Transcribed Statement of the Ambassador of Italy,
Mr. Mario Maiolini to the Conference on Disarmament

2/8/01

Since this is the first time I am taking the floor after your accession to the presidency, allow me, Mr. President, in the first place to congratulate you and to assure you of the complete cooperation of my delegation in the fulfilment of your high responsibilities.

I took note with appreciation of your intensive consultations for reaching a consensus formula on the three outstanding issues, which always deserve our utmost attention. Furthermore, let me commend the work so far done by the three special coordinators on the reform of the CD. All of them have submitted letters to the CD delegations assessing the issues and possibilities of respective competence and giving information and -sometimes-evaluation on these very issues. Two of the Special Coordinators have been asking delegations for written contributions.

To these requests Italy has promptly replied, offering its preliminary ideas. Shortly, as far as the agenda is concerned, my delegation has stated its opinion on the following points:

Respect of the Decalogue

-Introduction of the principle of automatic elimination from the agenda of those items for which there have not been-since many years-proposals of appointment of subsidiary bodies or special coordinators. This would apply- in the case of the present agenda-to item 2 (prevention of nuclear war and all related matters) and to Item 5 ( new types and systems of mass destruction, armaments, radiologic armaments)

-Automatic inclusion in the agenda of any item assigned to the CD by any consensual resolution of the UNGA

-Updating of the current agenda through the inclusion in it of current issues. This could apply-on the basis of consensus-for example to 'missile proliferation' and to 'regional disarmament.'

For what concerns the expansion of membership of the CD my delegation has expressed its positive position. We are not only supporting the membership of the four remaining members of European Union, but we are also against the principle of universalization of this body. For us democracy is not in contrast with efficiency. In any case in front of 22 applications for membership, we cannot stick to the status quo. In the case of a consensual decision for a limited expansion of the membership, we would support the criteria that new members should be considered according to priority based on date of application of membership and according to the interest shown by the applicants as observer in the work of the CD.

On the issue of the effective functioning of the CD, the invitation of the Special Coordinator is to take part today to the next informal open-ended consultations. It is an invitation which we gladly accept. Mr. President, the reform of the CD just now is the only active item of our agenda. So we have decided, it is up to us to make it a success and strive for it. We have therefore to engage in favor of an open debate, flexible positions, good will and political determination to push ahead three interlinked subjects which might ease our activity in the CD.

We know that when there is the necessary political will the member states will strike deals even without any reform of the CD. And we know as well that when there is no political will no reform of CD could ever be effective enough. But in the case of the reform we are discussing-ranging from a minimum to a maximum of innovations, Mr. President, we are far from those extreme situations. We are in the grey area where our activity will benefit from more simple procedures, from a larger participation of the international community and from an automatically updated agenda.

Burdensome procedures and time consuming rules and procedures do not serve us.

For this Mr. President, allow me to encourage all my distinguished colleagues to fully engage their delegations in the forthcoming discussions.

Thank you Mr. President.