‘Sad But True — No Region Spared from Crisis or Insecurity This Year’, First Committee Hears during Thematic Debate on Regional Disarmament
“It is sad but true that no region around the globe has been spared from crisis or insecurity this year,” the representative of the United States told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today in its thematic debate on regional disarmament and security, which was followed by the start of debate on the United Nations disarmament machinery.
The effects of the Russian Federation’s continued war against Ukraine and its assault on the UN Charter, including not upholding its international obligations, go far beyond peace and security in Europe, he emphasized. Indeed, the Russian Federation “is to blame for most of the current damage to the current security architecture”, and he regrets that other countries are reinforcing Moscow’s bad behaviour.
He said China is the largest provider of assistance and dual-use technology to the Russian defence industry. Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea provide weapons to that country, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea sent 3,000 soldiers apparently to help the Russian war effort. Those two countries have themselves escalated their nuclear programmes and pursued ballistic missile programmes. Additionally, Iran is supporting armed terrorist organizations in the Middle East.
Also drawing attention to multiple regional challenges, the United Kingdom’s delegate condemned the Russian Federation’s continued use of irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and coercive signalling, which will not deter the “determination that Ukraine must win this war”. Further, Moscow’s continued control and militarization of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant poses a significant risk of a nuclear incident.
On the Middle East and the intolerable death and destruction in Gaza, she urged all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and much more crucial aid to enter Gaza, adding, “we cannot let Lebanon become another Gaza”. She condemned Iran’s ongoing support for Hamas, Hizbullah and the Houthis, voicing concern over Tehran’s escalating military support to the Russian Federation and its advancing nuclear programme.
France, said its representative, is similarly concerned about the swift degradation of the Middle East situation and calls for an end to the military escalation there. In Lebanon, Israel must halt its military operations. “Too many civilians have already been victim of this,” she said, expressing determination to achieve a long-term solution in Lebanon. The humanitarian situation in Gaza “remains disastrous”. An immediate ceasefire is urgently needed to allow the release of hostages and civilian protection.
Speaking for the Group of Arab States, the delegate of Mauritania welcomed efforts made across the five nuclear-weapon-free zones — in Latin America, the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Africa and Central Asia — while stressing the need to establish the long-awaited Middle East nuclear-weapon-free zone. He reiterated that the Middle East resolution adopted by the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) represents “the deal” for the Treaty’s indefinite extension.
He further called upon the three sponsors of the Middle East resolution to “shoulder their responsibility” by doing everything possible to achieve a zone free of nuclear and all other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East to enhance chances of peace, security and stability in one of the world’s most conflict-prone and unstable regions.
Likewise, the delegate for Kuwait said such a zone in the Middle East would enhance peace and security on the international and regional levels. The continued obstruction by the Israeli occupation Authorities for the establishment of the zone has a very clear objective. The occupying Entity is not party to the NPT, which proves that it does not aspire to achieve peace and security, but only to impose its hegemony. He recalled the Israeli threat to use nuclear weapons against innocent civilians.
Egypt’s speaker stressed the importance of the NPT and the centrality of pursuing nuclear-weapon-free zones to enhance international peace and security and achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world. He called upon nuclear-weapon States to subscribe to, honour and respect without preconditions or reservations the additional protocols annexed to the nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties. Non-nuclear-weapon States must receive credible, unconditional and urgent assurances through legally binding instruments in this regard.
Calling for nuclear-weapon-free zones where they do not exist, particularly in the Middle East, he noted that less than a year ago, the Israeli Minister for Culture “threatened to drop a nuclear bomb over Gaza and its Palestinian civilians” — another shocking and dreadful treatment of nuclear threat by the Israeli Government. “This irresponsible and horrific narrative should be unequivocally condemned and assertively responded to.”
The Non-Aligned Movement supports the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free of nuclear and all other mass destruction weapons, said Indonesia’s representative on the Movement’s behalf. It also demands that Israel, the only party in the region that has not joined the NPT, renounce possession of nuclear weapons. She also condemned threats by an Israeli minister to drop nuclear weapons on Gaza and, by the Prime Minister, on Iran.
She underscored the Movement’s position concerning the use or threat of use of force against the territorial integrity of any State. The Movement’s member States parties to the NPT are concerned about the strategic military and security doctrines of nuclear-weapon States and about certain non-nuclear-weapon States who subscribe to extended nuclear security guarantees.
Speaking in her national capacity, Indonesia’s representative said that nuclear-weapon-free zones are an important building block in the global pursuit to eliminate all weapons of mass destruction. Yet such zones are no substitute for broader binding commitments by nuclear-weapon States towards general and complete nuclear disarmament.
Kazakhstan’s speaker said regional initiatives are uniquely positioned to address local security challenges and build trust and cooperation, complementing global frameworks. Central Asian States signed a Treaty on a nuclear free zone in 2006. The protocol on negative nuclear assurances to the Treaty was signed by the 5 nuclear-weapon States in 2014, but ratified so far by four of the five. He welcomes the United States’ indication that it will work towards the protocol’s ratification. The Treaties of Pelindaba and Rarotonga are in similar situations.
He is convinced that fostering greater collaboration among the zones will bring greater stability between regional and global levels. Regional disarmament is particularly useful in conflict and post-conflict peacebuilding through its confidence-building measures. He favours pursuit of the vision of one UN, in arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation, at national, regional, and subregional levels. He is committed to advance and integrate regional disarmament into the global security architecture.
In that vein, the representative of Bangladesh asserted that regional and global arms control efforts must be pursued simultaneously, given that many threats to peace and security originate from tensions within specific regions. Regional actors have a unique insight into their local dynamics, which enables them to develop more tailored and sustainable solutions. Bangladesh also attaches high priority to unconditional and legally binding assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of weapons by nuclear-weapon States.
Pakistan’s delegate said the complementarity between global and regional approaches is grounded in a simple reality — most threats to peace emerge from within regions or subregions where neighbouring States are the first to feel the heat of a conflict. Regional disarmament must address the accumulation of conventional weapons that exceed legitimate self-defence needs. When countries amass more than necessary, they destabilize the entire region. Regional security is global security, and denying one imperils the other, he stressed.
Disarmament and security questions play a fundamental role in Africa, the representative of Cameroon noted. He hailed the peace efforts for a united, integrated and prosperous Africa security sector reform carried out by the African Union, alongside initiatives by regional economic communities. He called for African perspectives to be better included in global discussions on peace and security on the continent to avoid the impression that Africa is being sidelined. Further, he welcomed the recent undertakings by the UN’s regional organizations for peace and development, which should have the necessary resources to fulfill their mandate.
At the outset of the thematic debate, the Committee heard briefings by the Chief of the Regional Disarmament, Information and Outreach Branch, at the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, Radha Day; the Director of the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, Ansleme Yabouri; the Director of the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, Deepayan Basu Ray; and the Director of the UN Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, Soledad Urruela. This was followed by an informal exchange with delegations.
Rights of reply at the conclusion of the thematic debate on regional disarmament were exercised by representatives of China, Israel, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, United States, Mauritania (on behalf of the Arab Group), Iran and Republic of Korea.
Ahead of the thematic debate on the disarmament machinery this afternoon, briefings were given by the Chair of the UN Disarmament Commission, Muhammad Usman Iqbal Jadoon; the President of the Conference of Disarmament, Daniel Meron; Chairperson of the Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters, Shorna-Kay Richards; and the Director of United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, Robin Geiss.
Following that, the Committee began its thematic debate on the disarmament machinery, which is due to conclude on Tuesday, 29 October.
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