16 February 2006

Morocco, Ambassador Mohammed Loulichki (translated from French):

Mr. President, first of all, I would like to thank you for your kind words of welcome and express our appreciation for the way you are guiding our work, while assuring you, of course, of our full cooperation. Let me also pay tribute to your predecessor, the Ambassador of Peru, for the efforts he undertook throughout his term of office last autumn. It is a commonplace to emphasize the vital importance for the international community and for the future of present and future generations of the vital and decisive nature of our work. Lastly, I cannot fail to commend the Secretary-General of our Conference, Mr. Sergei Ordzhonikidze, and the members of the secretariat of the Conference on Disarmament on their great professionalism and their valuable contribution to our deliberations.

Last year, our Conference ended its eighth consecutive session without a programme of work. This situation of deadlock is unfortunately far from being an exception as disarmament issues currently stand. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty has still not entered into force over 10 years after it was opened for signature, the seventh NPT Review Conference dashed our expectations and the World Summit in 2005, which was supposed to offer the countries of the world an exceptional opportunity to counter the serious threats facing mankind, was incapable of taking a decision on disarmament issues. Should we yield to pessimism and resignation? Can we allow this situation of deadlock to continue, to become further bogged down to the extent of imperilling security, stability and peace in the world, indeed the trust that international public opinion places in multilateralism? The Secretary-General of the United Nations, in his statement addressed to the Conference this year, called on us to learn the lessons of past disappointments, to think very carefully about the political sources of the crisis and to adopt specific pragmatic and realistic measures and then to put them into effect. We are all called on - I would even say we are challenged - to strive to live up to the responsibility that the international community has entrusted us with in this Conference and to demonstrate that the Conference is capable of performing the functions assigned to it, those of the sole multilateral negotiating body in the field of disarmament.

Bearing in mind that multilateralism is the fundamental principle which must govern negotiations conducted in all fields of interest to the international community, and particularly in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation, with a view to maintaining and strengthening universal standards and extending their scope, Morocco has always played an enthusiastic part in all multilateral negotiations on arms control and fulfilled its commitments under agreements in force. Thus, it has signed and ratified all multilateral instruments concerning weapons of mass destruction, and remains committed to general and complete disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament. Allow me, as is customary, to list our principal commitments.

Firstly, as a contracting party to the NPT, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Morocco has consistently worked for the total elimination of nuclear weapons and their non-proliferation, and has supported decisions aimed at strengthening the Treaty review process. Thus, my country fully subscribes to the positive conclusions of the 1995 and 2000 Review Conferences, and reaffirms the importance of their implementation by States parties in a transparent, balanced and irreversible manner.

Secondly, in pursuance of its commitment under the NPT, Morocco has signed the comprehensive safeguards agreement and the additional protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency. My country has furthermore notified the Director General of the Agency that it accepts the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources, and I would add that before leaving Rabat, in my capacity as Chairman of the Permanent Commission on Nuclear Issues, we drew up draft legislation and plans for the establishment and institutionalization of a nuclear safety agency.

Thirdly, in this context, Morocco has continually encouraged accession to the NPT and the conclusion of comprehensive safeguards agreements with the IAEA by all States in the Middle East region, including Israel, as an important step towards establishing a climate of trust and a preliminary to the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East. Pending the establishment of such a zone, my country repeats its appeal to all parties concerned to formally declare their intention to refrain, on a basis of reciprocity, from manufacturing, acquiring or possessing nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices and not to authorize the deployment of such weapons on their territory by any third party.

Fourthly, Morocco has ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. My country deplores the fact that the CTBT, which was opened for signature on 24 September 1996, has still not entered into force, and in this respect reiterates its call to all States which have not yet done so to accede to it without delay and until that time to respect the moratoria on nuclear testing.

Fifthly, Morocco, which is firmly convinced that the international struggle against terrorism must cover all the aspects of this complex phenomenon, and which, as you know, Mr. President, has suffered the consequences of this new scourge of the twenty-first century, played an active role in its capacity as Chairman of the Legal Committee of the General Assembly in ensuring the adoption of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. Moreover, on 26 October 2004 it submitted its national report in accordance with paragraph 4 of Security Council resolution 1540 with a view to an exhaustive evaluation of the international community’s capacity to prevent the use of weapons of mass destruction by terrorists.

Lastly, Morocco has continually supported the opening of negotiations within the Conference on Disarmament for the development of a treaty on fissile material, a legal instrument on negative security assurances and of a convention on nuclear disarmament. My country fully subscribes to efforts aimed at securing the necessary consensus on a programme of work for the Conference on Disarmament.

