No movement on implementing the programme of work
During Tuesday’s plenary meeting, former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans addressed the Conference on Disarmament (CD). Several delegations, including those of Japan, China, Philippines, Iran, and Syria commented on Mr. Evans’ presentation. Malaysia and the new incoming CD president, Ambassador Millar of Australia, spoke about CD/1866, the proposed schedule of activities, andCD/1867, the proposed chairs and coordinators.
Brief highlights
• The CD president announced that CD/1866 has been updated to reflect that the working groups and special coordinatorships will not begin until Part Three of the CD’s 2009 session.
• The CD president also informed the Conference that CD/1866 and CD/1867 will only hold for the 2009 session and that in 2010 the CD will have to adopt its own programme of work and implementation methods.
• Gareth Evans, co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, addressed the CD, briefly outlining the Commission’s purpose and plans.
Work of the CD
Ambassador Aziz of Malaysia encouraged current CD president, Ambassador Caroline Millar of Australia, to continue consultations, saying that CD/1866 and CD/1867 contain all the necessary elements for the CD to commence substantive work. China’s representativesaid China would continue “with a constructive manner to support [the CD president’s] work so that we can arrive at an agreement at an early date on the organization of our work.”
Ambassador Millar explained that because the working groups and special coordinatorships had not started their work this week as outlined in CD/1866, that document has been replaced by CD/1866/Rev.1. She also explained that the appointment of chairs and special coordinators in CD/1867 is only relevant for 2009 and that the Conference’s 2010 session would have to take its own decisions on the programme of work and its implementation.
Ambassador Millar encouraged all delegations to make substantive statements at the next plenary meeting “to help guide the forthcoming deliberations”. She expressed hope that the next plenary would be able to adopt CD/1866/Rev.1 and CD/1867.
Report on the ICNND
Gareth Evans, co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), argued that the only difficulty to getting the CD back to work is political will. He explained that the ICNND aimed to re-energize a high-level political debate about the interconnected issues of disarmament. He said that the Commission would publish a major report by the end of the year, which will include an evaluation of the risks associated with use and proliferation of nuclear weapons by both existing and potential nuclear states or non-state actors. One of the ICNND’s main messages, he explained, is that as long as any state possesses nuclear weapons others will want them, too, and there is a risk that they could be used.
Mr. Evans reported that the Commission is working on an action plan with goals for 2012 and beyond, which include a successful 2010nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference; strengthening the NPT and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); finding solutions to the nuclear situations in Iran and North Korea; expanding the scope of US-Russian bilateral reductions; bringing theComprehensive Test Ban Treaty into force; and reducing existing nuclear weapon stocks, deployment, and operational readiness. Given the risks associated with nuclear weapon possession, he said there is a need for nuclear weapon states to adopt a doctrine saying that the existence of nuclear weapons is only justified as a means of deterrence against proliferation of such weapons. Like the Conference on Disarmament, Mr. Evans said the ICNND requires an “injection of political will” to sustain its agenda over the long-term.
Ambassador Suda of Japan described the ICNND as both augmenting negotiations in the CD and strengthening the positive movement in nuclear disarmament and the NPT. China’s delegation expressed its appreciation of the ICNND, saying it has “already conducted very forward-looking, extensive, and comprehensive considerations on all important issues.” He noted, however, that “for the time-being, there are not yet political proposals put forward,” though he hoped that the action plan Mr. Evans spoke of will meet this goal. He noted that China will send it’s former foreign minister to work for the Commission.
Mr. Domingo of the Philippines asked if the ICNND has a mechanism for collaboration with interested states, or if there are any plans for collaboration between the Commission and the Conference on Disarmament or the General Assembly’s First Committee. He also asked if the Commission will conduct regional consultations with Oceania and Southeast Asia. Mr. Evans replied that the Commission has not yet worked out its collaboration with UN bodies but intends to pursue such options, perhaps after it has adopted its final report. He also said that he would look into consultations with the Pacific region.
Iran’s representative explained that it considers the presentation by Gareth Evans as representative of a national view by a delegation, since participation by any other entity in the CD “should be decided by consensus,” as laid out in the CD rules of procedure. He argued that Mr. Evans’ comments about Iran were not accurate and did not reflect “realities on the ground.” However, he did agree with Mr. Evans that the existence of nuclear weapons is a global threat and that some states possessed such weapons or benefited from them by a nuclear “umbrella”. He wondered “how the Commission that was described today by Mr. Evans will really resolve this puzzle.”
Mr. Evans replied that all he said “was the clearly obvious proposition that Iran is a country of concern at the moment to the wider international community obviously because of the unresolved issues with the Security Council resolutions.” He noted that for those who are familiar with Mr. Evans’ personal work on this issue, he has argued against making any assumptions about Iran’s determination to acquire nuclear weapons but has instead argued for a negotiated outcome to the situation. He emphasized that he was merely calling for a resolution within the next few years in a way that everybody is comfortable with.
Syria’s Ambassador Hamoui asked what the aim of the ICNND’s upcoming conference in Cairo will be, and what parties would be participating. He also asked for clarification on the relationship between the ICNND and the IAEA—is it complementary or competitive. Mr. Evans replied that the Commission is still figuring out the dynamics of the key players in the Middle East. He also said there was no competition between the ICNND and the IAEA; in fact, the ICNND was considering the question of the IAEA’s jurisdiction, wondering if it should be widened and become the verifying agency under the NPT.
Next meeting
The next plenary meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 2 July at 10:00 AM.
- Ray Acheson, Reaching Critical Will of WILPF