CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT STARTS SECOND PART OF 2003 SESSION
| Press Release DCF/425 |
CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT STARTS SECOND PART OF 2003 SESSION
Hears Statements from Representatives of Japan,
Russian Federation, and Ireland as President of Conference
(Reissued as received.)
GENEVA, 15 May (UN Information Service) -- The Conference on Disarmament today held the first plenary of the second part of its 2003 session which will continue until 27 June. It heard statements by representatives of Japan, the Russian Federation, as well as Ireland as President of the Conference.
Japan spoke to the Conference about the workshop entitled "Promoting Verification in Multilateral Arms Control Treaties -- Future verification regime, FMCT in particular" which was organized by Japan, Australia and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. The workshop had focused on the issue of verification which was the key to maintaining and strengthening the credibility of multilateral arms control regimes.
The Russian Federation informed the Conference that the State Duma had yesterday ratified the Russian-American treaty on limiting strategic offensive potentials. The treaty was a major contribution to disarmament and, as a result of its implementation, strategic nuclear offensive potentials would be cut back three-fold. Russia hoped that the coming into force of the Moscow Treaty would have a positive effect on the work of the Conference.
The President of the Conference, Ambassador Mary Whelan of Ireland, informed the Conference that former Canadian Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament, Gerald E. Shannon, had passed away, and conveyed condolences on behalf of the member and observer States to the Canadian Government and to the family of Ambassador Shannon.
Ambassador Christopher Westdal of Canada expressed his thanks, saying that Mr. Shannon was the Canadian Ambassador at Geneva from 1990 to 1995. Although he was best known for his role in the non-proliferation of nuclear arms and disarmament, he had been a national and international trade policy leader. The delegation would convey the Conference's sympathy and condolences to his widow, family and to the Government of Canada.
Ambassador Whelan said that as President, she had sought, during presidential consultations, responses from delegations on resolving the ongoing impasse on the programme of work, including through the putting forward of views by delegations which had not yet elaborated their concerns about the A-5 proposal (proposal by the five Ambassadors). Specific ideas on what new issues might be considered by the Conference on how this might be achieved were also invited. She had also asked delegations to consider whether it might be possible to make modest progress towards greater civil society participation in the work of the Conference.
In relation to the programme of work and the A-5 proposal, in the light of the informal consultations held yesterday which had marked the opening of the second part of the Conference's session, she said it was clear that the position of regional groups remained unchanged in relation to a programme of work. Concerning new issues, the President said that no specific proposal had been laid on the table or elaborated since the Conference had last met. And on the question of civil society, this issue was also discussed at yesterday's presidential consultations. All groups confirmed that they were open-minded on this issue, however, some expressed a more cautious approach than others. Ambassador Whelan said that she wanted to share her views about this and the outcome of her consultations with all members of the Conference in the interest of transparency.
The next plenary of the Conference on Disarmament will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 22 May. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Riaz H. Khokhar, is expected to address the Conference at that meeting.
Statements
KUNIKO INOGUCHI (Japan) said she wished to inform the Conference about the discussions held at the workshop entitled "Promoting Verification in Multilateral Arms Control Treaties -- Future verification regime, FMCT in particular". The workshop was co-organized by Japan, Australia and the United Nations Institute of Disarmament Research. The workshop, held on 28 March, focused on the issue of verification, the key to maintaining and strengthening the credibility of multilateral arms control regimes. In Japan's view, verification deserved special attention, particularly at this juncture where concern was growing over clandestine activities to develop proscribed weapons of mass destruction. Effectiveness and adequacy of verification were, however, not unconditional. There were quite a few constraints. All verification systems in existence, dealing with weapons of mass destruction, involved a substantial need for financial resources. Cost-efficiency was a guiding principle in arms control as much as in other fields. Another constraint was related to intrusiveness, not only in terms of a State's legitimate interest in protecting sensitive military information, but also in terms of proliferation risks that intrusive inspections entailed.
Ms. Inoguchi said that the workshop was composed of two sessions. In the first session, they discussed possible generic lessons that could be learned from existing verification systems. The second session focused on verification of the fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT). The most fundamental purpose of FMCT verification was to detect any undeclared enrichment or reprocessing activities, which consequently brought everyone to the question of what approach should be adopted in order to meet this requirement. The scope of declaration and routine inspection were, among others, of utmost importance. Discussions revealed an uneasy possibility that the most contentious issue, i.e., whether fissile material stocks should be included in the Treaty, could drive the whole negotiations to a stalemate. Such a stalemate was not in the interest of any country, especially after all member States of the Conference had agreed on the commencement of negotiations.
ANTON VASILIOV (Russian Federation) said that he was pleased to inform the Conference that on 14 May, the State Duma had adopted a federal law on ratifying the Russian-American treaty on limiting strategic offensive potentials. Russia considered this step to be of greatest importance. The treaty on limiting strategic offensive potentials had been signed in 2002. In March, the United States Senate had ratified it. The treaty was a major contribution to disarmament. As a result of its implementation, strategic nuclear offensive potentials would be cut back three fold in relation to SALT III. It would help in the process of disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Also, the danger of a legal vacuum in this area was now precluded, which strengthened international security. The treaty was also a practical contribution to a new type of relationship between Russia and the United States. Russia hoped that the coming into force of the Moscow Treaty would have a positive effect on the work of the Conference.
MARY WHELAN (Ireland), President of the Conference on Disarmament, said that as President, she had sought responses from delegations on resolving the ongoing impasse on the programme of work, including through the putting forward of views by delegations which had not yet elaborated their concerns about the A-5 proposal (proposal by the five Ambassadors). Specific ideas on what new issues might be considered by the Conference on how this might be achieved were also invited. She had also asked delegations to consider whether it might be possible to make modest progress towards greater civil society participation in the work of the Conference. In relation to the programme of work and the A-5 proposal, in the light of the informal consultations held yesterday which had marked the opening of the second part of the Conference's session, it was clear that the position of regional groups remained unchanged in relation to a programme of work. To that extent, the Conference remained open to ongoing consideration of the A-5 proposal as the means of achieving consensus on the programme of work. Her invitation to delegations to respond further on this proposal remained open, although it had not so far been taken up.
Concerning new issues, the President said that no specific proposal had been laid on the table or elaborated since the Conference had last met. And on the question of civil society, this issue was also discussed at yesterday's presidential consultations. All groups confirmed that they were open-minded on this issue, however, some expressed a more cautious approach than others. She had reached a tentative conclusion that some progress might be possible. One suggestion mentioned yesterday would envisage enabling non-governmental organizations to address the Conference once or twice a year, on a similar basis as that which was obtained in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference; providing access to official documents of the Conference to non-governmental organizations; and enabling non-governmental organizations to provide written material outside the meeting room. She intended to write to group coordinators seeking their views on this suggestion or possible alternatives. She appreciated that some delegations were more hesitant than others in envisaging a role for civil society in the work of the Conference on Disarmament. For this reason, consideration could be given to trying any new approach for a trial period.
Ambassador Whelan said that she wanted to share her views about this and the outcome of her consultations with all members of the Conference in the interest of transparency.
* *** *