Fifty-ninth General Assembly

First Committee

21^st Meeting (AM)

Moscow Treaty, Man-portable air defence systems among issues,

 

as Disarmament Committee approves five texts

 

The General Assembly would welcome the entry into force of the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions (Moscow Treaty), and recognize specific steps taken by the Russian Federation and the United States to reduce their deployed strategic warheads, according to one of five drafts approved without a vote this morning by the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security).

The Committee, which continued taking action on all draft resolutions and decisions today, has organized its draft texts into subject “clusters”, and this morning it approved texts in its clusters on nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, conventional weapons and confidence-building measures.

Explaining her position on the draft put forth by the Russian Federation and the United States, the representative of Sweden, speaking on behalf of the New Agenda Coalition (Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and Sweden) said that, despite the two nuclear-weapon States’ reductions in deployed strategic nuclear warheads, such changes in operational status should not be seen as substitutes for actual weapon cuts.  She added that it was difficult for the Assembly to verify the data presented in the text.

The representative of Cuba added that bilateral agreements such as the Moscow Treaty should not replace transparent multilateral negotiations among States that were designed to bring about definitive and irreversible nuclear disarmament.  Proposing an in-depth dialogue to examine why there had been non-compliance with agreed principles from the last Review Conference for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), he deplored the fact that the text at hand had never been negotiated, due to the position taken by one of the sponsors.

The Committee approved a new text, on man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), which would have the Assembly urge Member States to support all efforts related to preventing the illicit transfer and unauthorised access to and use of such weapons.

Explaining his vote, the representative of Cuba said delegations should not continue to introduce resolutions on specific aspects of the greater small arms and light weapons issue, especially at a time when efforts were being made to adopt an international instrument on all such arms.  Noting that a draft resolution on small arms and light weapons had already been approved by the Committee, he found it ironic that some delegations, which said they wanted to streamline and rationalize the work of the Committee, had put forth such a redundant draft.

By the other texts approved by consensus this morning, the Assembly would:  call on those States that had not yet signed the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (Biological Weapons Convention)to become parties to it at an early date; decide that the United Nations conference to review progress made in implementing the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects would be held in New York between 26 June and 7 July 2006; and emphasize that the objective of confidence-building measures should be to help strengthen international peace and security and be consistent with the principle of undiminished security at the lowest level of armaments. 

The Committee will meet again at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, 3 November, to continue taking action on all drafts texts.

Background

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met this morning to continue action on all draft resolutions and decisions on disarmament and international security.  It had before it texts related to clusters dealing with nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, conventional weapons, disarmament machinery, confidence-building measures, and international security.

Expected to be acted on under cluster 1, which concerns nuclear weapons, is a draft on bilateral strategic nuclear arms reductions and the new strategic framework. The Committee is also expected to act on a draft from cluster 2, other weapons of mass destruction, on the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) And Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (Biological Weapons Convention).

From cluster 4, on conventional weapons, action is expected on draft resolutions on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, and preventing the illicit transfer and unauthorised access to and use of man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS).

The Committee is also expected to take up a draft resolution from cluster 6, on confidence-building measures.  That text focuses on confidence-building measures in a regional and subregional context.

From cluster 10, international security, the Committee is also expected to take action on a draft, which concerns the maintenance of international security in South-Eastern Europe.

Draft Summaries

Cluster 1

A draft resolution on bilateral strategic nuclear arms reductions and the new strategic framework (document A/C.1/59/L.56), sponsored by the Russian Federation and the United States, would have the Assembly welcome the entry into force of the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions (Moscow Treaty).  It would also recognize specific steps taken by the Russian Federation and the United States to reduce their deployed strategic warheads.

The Assembly would also note with approval that, since the end of the cold war, the Russian Federation and the United States had halted the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons and had committed to eliminate excess fissile material resulting from the dismantlement of weapons no longer needed for national security.

Cluster 2

According to a draft resolution sponsored by Hungary on the Biological Weapons Convention (document A/C.1/59/L.17/Rev.1), the Assembly would note with satisfaction the increase in the number of States parties to the Convention and reaffirm its call on all signatories that had not yet ratified it to do so without delay.  It would call on those States that had not yet signed the Convention to become parties to it at an early date, thus contributing to its universal adherence. 

By a further term, the Assembly would call upon the States parties to the Convention to participate in its implementation.

Cluster 4

Emphasizing the importance of early and full implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, the Assembly would decide that the United Nations conference to review progress made in implementing it, would be held in New York for a period of two weeks between 26 June and 7 July 2006, according to the draft resolution on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (document A/C.1/59/L.43/Rev.1).

