05.08.04

Japan this morning told the Conference on Disarmament that a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) was ripe for negotiation in the Conference and should be de-linked from other issues.

Ambassador Yoshiki Mine of Japan said his country welcomed the statement made by the United States last week about the result of its long-awaited policy review of the FMCT. Japan believed that this decision had opened a new window of opportunity for the Conference on Disarmament and strongly hoped that it would lead to the commencement of negotiations on a legally binding FMCT. He called upon all States to harness the momentum created by the United States proposal on FMCT and to utilize this last session of the year to focus the energy of the Conference on agreeing on a programme of work which enabled the commencement of FMCT negotiations.

Belgium’s new Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva and to the Conference, said the Conference was an institution which Belgium remained very committed to. It was his intention to follow the path of his predecessor and he would make every effort, along with all the Member States, to ensure that the Conference returned to its purpose which was to ensure a better world.

The President of the Conference, Ambassador Omar Hilale of Morocco, said that as a result of consultations, he intended to convene an informal plenary meeting, following the adjournment of this plenary meeting on “new and additional issues related to the agenda of the Conference on Disarmament”: as well as two other informal plenary meetings on Tuesday, 10 August and on Thursday, 12 August, for consideration of the “methodology of the programme of work”.

Ambassador Hilale said that in a few minutes the Conference would have its first informal meeting on these topics. This would be a great moment for the Conference as it was an opening of the body to the realities of the world; it would be an adaptation of the Conference to the international environment and the risks and challenges which confronted it. It would also be a symbol of the maturity of the Conference which he hoped would subsequently revitalize it.

Ambassador Hilale said that as everyone knew, these new issues were controversial. Thus the meeting today would be an opportunity to achieve two objectives: to identify them and to establish an inventory of the issues; and to deliberate together on how they should be dealt with in the future. The meeting was not an end in itself but rather the beginning of a process which he hoped would be positive for all. The new and additional issues were very complicated and sensitive.

The next plenary of the Conference on Disarmament will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 12 August.

Statements

FRANCOIS ROUX (Belgium) said he wanted to thank the President of the Conference for his kind words of welcome and to greet everyone attending the meeting. In the years to come, among other duties, he would be representing his country in the Conference on Disarmament. The Conference was an institution which Belgium remained very committed to. It was his intention to follow the path of his predecessor and he would make every effort, along with all the Member States, to ensure that the Conference returned to its purpose which was to ensure a better world.

YOSHIKI MINE (Japan) said that Japan welcomed the statement made by the United States last week about the result of its long-awaited policy review of the Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) because Japan placed utmost importance on the prohibition of the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons and other explosive devices. Japan believed that this decision had opened a new window of opportunity for the Conference on Disarmament and strongly hoped that it would lead to the commencement of negotiations on a legally binding FMCT. Japan believed that the FMCT should be effectively verifiable to enhance transparency and accountability of fissile material production in each country. It looked forward to further discussions on the outcome of this policy review during the upcoming visit of United States experts to Geneva.

Japan supported the view of the United States that the FMCT was ripe for negotiation and that it should be de-linked from other issues. Japan supported the Five Ambassadors proposal as a basis upon which the Conference could resume its substantial work. Each issue should be addressed at the appropriate time, according to its level of development. Japan sincerely hoped that the Conference could reach consensus on a programme of work that enabled it to commence FMCT negotiations.

In conclusion, Mr. Mine said that Japan called upon all States to harness the momentum created by the United States proposal on FMCT and to utilize this last session of the year to focus its energy on agreeing on a programme of work which enabled the commencement of FMCT negotiations.

OMAR HILALE (Morocco), the President of the Conference on Disarmament, said that he had conducted a number of consultations on convening three additional informal plenary meetings during the reminder of his Presidency. On the basis of the results of his consultations, he intended to convene an informal plenary meeting, following the adjournment of this plenary meeting on “new and additional issues related to the agenda of the Conference on Disarmament”; as well as two other informal plenary meetings on Tuesday, 10 August and on Thursday, 12 August, for consideration of the “methodology of the programme of work”.

In order to facilitate the debate on this issue and to ensure its inter-active character, he intended to distribute in advance a questionnaire that would streamline the deliberations.

Ambassador Hilale said that in a few minutes the Conference would have its first meeting on these topics. This would be a great moment for the Conference as it was an opening of the body to the realities of the world today; it would be an adaptation of the Conference to the international environment and the risks and challenges which confronted it. It would also be a symbol of the maturity of the Conference which he hoped would subsequently revitalize it. The informal meetings on these topics were the result of a laborious consensus achieved after marathon deliberations and consultations. He commended the Member States for this achievement. He congratulated everyone who had worked to initiate these issues and who had worked patiently with perseverance and diplomatic skill in order to put them on the work of the Conference. He also congratulated all of those who had legitimate reluctance and concern that the Conference would become a debating body and that the new issues might push aside the traditional agenda. And finally he commended the Secretary-General of the Conference, Sergei Ordzhonikidze, for his efforts, support and his discrete and effective role.

Ambassador Hilale said that as everyone knew, these new issues were controversial. Thus the meeting today would be an opportunity to achieve two objectives: to identify them and to establish an inventory of the issues; and to deliberate together on how they should be dealt with in the future. The meeting was not an end in itself but rather the beginning of a process which he hoped would be positive for all. The new and additional issues were very complicated and sensitive issues. He appealed to all Member States to raise the level of the discussion and to hold a calm inter-active debate. He also appealed to them to put aside any particular situations, to avoid polemics, and to put no country on the line. The objective was to have an exchange of views and to build a process for the future.

The President of the Conference concluded by expressing the hope that the spirit of openness, moderation and responsibility which made it possible to reach the consensus today should prevail during the discussions. The treatment of the new and additional issues would depend on the deliberations.

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