Transcribed Statement of the Representative of Algeria Ms. Nassima Baghli to the Conference on Disarmament 28/6/01

Thank you Mr. President for giving me the floor especially as 1 am taking the floor after the Ambassador of Ireland whose talent and confidence are fully established. And on behalf of my ambassador 1 wish her every success in everything she undertakes in the future and also a great deal of happiness.

Sir, the Algerian delegation first of all wishes to congratulate you on assuming the Presidency of the Conference on Disarmament. It is convinced that under your enlightened guidance the Conference will be able to accomplish effectively the mission entrusted to it pursuant to the mandate conferred upon it. The Algerian delegation would also like to take this opportunity to say how much we have appreciated the efforts made by your predecessor Ambassador Camilo Reyes to reactivate our work and bring the Conference out of the current deadlock. The diligence and dedication with which his tasks and functions have borne fruit since we have just adopted a proposal put forward by him, which will give a new lease of life to the Conference on Disarmament. 1 would also like to say how much we enjoyed the work that was done by the ambassadors that have been in the Presidency of the Conference on Disarmament since the beginning of 2001. 1 would like to cite here Ambassadors Christopher Westdal of Canada, Juan Enrique Vega of Chile and Hu Xiaodi of China.

All three have spared no efforts to propel the work of the Conference forward and deserve in this respect our full appreciation and congratulations. Allow me also to pay tribute to Mr. Vladimir Petrovsky, Secretary General of the Conference of Disarmament whose advice and recommendations have been an invaluable assistance and wish a warm welcome to Mr. Enrique Roman Morey, Deputy Secretary General of the Conference.

As 1 was saying a moment ago, the Conference has just adopted on the initiative of the Ambassador of Colombia a decision to appoint three special coordinators for questions related to the review of this agenda, the enlargement of its membership and the improvement in its effectiveness and functioning. This proposal has rallied the support of all delegations here and this should enable us to restart our work and consider questions of major importance for the future of this body. Indeed these three points concern directly the very structures of the Conference's effectiveness and its capability of acquiring the means of assuring better its improved functioning and by the same token to respond better to the questions of international security before us. In this context, on the question of expansion we the Algerian delegation have on several occasions said that we would like to see the Conference opened to any state who wishes to become a full member of it. We would certainly gain by this and would consolidate the representative nature and legitimacy of it. Also, as many delegations have said, we think that the Conference should be open to NGOs at this time when civil society is becoming more and more involved in the affairs of the world. This instance should not swim against the tide thereby running the risk of being seen as the last instance that is hostile to any hint of transparency. The Conference will certainly gain by listening to the views expressed by

NGOs We would also like to thank Ambassador Gunther Seibert of Germany, Petko Draganov of Bulgaria and Prasad Kariyawasam of Sri Lanka who have ensured the coordination of the three committees. The Algerian delegation would like to assure them of its full and unstinting support. They will have a great deal to do since this is a matter of enabling the Conference to examine the ways and means of better ensuring the mandate that has been entrusted to it and thereby coping with the realities of the international situation that is constantly changing. Nevertheless, these tasks, however important should not make us lose sight of the substantive items that are on the agenda of the Conference.

In crossing into the third millennium mankind has just started a new era in its history. The aspirations of the people for peace, security and well-being have never been as strong as they are now. This century that has just started is the harbinger of a great deal of hope. The progress realized by mankind over the past years has been great indeed. This progress must be consolidated and must be spread to the entire planet. The establishment of a climate of security is more necessary than ever before. As the sole multilateral negotiating forum for disarmament the Conference is the melting pot whereby all thinking and initiatives to prepare strategies, to foster favorable environment for security must merge. We are fully aware of the responsibilities and for this we already have a basis for work. This is the Amorim proposal in CD/1624, which in the view of everyone is a basis for consultations in the future. This follows a series of proposals submitted by Venezuela and Algeria, which were designed to bring the Conference out of its current inertia. We know that the Amorim proposal is a minimum for some and a maximum for others. But we should ensure that everybody displays goodwill and flexibility so that the goodwill of the Conference will start negotiations without further delay. These negotiations must deal on nuclear disarmament as a matter of priority in order to establish a phased program whose objective would be the destruction and total elimination of nuclear weapons. Should it be recalled that pursuant to the terms of the 6th Review Conference on the NPT, the nuclear powers have undertaken unequivocally to embark on the path of nuclear disarmament general and even complete disarmament.

Unfortunately, we must note that the enthusiasm and promises that characterize that memorable session have not been followed by any specific action and no progress has been made in this field. We deplore that an ad hoc committee with a clear negotiating mandate on nuclear disarmament has not been set up. It should be recalled moreover that in July'96 the advisory position of the International Court of Justice emphasized that states have a duty to uphold in good faith, these negotiations, bringing them to a successful conclusion on nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective national control. The entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the extension of nuclear weapon free zones, the universalization of the NPT are just as many majors that could help us obtain this objective. Today, we should act so that states with nuclear weapons honor their commitments and show a sign of goodwill and be favorable to dialogue. In this sense the breaking off of dialogue, which could mark the completion of the START process and the ABM Treaties is very disquieting. My delegation has already quoted the work written by the Nobel Peace Laureate for Physics, the Frenchman

Georges Charpak and the American Richard Garwin, entitled 'Will-o'-the-Wisps and Nuclear Mushrooms' in which they show how to reduce nuclear weapons at a small cost and maintain a deterrence level by taking into account the requirements for security of nuclear weapon states. They also explained that Russian and American negotiators provide to keep in the 2003 50,000 strategic warheads, whereas about 100 would be sufficient in order to maintain deterrence. This leads us to refer to the issue of nuclear deterrence and to query the place of the nuclear weapon after the Cold War and consequently the grounds and contours of military doctrines and their use and the place of those that underpinned East-West confrontation.

Finally, in this period we should expect a detente in international relations where we've seen a redefinition of the deterrence doctrine. We should note that the present situation has hardened in April '99. One military alliance affirmed that nuclear weapons were a component of its military, which takes us away from the objectives of the NPT Treaty, which really is a cornerstone around which everything should hinge. A treaty dealing with the banning of fissile material to fabricate nuclear weapons could be the next stage in our efforts to strengthen the dynamics borne with the last review of the NPT. But for this treaty to be able to be a real milestone in disarmament as we understand it, the inclusion of stocks must necessarily be considered. We know the opinions of all on this that negotiations dealing with this issue in a special committee, which we would like to see established as soon as possible would enable us to go into the ins and outs of these issues and conclude promptly such a treaty, which would be an important step on the road to nuclear disarmament.

The prevention of an arms race in outer space should not be neglected. This aspect is another side of security. Outer space is the property of mankind as a whole and should never be militarized. Such a possibility would only encourage the renewal of an arms race with all the aspects that can involve. The excellent treaties, which provide the nonmilitarization of this area must be strengthened by a treaty or a convention enshrining this principle and our Conference cannot be alien to it. Our response to all these challenges warrants that each and every one of us show a spirit of dialogue and open-mindedness.. It is only with this condition that we will be able to start a program of work and respond to the expectations of the international community. It is this condition that has led us to renounce the objective of military use of the atom and for development with a civil and peaceful face. It is clear that all these questions fit into a broader context, that of defining collective security on the eve of the third millennium. It is for this reason that the stalemate of the Conference is of the highest concern to us and we hope that it will be able to overcome the differences and respond to the expectations of the international community for peace and security. Thank you.