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Conference on Disarmament
Hears Statements from Russian Federation, China and the Netherlands
Outgoing President Says Lack in Capitals
of Political Will which Favours Multilateralism is Causing the Problems
of the Conference
9 June 2005
The Conference on Disarmament today heard statements from the
Russian Federation and China on a new non-paper they were presenting
on the prevention of an arms race in outer space, and from the Netherlands
on last month's Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference.
The Representative of the Russian Federation said that as part
of their continuing work together, the Russian and Chinese delegations
were presenting a new non-paper to the Conference entitled "Definition
Issues regarding Legal Instruments on the Prevention of the Weaponization
of Outer Space". The new document presented the views on the
issue of terms and definitions as well as some proposals on eventual
definitions of such key terms as "outer space", "outer
space object", "weapon (in outer space)", and others.
The document was also an invitation to common creative work for
further discussions. The Russian Federation also announced that
it was the intention of the Russian Federation and China to organize
a new meeting of an open-ended group to discuss all three thematic
non-papers by the their delegations.
The Representative of China said China and the Russian Federation
stood for the negotiation in the Conference of an international
legal instrument prohibiting the deployment of weapons in outer
space, and the use or threat of force against outer space objects
and for this purpose, the two delegations and other countries had
tabled a working paper. Since its submission and in response to
suggestions, the two countries had circulated two thematic non-papers.
Today, they were circulating another joint thematic non-paper which
they hoped would help people to pay more attention and give more
thought to the issue of the prevention of an arms race in outer
space and serve as food for thought for the Conference on Disarmament's
negotiation of a relevant future legal instrument in the Conference.
Speaking on behalf of the European Union, the Representative of
the Netherlands presented the joint position adopted by the Ministers
of Foreign Affairs of the European Union prior to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) Review Conference held last month in New York. He said
the common position contributed to a structured and balanced examination
of the functioning of the NPT and covered a number of fundamental
elements with regards to the three pillars of the NPT - non-proliferation,
disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Despite the inability
of the NPT Review Conference to agree on a document by consensus
on matters of substance, the European Union was more convinced than
ever that the NPT contributed to the cause of peace.
In his closing remarks, the outgoing President of the Conference,
Ambassador Joseph Ayalogu of Nigeria, called on Member States of
the Conference to realize and accept that the threats in today's
globalized world recognized no boundaries and, that in search for
more efficient and effective collective security, they must understand
that a threat to one State was a threat to all States. He appealed
to delegations to recommend to their capitals that they accommodate
the concerns of others, so that the Conference could agree on a
comprehensive and balanced approach to its work. The solution to
the problems in the Conference on Disarmament did not lie in Geneva
but in the capitals where the political will was formed. What was
lacking was the type of political will that favoured the thriving
of multilateralism in the current global environment, he added.
Also speaking at this morning's meeting was the Representative
of Canada who expressed appreciation for the non-paper distributed
by the Russian and Chinese delegations, which was needed in order
to move forward on the important but complex issue of the prevention
of an arms race in outer space.
The next plenary of the Conference will take place at 10 a.m. on
Thursday, 16 June.
Statements
LEONID SKOTNIKOV (Russian Federation) said the Russian Federation
had been consistently advocating the commencement of negotiations
at the Conference on Disarmament on a legally binding international
instrument on the prevention of placement of weapons in outer space
and had expressed its readiness to agree with the "to deal
with" mandate of an Ad Hoc Committee on Prevention of an Arms
Race in Outer Space (PAROS) as proposed by the A5. He recalled that
in June 2002, the delegations of the Russian Federation and China,
together with a group of co-sponsoring States, had submitted their
joint working paper entitled "Possible Elements for a Future
International Legal Agreement on the Prevention of the Deployment
of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force against Outer
Space Objects". The detailed and competent exchange of views
revealed a growing concern of the international community of the
real danger of an arms race proliferation in outer space, as well
as a support of an idea of keeping outer space free from weapons
of any kind and of launching negotiations aimed at conclusion of
a relevant internationally legally binding instrument. In this context,
States had expressed their support of efforts by the Russian Federation,
China and other nations directed at the practical implementation
of the United Nations General Assembly resolution "Prevention
of an arms race in outer space". Moreover, a series of discussions
had resulted in a number of interesting ideas and proposals, put
together by the co-sponsors in an informal paper titled "Compilation
of Comments and Suggestions to the Conference on Disarmament Working
Paper", which was distributed to the Conference in July 2003.
A variety of constructive and important views on PAROS were expressed
during the Conference on Disarmament's informal plenary in May 2004,
as well as the Conference on Disarmament plenary in August 2004,
he added. While developing further their initiative, the delegations
of the Russian Federation and China had jointly prepared and distributed
in August 2004 in the Conference on Disarmament two thematic non-papers
titled "Existing International Legal Instruments and Prevention
of the Weaponization of Outer Space" and "Verification
Aspects of PAROS". Along with other documents, they could lay
the foundation for the work of the Ad Hoc Committee on PAROS after
it was established.
