9 February 2006
Timetable
As planned, on Thursday February 9, 2006 the current Polish President announced the timetable for "focused structured debates" for the 2006 Conference on Disarmament (CD). In the current timetable, which Poland emphasized was "without prejudice to any future decisions of the Conference", each President will hold focused debate on two of the eight agreed 2006 agenda items. Each agenda item has been allotted one week of discussion, with agenda items one and two (1: Cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament, and 2: prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters) combined across two presidencies. For the full schedule, see the table at the end of this report.
This will leave two weeks for general debate during each four week Presidency, except the first two Presidencies of the Republic of Korea and Romania, which will have three weeks of general debate. When many had high hopes for a timetable where each President would take one of the four core topics and discuss it for the full Presidency, allowing deep and specific explorations of the topics, this timetable seemed to fall short of the objective of "coherent, sustained structured discussion and a far better use of ... time" in the words of Canadian Ambassador Paul Meyer.
However, Canada also recognized the tireless work Poland and the other 2006 Presidents (P6) have put in to developing the timetable. The P6 have been cooperating closely since August of 2005 "seeking possibilities for.progress" in the 2006 CD, according to Poland. This work has been difficult, and while many of the statements to date have supported them, the P6 have encountered resistance from various quarters.
Similar to his statement last year following Norway's announced timetable of structured discussions in the CD, US Deputy Permanent Representative Thomas Cynkin reiterated "that any delegation may raise any issue at any plenary at any time". China explained its understanding of that "in terms of time, allocation and approaches, [the P6] will handle every single item on this year's agenda in a balanced and comprehensive manner."
There is also room to elaborate this timetable, as Poland explained to Canada that "incoming Presidents will give [delegations] more details [about] their plans and expectations" for their tenure. The substance is to be determined by Member States, and "readiness of delegations to participate and contribute to debates will determine the length and intensity of debates", said Poland. Allowing States to extend their debate on subjects has the advantage of flexibility, but as Canada stated also has the disadvantage of not identifying topics "ahead of time, so that delegations in consultations with their capitals can prepare themselves adequately."
In order to support the work of the P6 and move forward, governments could build detail into the current timetable. Knowing what topics are delegated to which Presidency, States can take it upon themselves to arrange for specific debates, consultations and experts.Japan, for instance, clarified a Fissile Materials Cut-off Treaty (FMCT), on which it plans to introduce a working paper, would be dealt with under agenda items 1 and 2. By working with the Presidents, other States and civil society, States can make arrangements ahead of time and inform the CD of those arrangements so all delegations can properly prepare.
Programme of Work
Cuba, Pakistan and Brazil all made general statements to the Conference. Pakistan, who supports the A5 proposal for a programme of work, suggested that the P6, Friends of the President, three regional coordinators and China "be used to persuade the few countries that have reservations on A-5 to come on board." Brazil noted that although it supports the 2000 programme of work proposal, CD/1624, in the spirit of flexibility it supports the A5 proposal despite its weaker mandate for Nuclear Disarmament, Brazil's priority. Brazil said theFood for Thought non-paper, submitted to the conference by the Netherlands' Chris Sanders last year, was also acceptable. Cuba expressed support for negotiating mandates on all four core issues.
On the agenda and additional issues, Pakistan advised the conference handle the issue carefully "so that we do not either clutter the agenda or create new linkages...us[ing] the criteria of consensus, relevance to the mandate and non-duplication to consider new items". Brazil addressed the two additional issues directly, and said that it did not see Civilian Critical Infrastructure as having "any direct linkage to this conference" and that MANPADS (Man-Portable Air Defense Systems) is being dealt with in the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, and therefore addressing it in the CD would be a duplication of efforts.
Pakistan and Brazil also commented on the negotiating mandate for a fissile materials treaty (FMT), which many delegations have called "ripe" for negotiations. Pakistan supports negotiating an FMT "in accordance with the Shannon Mandate and Report (CD/1299) and the A-5 proposal for a universal, non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty." In reference to States consenting to remove verification from the mandate and deal with it once negotiations begin because of the US's stated opposition to including it in the mandate, Pakistan said "[t]he agreed basis for negotiating the Treaty cannot be called 'preconditions'." On the other hand, although Brazil supports verification, it warned that an "all or nothing approach" could delay negotiations.
Cuba reminded the Conference why they are all struggling to find a way forward: "More money is spent on producing to kill rather than to save lives. According to UN estimates, 10 percent of the current global military expenditure would be enough to achieve the Millennium Development Goals." The world is counting on the CD to make this happen.
Timetable
Member State
Presidential Term
Debate on Agenda Items
Term of Debate
Republic of Korea
Feb 20 to March 17
1 & 2 focused on Nuclear Disarm
Feb 27 to March 3
Romania
March 20 to May 26 (CD Break: April 1 to May 14)
1 & 2 focused on FMCT
May 15 to May 19
Russian Federation
May 29 to June 23
3: PAROS
June 8 to June 15
Russian Federation
May 29 to June 23
5: new WMD and radiological weapons
June 19 to June 23
Senegal
June 26 to Aug 18 (CD Break: July 1 to July 30)
4: Negative Security Assurances
July 31 to Aug 4
Senegal
June 26 to Aug 18
6: Comp. program of disarmament
Aug 7 to Aug 11
Slovakia
Aug 21 to Sept 15 (end of 2006 CD)
7: Transparency in Armaments
Aug 21 to Aug 25
Slovakia
Aug 21 to Sept 15
8: Annual Report Sept 4 to Sept 15
Jennifer Nordstrom, Reaching Critical Will
Women's International League for Peace and Freedo