Concluding Substantive Session, Disarmament Commission Approves by Consensus Draft Reports to General Assembly

After three weeks of discussions, the Disarmament Commission concluded its 2023 substantive session today, with the approval by consensus of its draft report to the General Assembly, as well as the reports of its subsidiary bodies.

Kurt Davis (Jamaica), Chair of the Working Group on Nuclear Non‑proliferation and Disarmament, introduced that Group’s draft report on recommendations for achieving those objectives (document A/CN.10/2023/WG.I/CRP.2/Rev.1), noting that the Working Group was able to use the Chair’s paper containing from 2022 as a basis for its discussions.  He pointed to a robust exchange on the proposals contained in that paper.

While agreement on recommendations proved elusive, the birth of proposals contained in the Chair’s paper of 19 April represents some progress in the deliberations on important issues addressed by this Commission, he noted.  Should the Commission take up this subject matter in future Working Groups, the work already undertaken may present a useful point of reference towards achieving the formidable task of reaching consensus.

Szilvia Balazs (Hungary), Chair of the Working Group on Outer Space, then introduced its draft report on preparations of recommendations to promote the practical implementation of the transparency and confidence-building measures in related activities with the goal of preventing an arms race in that realm (document A/CN.10/2023/WG.II/CRP.2/Rev.1).

Both texts were adopted by consensus.

Landry Sibomana (Burundi), Vice-President of the Disarmament Commission, then introduced the Commission’s draft report (document A/CN.10/2023/L.1.), comprising four sections:  introduction; organization and work of the 2023 substantive session; documentation; and conclusions and recommendations.  He detailed several technical updates to section II.

The representative of the Russian Federation proposed adding in section II, after paragraph 3, an additional paragraph, which would pertain to the election of the bureau.  After the Chair drew attention to paragraph 7, the representative of the Russian Federation responded that the aforementioned paragraph does not contain a list of names and positions of the persons who acted as Vice-Chairs.

The Chair pointed out that, when the report is prepared, the names of the members of the bureau are not always known and suggested to leave this issue at the discretion of the next session of the Commission, also to avoid duplication.  The representative of the Russian Federation, however, insisted on including a paragraph which mentions elected representative of specific countries as Vice-Chairs.  The Chair concluded that the paragraph proposed by the Russian Federation will be introduced into the final report.

The representative of Iraq sought clarification with regard to paragraph 15 and 16, specifically a mention of the 388^th and 389^th Meetings.

The Commission then adopted the report as a whole, as orally revised.

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* The 386^th Meeting was not covered, and the 387^th Meeting was closed.