The Assembly would also decide that the preparatory committee for that conference should be held in New York between 9 and 20 January 2006, with a subsequent session of up to two weeks, if necessary.

By a further term, the Assembly would decide that the second biennial meeting of States as stipulated in the Programme of Action -- to consider the Programme’s national, regional and global implementation -- would be held in New York between 11 and 15 July 2005.

The draft is sponsored by Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Suriname, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

According to a new draft resolution on preventing the illicit transfer and unauthorised access to and use of MANPADS (document A/C.1/59/L.49/Rev.2), the Assembly would urge Member States to support all international, regional and national efforts related to that theme.  It would also stress the importance of effective and comprehensive national controls on the production, stockpiling, transfer and brokering of MANPADS.

The draft is sponsored by Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malta, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Palau, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, and Zambia.

Cluster 6

Concerned that continuation of disputes among States might contribute to the arms race and endanger international peace and security and the efforts of the international community to promote arms control and disarmament, the Assembly would urge States to strictly comply with all bilateral, regional and international agreements to which they were party, according to a draft resolution sponsored by Pakistan on confidence-building measures in the regional and subregional context (document A/C.1/59/L.45/Rev.2). 

The Assembly would also emphasize that the objective of confidence-building measures should be to help strengthen international peace and security and be consistent with the principle of undiminished security at the lowest level of armaments.

In a related provision, it would call on Member States to refrain from the use or threat of force in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.  It would also call upon Member States to pursue the ways and means of confidence- and security-building measures, as contained in the 1993 United Nations Disarmament Commission report, through sustained consultations and dialogue, while at the same time avoiding actions that may hinder or impair such dialogue. 

Cluster 10

According to a draft resolution on the maintenance of international security -- through good-neighbourliness, stability and development -- in South-Eastern Europe (document A/C.1/59/L.55/Rev.2), the Assembly would call upon all States, the relevant international organizations and the appropriate organs of the United Nations to respect the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty of all States and the inviolability of international borders.

The Assembly would also call upon all States to continue to take measures in accordance with the Charter and the commitments of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and through further development of regional arrangements, as appropriate, to eliminate threats to international peace and security and to help to prevent conflicts in South-Eastern Europe, which could lead to the violent disintegration of States.

Under a further term, the Assembly would call upon all participants in the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, as well as all concerned international organizations, to continue to support the efforts of the States of South-Eastern Europe towards regional stability and cooperation so as to enable them to pursue sustainable development and integration into European structures, taking also into account transatlantic relations.

The Assembly would also call upon all States and relevant international organizations to contribute to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), on Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro, as well as of Security Council resolutions 1345 (2001) of 21 March 2001 and 1371 (2001) of 26 September 2001, and emphasize the importance of the standards review process, of the implementation of the “Standards for Kosovo” document endorsed by the Security Council in its presidential statement of 12 December 2003, and of the Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan of 31 March 2004.

By additional provisions, the Assembly would reject the use of violence in pursuit of political aims, and stress that only peaceful political solutions could assure a stable and democratic future for South-Eastern Europe.  It would also urge the strengthening of relations among the States of South-Eastern Europe on the basis of respect for international law and agreements, in accordance with the principles of good-neighbourliness and mutual respect.

The Assembly would also urge all States to take effective measures against the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and to help promote the collection and safe destruction of surplus stocks of such arms and light weapons.  In addition, it would stress the importance of closer cooperation among States, inter alia, in crime prevention, combating terrorism, trafficking in human beings, organized crime and corruption, drug trafficking and money-laundering.

It would also call on all States to intensify cooperation with and render all necessary assistance to the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 to bring all at-large indictees to surrender to the Tribunal in line with Security Council resolutions 1503 (2003) and 1534 (2004).

The draft resolution is sponsored by Algeria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Action on Texts

Taking up the draft resolution on bilateral strategic nuclear arms reductions and the new strategic framework (document A/C.1/59/L.56), the Committee approved it without a vote.

Speaking after the vote, the representative of Sweden, speaking on behalf of the New Agenda Coalition -- which includes Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and Sweden -- noted that she had joined consensus on the resolution, which would have the Assembly acknowledge the United States’ and the Russian Federation’s contributions to nuclear disarmament.  However, although the two countries’ reductions in deployed strategic nuclear warheads represented a positive development, such changes in operational status should not be seen as substitutes for actual weapon cuts.  In that context, she voiced her continuing support for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

Appreciating the data provided by the sponsors in the draft, she, nevertheless, stated that it was difficult for the Assembly to verify those numbers.  Also expressing concern that the text did not mention the upcoming review conference for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), she hoped that, at that gathering, it would be possible to see a more thorough evaluation of commitments made under the NPT and at previous review conferences.

