidence.  Another was that the deployment of conventional forces in areas of tension or territorial disputes, where there had been an understanding that parties should refrain from engaging in activities that might destabilize the situation, would delay efforts at confidence-building.

The members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) had taken a major step in building confidence in that region, he said.  In 1994, during the annual meeting of its foreign ministers, ASEAN had established the ASEAN Regional Forum to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interests and concern.  It was also designed to make significant contributions to efforts towards confidence building and preventive diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific region.  In the years since its establishment, the Forum had proven to be an effective consultative body for promoting effective dialogue on political and security cooperation in the region. 

He believed that the discussions on confidence-building would prove to be an important and unparallelled opportunity for the members of the international community to share their own unique bilateral or regional experiences on confidence-building.  He looked forward to a lively exchange of ideas and experiences, from which everyone would benefit. 

ANDREY GRANOVSKY (Russian Federation) said the currents session was taking place in a remarkable period at the United Nations, particularly as it followed the Millennium Summit, where world leaders had emphasized the importance of international cooperation on disarmament concerns.  The words of those leaders gave powerful impetus to multilateral efforts towards real disarmament in the twenty-first century.  That broad call for action underscored the Commission’s important role in deliberating the key disarmament issues.

Deliberation of disarmament issues should take into consideration the optimum ways of achieving strategic stability, he continued.  Such stability included economic, social, humanitarian and environmental factors.  The total elimination of nuclear weapons was one of the final goals of the disarmament process.  Ideally, it would follow a step-by-step reduction, while maintaining strategic stability.  His Government intended to implement the provisions of the outcome of the 2000 NPT Review Conference.  To that end, it had recently created a task force to study innovative alternatives to nuclear reactors.  Other programmes of action included measures aimed at strengthening nuclear disarmament programmes and non-proliferation policies.  Russia was also prepared to make further deep cuts in strategic nuclear arms, and had proposed 1,500 as the optimum number of units for both his country and the United States. 

He said that the ABM Treaty played a special role in Russia’s disarmament regime.  Its signing had paved the way for the limitation and reduction of strategic arms by two of the world’s great Powers.  That Treaty still remained a cornerstone for strategic stability, as well as for the reduction of nuclear arms.  In light of that pact, the United States’ plan to deploy a national missile defence system would seriously affect international stability.  He added that his Government was prepared to open negotiations on a new Strategic Arms Limitation and Reduction Treaty (START III) without delay.  Further, it regarded as appropriate the creation, with the involvement of all States, non-strategic ABM systems to neutralize threats.  His Government was prepared to actively cooperate in such efforts.

He went on to say that Russia also considered the non-militarization of outer space a priority task.  That view had won wide acceptance in the General Assembly, as well as the wider international community.  He called for the early development of an international legal regime that would prevent such militarization.  All States should have access to a peaceful outer space.  Russia would soon host an international forum to discuss all aspects of that important issue.

He said that ratification of the NPT was a specific example of Russia’s commitment to disarmament.  He called on all nations, particularly the United States, to follow his country’s example, so that the treaty could enter into force as soon as possible.  He strongly believed that the creation of nuclear-weapon-free zones played an important role in narrowing the sphere of such weapons around the globe.  He reiterated Russia’s previous call that such weapons be concentrated in the territories of the nuclear-weapon States.

He said that the international community should carefully consider making changes to the scope of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms.  Excessive transparency could damage the security of States; a gradual and balanced approach to increasing the level of transparency was preferable.  Broad international cooperation -- particularly through enhancing law enforcement capacities, national legislation and arms export controls -- would be effective in curbing the trade in illicit small arms and light weapons.

MASOOD KHALID (Pakistan) said that consideration of nuclear disarmament acquired even greater importance, in view of the many recent setbacks suffered by the global disarmament agenda.  There was a growing feeling that that global disarmament framework was being eroded.  Contrary to the high hopes generated at the end of the cold war, nuclear weapons retained their primacy in the security policies of the powerful States.  The possible abandonment of the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (ABM Treaty) could well result in the unravelling of the agreements underpinning the whole system of multilateral disarmament.

In the South Asia, history proved that Pakistan's nuclear programme was reactive, he said.  "India's nuclear tests left us with no choice but to carry out our nuclear tests."  Instead of a triad of nuclear forces, Pakistan sought a triad of peace, security and progress.  To that end, his country offered India a resumption of high-level talks between India and Pakistan to discuss and resolve the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir.  In addition, it offered India a strategic restraint regime, involving measures for nuclear restraint and conventional balance, as well as high-level interaction for the promotion of trade, transit arrangements, development cooperation and investment generation. 

In the second year of its consideration of confidence-building measures, the Commission should aim for a more detailed conceptual discussion on the entire range of such measures, he said.  Symptomatic treatment and ad hoc recipes, however, did not yield durable results.  The disease must be distinguished from the symptoms.  Furthermore, confidence-building measures were not an end in themselves.  Discussions on confidence-building measures also revealed they were specific to regions and situations.  No one model was complete in itself.

HADI NEJAD HOSSEINIAN (Iran) said that it was unfortunate that the expectations that existed at the end of the cold war had not been fulfilled.  On the contrary, developments had led some States to resort to old cold-war doctrines.  Nuclear disarmament, a lofty goal of humanity, was now perceived by some as only a utopia and a state beyond the reach of the international community.  In that connection, the new confrontation over missile defence schemes and the introduction of an arms race in outer space were both matters of grave concern. 

