We use Google Analytics to learn more about who is reading the resources on our website. Please read Google Analytics privacy policy for further information. Close

logo_reaching-critical-will

The CD debates disarmament machinery and closes the 2010 session

Beatrice Fihn | Reaching Critical Will of WILPF

The Conference on Disarmament (CD) closed its 2010 session on Tuesday, by adopting the annual report as well as continue to deliberate on the future of the CD and the upcoming high-level meeting on 24 September. Cameroon, the United States, Brazil, Syria, Australia, Italy, Russia, India, Canada, France and Pakistan took the floor.

Highlights
The CD adopted its annual report and CD President, Ambassador Nkou stated that he would start consulting delegations on wordings for a draft resolution put forward to the General Assembly.

The Brazilian Ambassador argued that he could not discern a clear political will from the nuclear weapons states throughout this year’s session of the CD and stated that he wasn’t sure all regional groups have the same desire to change the situation.

France argued that the political will of the P5 to start negotiations has been consistent and because of this strong political will from this group of states, Ambassador Danon argued that negotiations of a FMCT “will” start, in the CD or elsewhere.

The United States signalled that they were starting to look at alternative approaches outside the CD in order to start negotiations of a FMCT.

Canada suggested that the outcome document of the high-level meeting should include a deadline for the CD to start work.

The future of the CD
As yet another session of the CD closes without any progress, many delegations showed increased frustration with the deadlock while others urged for further patience. Still not agreeing on what the problem is, the delegations shared their different views and suggested solutions. The delegation of Canada argued that the consensus rule might have been appropriate during the Cold War, but was not efficient in today’s multi-polar situation. Ambassador Grinius stated that the current strict interpretation of the consensus rule “is now abused by a handful of states in order to block this body from fulfilling its work” and he doubted that the CD could ever get back to work if such behaviour continued. Mr. Kohker from Pakistan responded to this by highlighting the CD’s two latest achievements, the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, both of which were concluded after the Cold War had ended. He argued that blaming the problems in the CD on the relic of the Cold War was therefore incorrect and urged delegations to show patience, as this was “the only way forward.”

While recognizing that the American administration has previously showed “little enthusiasm” for ad hoc solutions to the stalemate, Ambassador Laura Kennedy stated that “if negotiations in the CD continue to stall, those countries who still wish to negotiate will have to consider whether there are other foras existing or ad-hoc” and noted that “new approaches may be called for.” Ambassador Kennedy emphasized that patience with the CD is running out for many states, including her own.

Also the delegations of Brazil and India took the floor to give their view of the state of the CD. Ambassador Ali Rao of India argued that neither the CD nor its rules of procedure are responsible for the stalemate. Ambassador Macedo Soares from Brazil also agreed that the blame that has incorrectly been placed on the institution itself and the rules that govern it, and called the attribution of responsibility for the CD deadlock on one member state as “nothing more than crocodile tears.” Ambassador Macedo Soares argued that he had not been able to discern a clear political will from the part of the nuclear weapon states, and noted that he wasn’t sure that all groups had the same desire to change the situation.

Ambassador Danon of France disagreed with the Brazilian view and argued that the political will of the P5 on starting negotiations on a FMCT has been constant for a long time. He further believed that “the political will of the P5 to start negotiations on a FMCT means that these negotiations will start. What I hope is simply that this negotiation will occur here.” Ambassador Danon also noted the growing impatience with the stalemate and was confident that eventually this would lead to changes. He hoped that negotiations on a FMCT would include all members of the CD, and that it would take place within the CD.

High-level meeting
At this final plenary meeting, states had an opportunity to raise issues concerning the high-level meeting one final time. Canada highlighted that they wished to see the outcome of, and the follow-up to, the high-level meeting to recommend and include a deadline for the CD to commence work.  Ambassador Woolcott of Australia argued that the high-level meeting was an early opportunity to support implementation of the adopted action plan from the 2010 NPT Review Conference, and urged all NPT states to “get on with the job of supporting the implementation of the action plan including the relations to the CD,” in order for the CD to resume its role in the disarmament arena. While welcoming the initiative of the high-level meeting, the Indian delegation believed that its objective should not be to question the CD or its rules of procedure, which are not responsible for its current impasse or the longer standing deadlock on nuclear disarmament. Ambassador Ali Rao instead argued that the objective should be to refocus the political will that has disappeared since May 2009 and stated “given the nature of the meeting, its summary remains the responsibility of the UN Secretary-General. Follow-up, if any, should be pursued by member states in relevant forums with existing mechanism. In other words, the summary should be related to existing mechanism and forums, in particular the CD and the UN disarmament commission.”

Draft report
After debating the draft report in informal meetings, the CD was able to adopt a revised version in today’s plenary meeting. As the revisions were discussed in informal meetings, we will publish the final version of the annual report as soon as it’s available. Ambassador Nkou also highlighted that he would continue the work as CD president until the 2011 session resumed and that he would start consulting delegation on wordings for a draft resolution put forward to the General Assembly immediately.

Notes from the gallery
Reaching Critical Will is disappointed that another year has passed where the CD has failed to engage in substantive work. While it is frustrating for one or two governments to be able to block work in a body in which 65 states participate, it is also frustrating to see divergent views on priorities accepted as an excuse for inaction. We must all remember that ultimate responsibility for the achievement of the work mandated to the CD lies with each of its members, not just a few. We hope that delegations will engage in follow-up work and move forward on any conclusions that might come out from the high-level meeting on 24 September.