The representative of Indonesia said that his country had joined consensus on the draft resolution on bilateral strategic nuclear arms reductions and the new strategic framework.  Compared to the previous resolutions, however, it included elements to which his country had reservations.  His country would like to stress that the efforts referred to in the text should be parallel to nuclear disarmament.  The threat to international security was from continued existence of nuclear weapons and their use or possible use.  While reduction in deployment and operational status of such weapons were necessary, those could not substitute for total elimination of nuclear weapons.  The United States and Russia had not destroyed all their cold war era nuclear arsenals.  The treaty between the two countries did not fulfil requirements under the relevant article of the NPT.

The representative of Cuba, also speaking on the draft resolution on bilateral strategic nuclear arms reductions and the new strategic framework, said that the so-called Moscow Treaty was a bilateral agreement established to reduce the capacity to deploy and to modify the operational status in the two States concerned.  It should not serve as a substitute for multilateral negotiations among States designed to bring about definitive and irreversible nuclear disarmament.  Agreement among States should always include the principles of transparency and irreversibility.

Cuba proposed an in-depth exchange on why there had been non-compliance with the principles agreed at the NPT Review Conference.  That exchange would help to achieve full compliance with those measures and new and practical measures should be proposed to bring about practical disarmament.  Cuba deplored the fact that draft resolution was not negotiated, owing in part to the position taken by one of the sponsors.  His country firmly supported general and complete disarmament under strict international control.  It also supported the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and also ridding all nations of weapons of mass destruction.

The Committee then took up the draft on the Biological Weapons Convention (document A/C.1/59/L.17/Rev.1), and approved it without a vote.

Speaking before the votes on drafts from cluster 4, concerning conventional weapons, the representative of Egypt said that, despite the fact that he would join consensus on the draft resolution on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (document A/C.1/59/L.43/Rev.1), the meeting of experts on brokering should be postponed until more crucial matters were considered first.

The Committee then approved the draft resolution on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (document A/C.1/59/L.43/Rev.1) without a vote.

Turning to the draft resolution on preventing the illicit transfer and unauthorized access to and use of MANPADS (document A/C.1/59/L.49/Rev.2), the Committee approved it without a vote.

Speaking after the vote, the representative of Cuba said that, with respect to the draft on small arms and light weapons, he supported consultations on new measures, acceptable to all States, to enhance international cooperation.  However, all such consultations should be held in a transparent, non-discriminatory manner, taking into account the principles of non-interference in other States’ internal affairs and the legitimate right to self-defence.  He added that efforts to preventing brokering should not be seen in isolation.  Rather, they had to be part of an overall strategy.

Regarding the draft on MANPADS, he said delegations should not continue to introduce resolutions on specific aspects of the small arms and light weapons issue, especially at a time when efforts were being made to adopt an international instrument on all such arms.  Noting that a draft resolution on small arms and light weapons had already been approved by the Committee, he found it ironic that some delegations, which said they wanted to streamline and rationalize the work of the Committee, would put forth such a redundant draft.

The representative of Iran, speakingon the draft resolution on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, said that his country fully shared the aims and objectives of the Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons that had been adopted by the United Nations.  Brokering was one of the aspects under serious consideration by Member States in the context of the Programme of Action.  There had not yet been any agreement on the establishment of a panel of governmental experts on the issue.  In that regard, operative paragraph 5 of the draft resolution should be seen as contingency planning. 

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on confidence-building measures in the regional and subregional context (document A/C.1/59/L.45/Rev.2).  It was approved without a vote.

The representative of India, speaking in explanation of vote after the vote on the draft resolution on confidence-building measures, said that his country believed that confidence-building measures could help in building at atmosphere of trust.  It was joining the consensus in keeping with the importance which the country attached to confidence-building measures.  India acknowledged the improvements contained in the draft resolution, as compared to last year’s resolution.  India’s action in joining the consensus should, however, not be seen as support for resolution 58/43, which had been referred to in the second preambular paragraph.

The Committee then turned to the draft resolution on the maintenance of international security through good-neighbourliness, stability and development in South-Eastern Europe (document A/C.1/59/L.55/Rev.2).

In a general statement, the representative of Albania said that his country considered the draft as a good one.  Albania was doing its best and would like to be a part of the sponsorship and the consensus on the text.  It had been in consultation with the sponsors and would want action on the text postponed to the next meeting.

The representative of Croatia supported the request for the action to be postponed.

The representative of the United Kingdom also expressed support for the request for the postponement.

The representative of Sierra Leone requested for clarification as to whether the Committee was already acting on the draft resolution.

The Committee decided to postpone action on the draft resolution until its next meeting.

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