In many instances, he said, conflicts and tensions between States had been exacerbated by the increasing flow of conventional arms into those regions.  In certain cases, improving conventional arms capability had prompted the emergence of a new conventional arms race at global and regional levels.  Mistrust had created an atmosphere of insecurity among States, which led them to accumulate arms for self-defence.  The interrelationship between building confidence and reliance on conventional arms was, therefore, an essential element that must be taken into consideration in the process of consolidating peace and containing tensions.

HIRA B. THAPA (Nepal) said that the progress achieved so far in the field of nuclear disarmament was far from satisfactory.  There were still some countries that were not parties to the NPT, whose inclusion would strengthen the global non-proliferation regime.  The Conference on Disarmament, the only multilateral negotiating body of the United Nations, has been paralysed for more than three years, failing to agree on a programme of work.  The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) had not received the required number of ratifications necessary for it to enter into force.  Under such circumstances, the role of the Commission became more important.  Frank discussions, which were the hallmark of the Commission's sessions, could prove very useful in narrowing differences and paving the way for concrete results and practical recommendations.

He said that confidence-building measures were effective tools both for preventing conflicts and for building peace in post-conflict situations.  The United Nations Register on Conventional Arms, an innovation in that area, needed to be expanded and deepened to enhance its effectiveness.  Also, standardized reporting instruments for military expenditures could promote transparency and build confidence among nations.

MADINA JARBUSSYNOVA (Kazakhstan) said her country had proved its commitment to a nuclear-weapon-free world in 1993, when it became a signatory to the NPT.  Following the withdrawal of the last nuclear warheads and other devices from its territory in 1995, Kazakhstan had thereafter refused to possess nuclear weapons.  Her country had also signed the CTBT in 1996 and she hoped that Treaty would be ratified by September 2001.

She attached great importance to the creation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia as a crucial element of efforts to maintain peace and stability at regional and global levels, she continued.  Such a zone would also constitute an important step towards strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime and promoting general and complete disarmament.  Pursuing a policy of constructive cooperation, her country had created a zone of security and neighbourly relations along its borders.  She noted Kazakhstan’s continuing work on the process towards convening the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, scheduled to take place later this year.  That Conference should reflect major aspects of cooperation, including joint activities to combat new threats, such as terrorism and the illegal trade in small arms, and a concept of regional mechanisms for the elaboration of confidence-building measures.

YAW ODEI OSEI (Ghana) said that for his country, non-proliferation remained the bedrock of the multilateral disarmament process.  The Commission should consider innovative ways of encouraging all States, particularly the nuclear-weapon States, to fulfil their obligations as stipulated in article VI of the NPT.  Those States made an "unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament".  The Commission should do no less than urge them to engage in good faith in negotiations towards the attainment of that objective.  In that connection, the Commission's deliberations should consider ways in which the Conference on Disarmament, the only multilateral negotiating body for disarmament, could be assisted to reach consensus on its agenda and overcome its current inertia. 

The menace posed by conventional weapons was an area of concern to his country, he said.  It was important to keep in mind the resolve of world leaders at the Millennium Summit to take concerted action to prevent the illegal traffic in small arms and light weapons, especially by creating greater transparency in arms transfers and supporting regional disarmament measures.  The Commission's work should complement that of the Preparatory Committee for the upcoming International Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects by highlighting mechanisms, such as the arms Register, in curbing that menace.  Consideration should be given to expanding the Register to cover all types of conventional weapons, in a bid to engender greater transparency.

MOHAMMED AL-HUMAIMIDI (Iraq) said it was safe to say that that the objective of the international community was the total elimination of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems.  Comprehensive efforts towards total disarmament should be based on the principles of the NPT, as well as the decision of the International Court of Justice that all States must act in good faith and commit to establishing nuclear disarmament negotiations.  Efforts should also be based on the conclusions of the Commission and the decisions of the General Assembly, particularly the guidelines that called for the total elimination of nuclear weapons and the creation of a nuclear-free world.

If the cold-war period had in some way justified the creation and proliferation of nuclear weapons, that period was over, he continued.  There was no justification today for the massive destruction that could be caused by nuclear weapons.  Still, some nations, through selective practices and various pretexts to liberate themselves from international commitments, continued to arm themselves, despite international agreements.  The continued application of a “dual-measure” system by some States was troubling.  While some States had been prevented from defending themselves against attack, others were allowed to flout international documents and resolutions and to manufacture the most sophisticated and technologically advanced weapons and weapon systems.

He said that Iraq attached great importance to the creation of nuclear-weapon-free zones throughout the world.  His country had been among the first to advocate the creation of such a zone in the Middle East.  Israel, possessor of the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons in the region, had refused to accede to the NPT or the regulations set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).  Moreover, the United States also continued to reject the legal commitments and instruments that were binding upon other States.

He went on to say that confidence-building measures should include consideration of the specific nature of each region and the nature of existing disputes or conflicts.  Such measures should also emphasize the principles of the Charter, namely territorial integrity and the right to national defence.  The main problem with the conventional weapons Register was the limited nature of its scope, which meant that broad participation could not be guaranteed.  If transparency was to be guaranteed, it should be based on a well-established foundation that did not set rules on a State-by-State basis. Finally, the

Commission should refrain from looking at issues not related to disarmament when considering confidence-building measures.

Right of Reply

ROBERT GREY (United States) said that he regretted the misrepresentation and distortion of United States policies made this morning by the representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.  The United States was a democratic republic, whose government representatives were elected by the country's citizens.  Any new administration had the duty to review the policies of the former administration.  The new administration was currently reviewing United States policies relating to such issues as defence and disarmament.  The policies related to the Korean peninsula were also among those under review.  Under the circumstances, it had been inappropriate to call into question or pre-judge the outcome of the policy review of the United States Government. 

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