Mr. Skotnikov said that as part of their continuing work together,
the Russian and Chinese delegations were presenting a new non-paper
to the Conference on Disarmament titled "Definition Issues
regarding Legal Instruments on the Prevention of the Weaponization
of Outer Space". The new document presented the views on the
issue of terms and definitions as well as some proposals on eventual
definitions of such key terms as "outer space", "outer
space object", "weapon (in outer space)", and others.
The document was also an invitation to common creative work for
further discussions.
In closing, Mr. Skotnikov announced that it was the intention of
the Russian Federation and China to organize a new meeting of an
open-ended group to discuss all three thematic non-papers by their
delegations.
HU XIAODI (China) said for many years, China, together with the
Russian Federation and others, had spared no effort in working for
the prevention of an arms race in outer space in the international
community, and the Conference on Disarmament in particular. China
and the Russian Federation stood for the negotiation in the Conference
of an international legal instrument prohibiting the deployment
of weapons in outer space, and the use or threat of force against
outer space objects. For this purpose, the two delegations and other
countries had tabled a working paper. Since its submission and in
response to suggestions, the two countries had circulated two thematic
non-papers. Today, they were circulating another joint thematic
non-paper - "Definition Issues regarding Legal Instruments
on the Prevention of the Weaponization of Outer Space" –
which they hoped would help people pay more attention and give more
thought to the issue of the prevention of an arms race in outer
space and serve as food for thought for the Conference on Disarmament's
negotiation of a relevant future legal instrument in the Conference.
The failure of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review
Conference of last month to agree on a final document on a substantial
basis was regrettable to China, he added. However, like many other
States, China believed that the NPT had played, and would continue
to play, a critical role in preserving the international nuclear
non-proliferation regime, reducing the threat of nuclear weapons
and maintaining global peace and security. China would faithfully
implement all its obligations under the NPT and participate in the
NPT review process in a positive and constructive manner. Moreover,
China appealed to the members of the Conference on Disarmament to
show political willingness and courage by agreeing on a programme
of work, so as to begin substantive work on the prevention of an
arms race in outer space, nuclear disarmament, negative security
assurances and a fissile material cut-off treaty, since they all
had a bearing on international peace and security.
CHRIS SANDERS (the Netherlands), speaking on behalf of the European
Union, said the European Union observed that despite the efforts
of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference
and the efforts of the European Union and other States parties,
the Review Conference, held last month, was unable to agree on a
document by consensus on matters of substance. The joint position
adopted by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union
contributed to a structured and balanced examination of the functioning
of the NPT and the Union was convinced that its joint position represented
a document of substance around which a consensus could be developed.
For the Union, the importance lay within the three pillars of the
NPT - non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear
energy - as well as the issues of Iran, the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea, South Asia and other regional issues including
the Middle East, nuclear free weapon zones, security assurances
and the universalization of the NPT, all of which merited special
attention.
The European Union was of the view that the balance between the
three pillars was no longer properly reflected in the documents
of the NPT Review Conference, he added. Throughout the Conference,
the Union had demonstrated a flexible and constructive manner throughout
all formal and informal debates and it regretted that this approach
had not been broadly shared. Notwithstanding this state of affairs,
the European Union was more convinced than ever that the NPT contributed
to the cause of peace. Moreover, the Union reaffirmed its support
to the decisions and resolutions adopted during the Review Conference
held in 1995 and for the final documents which resulted from the
2000 review. It was also determined to preserve the integrity of
the treaty.
Mr. Sanders said in order to contribute to the smooth functioning
of a reinforced Review Conference of the NPT, the European Union
proposed that consideration should be given to the idea of holding
the first meeting of the Preparatory Committee of the NPT in 2007,
on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the International Atomic
Energy Agency, in Vienna; the second as usual in Geneva; and the
third in New York..
Before closing, he asked that the document containing the common
position of the European Union on the NPT Review Conference, adopted
on 25 April 2005, be issued as an official document and distributed
to the members of the Conference.
PAUL MEYER (Canada) expressed appreciation for the non-paper distributed
by the Russian and Chinese delegations, which was needed in order
to move forward on the important but complex issue of the prevention
of an arms race in outer space (PAROS). He noted that the definition
of terminology was crucial in the context of PAROS. The preference
of the Canadian delegation was the re-establishment of an ad hoc
committee on PAROS and Canada would also be supportive of using
plenary sessions to consider these issues in more detail. He asked
if the President of the Conference on Disarmament would be able
to provide the appropriate forum to discuss these matters further.
JOSEPH AYALOGU, Outgoing President of the Conference on Disarmament,
in closing remarks to the Conference, called on Conference Member
States to realize and accept that the threats in today's globalized
world recognized no boundaries and, that in search for more efficient
and effective collective security, they must understand that a threat
to one State, was a threat to all States. He appealed to delegations
to recommend to their capitals that they accommodate the concerns
of others, so that the Conference could agree on a comprehensive
and balanced approach to its work. The solution to the problems
in the Conference on Disarmament did not lie in Geneva but in the
capitals where the political will was formed. What was lacking was
the type of political will that favoured the thriving of multilateralism
in the current global environment, he added.
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