MEETINGS TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF SECURITY COUNCIL NON-PROLIFERATION

RESOLUTION SET FOR HEADQUARTERS, 11 - 12 JULY

 

NEW YORK, 10 July (Office for Disarmament Affairs) -- At the initiative of the Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1540 (2004), Peter Burian (Slovakia), the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) will hold at Headquarters tomorrow a first meeting of assistance providers -- States and international organizations -- on their efforts and programmes to advance implementation of resolution 1540 (2004).

Participants will comprise representatives of approximately 25 Member States, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the European Union.  The meeting will provide a forum for lessons learned and for enhancing communication and coordination among those providing assistance.

On Thursday, 12 July, Headquarters will host, again at the initiative of the Mr. Burian, another first meeting on “Offering Assistance to Advance UNSCR 1540 (2004) Implementation -- The role of NGOs”.

Representatives from six non-governmental organizations will brief members of the Committee on their respective organizations’ specific projects or approaches to assistance in the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004).  Representatives of donor countries and international organizations will also attend.

The Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1540 on 28 April 2004, under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, deciding that all States refrain from supporting by any means non-State actors that attempt to acquire, use or transfer nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their delivery systems.  The resolution imposes binding obligations on all States to establish domestic controls to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and their means of delivery, including by establishing appropriate controls over related materials and adopting legislative measures in that respect.

On 27 April 2006, the Security Council extended the mandate of the 1540 (2004) Committee for two years with its adoption of resolution 1673 (2006), which reiterated the objectives of resolution 1540 (2004) and decided to intensify efforts towards its full implementation.

For further information, contact Kerstin Bihlmaier at e-mail: bihlmaier@un.org or tel: 212 963 2381.

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For information media • not an official record