Reaching Critical Will

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Conference on Disarmament

General Assembly First Committee

UN Disarmament Commission

Special Session on Disarmament

22 May
Unofficial Transcript
Nigeria

Thank you Madame President. I am taking the floor now on behalf of the Nigerian delegation and not of the Group of 21.

Madame President, I would also like to state that my delegation is in support of the P6 proposal contained in CD/2007/L1. Like every human effort, this proposal is neither perfect nor may I say inevitably flawed. For my delegation, what is important is that it represents getting the CD back to work. Some delegations have suggested the proposal is like an imbalance and should be reformulated to give equal balance related to the four core issues on the CD agenda. Fair enough. But not most are aware that not one delegation here has come out to say that they are fully satisfied with all aspects of the proposal. Our assessment, therefore, is that there is something for everybody to take home from the P6 proposal. After all, the process of reconciling international policies does not at all mean that the CD should settle for the production of least common denominatory results. The item requires the members to surrender while others bask in celebratory victory. Instead, this process involves tolerance, mutual understanding, and a willingness to adjust and accomodate national policy positions in the interest of serving the collective good. This collective good as we see it is for the CD to erect the building blocks for global security architecture that guarantees and reinforces the security and safety of all humanity- including future generations. It is for this reason that Nigeria would like to encourage distinguished delegates not to merely see themselves as representatives of their national governement, but crucially important as partners in the global security building effort. Perhaps therefore it is not too late to invite delegations to take another hard look at the proposals before us so that we do not end of throwing away the baby with the bath water. In an ideal world, addressing the core issues on the CD agenda in a uniformed and balanced manner will surely be the perfect answer to the security challenges we all face today. For instance, while my delegation considers NSA to be of the highest priority, we also recognize that when you cannot get what you desire, you make due with what is available- especially if what is available is not fundamentally harmful. My delegation believes that merely restating old positions from formal plenaries that have not worked for the CD in the past 10 years or so is a past time that we cannot afford at this point in time. With the serious public confidence placed in the CD, the world’s single most important lateral negotiating forum, by getting it back to serious work. For my delegation, the P6 proposal is a good starting point for building life into the CD process. This is what we must do if we want to continue the public trust and support of our various governments.

Thank you Madame President.