Since 1979, when it joined the Conference on Disarmament, my country has been actively involved in the debate on the priorities of this unique multilateral negotiating body, taking the Decalogue as its point of departure. The Decalogue, which is the fruit of a consensus achieved in 1978, has facilitated real and substantial progress towards the ultimate objective of general and complete disarmament, in particular through the adoption of the Convention for the prohibition of chemical weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. However, the CD now needs to adapt to the new reality of the threats facing the international community. We believe that, far from meeting the expectations of its member States, the Conference has remained on the sidelines of multilateral efforts designed to define our current vulnerabilities and to forge a new consensus as to the response to be provided.

Given this situation, Morocco cannot but encourage the members of this Conference to go beyond a dogmatic reading of the Decalogue and prevent the Conference, as the body which acts as a catalyst for disarmament, from being sidetracked by excessively limited security-related imperatives. By devoting an informal meeting to new and additional issues related to the agenda when it was in the Chair of the Conference, Morocco responded to the overall concerns of member States while reaffirming its commitment to the relevance and topicality of the agenda. My delegation can therefore only welcome your initiative to appoint a group of Friends of the President, who, while seeking consensus on a work programme, must among other things look at the relationship between the programme of work and the Conference’s agenda. I reiterate our willingness to join this group formally, even if, as other colleagues have put it so well before me, all the member States of the Conference on Disarmament are your friends, and cannot fail to support your efforts, beginning with Morocco, to help this body overcome its lethargy. The Moroccan delegation also fully supports your initiative to hold formal thematic meetings on all the items on the Conference’s agenda, and we are prepared to display the required flexibility with respect to the discussion in this context of various issues related to international security.

In conclusion, allow me to express the hope that this year we shall succeed in displaying the vision, the political will and the necessary patience to take advantage of the unique composition and experience of our Conference and restore the confidence of the international community in the Conference on Disarmament’s ability to meet the disarmament challenges of the twenty-first century for a world of greater security and a world of greater solidarity.

China, Ambassador Cheng Jingye (translated from Chinese):

Mr. President, today’s is the last CD plenary under your presidency. We appreciate the unremitting efforts and diplomatic abilities you have put into promoting the work of the CD.

Recently the delegations of China and the Russian Federation together submitted to the secretariat a second version of the compilation of comments and suggestions on the PAROS working paper (CD/1679). It was based on the latest views to emerge from various forums, including the seminar on outer space held last year, and from open-ended consultations on this matter. These views are frank and constructive, although they are not entirely homogeneous, in some cases even divergent. As with the first version, in compiling the second version we attached importance to objectivity and openness in an effort to reflect views and suggestions objectively. We hope this will facilitate further discussion on the issue and help shape common views on substantive matters such as definitions and verification.

As science and technology develop, more and more countries are participating in the peaceful use and development of outer space. As discussions on outer space continue, more and more countries are realizing the importance of avoiding the weaponization of outer space. These extensive, in-depth discussions and our compilation will surely help to create a good basis for negotiating and concluding a new legal instrument on outer space. We hope and believe the new compilation will receive attention and careful study. We also hope that the CD will soon re-establish the ad hoc committee on outer space to negotiate legal instruments that will stop an arms race in and the weaponization of outer space.

Ireland, Ambassador Mary Whelan

Mr. President, in taking the floor during your last day presiding at the CD let me congratulate you on your efforts which have contributed to a much livelier start to our work in 2006. I hope that the collective efforts of the A6 will bear fruit. This will not happen without a commitment for all members of the Conference to a process of open, frank and interactive dialogue.

On this occasion I wish to revert to an issue which I raised in my statement to the CD on 7 February. At that time I expressed the wish that the annual statement to honour International Women’s Day conveyed to the CD by representatives of civil society should be delivered by its authors.

I would like to recall the background to this issue. For many years a statement drafted by NGOs to honour International Women’s Day has been read out to the Conference by a member of the secretariat. To many of us it is inexplicable, and indeed highly offensive, that those women’s NGOs who draft the statement have not been permitted to deliver it themselves. At the same time I note I have never heard any statement or any comment in this chamber supporting the current practice.

For too long we have approached our work in this body from the perspective of what we cannot do. We fail to utilize even the limited discretion which we have in conducting our work. I have carefully read the rules of procedure of the CD and find no rule which would prohibit a statement being made by NGOs on International Women’s Day. I would therefore request the incoming President of the Conference, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, to take appropriate steps to facilitate any request from NGOs in this regard, and I understand that the NGOs in question have made contact with the Ambassador.

Sri Lanka, Ambassador Sarala Fernando

I had not intended to take the floor, but the statement made by the Ambassador of Ireland has compelled me to add my voice of support and to say that for my delegation, it is incomprehensible that in this year of United Nations reform, a group women’s NGOs, who have dedicated many years to the cause of peace, should not be allowed to make their annual statement in the CD on International Women’s Day.

As we all know, in the outcome document of the World Summit, special mention has been made of the contribution by women on all three pillars - security, development and human rights - and therefore I would urge Ambassador Park, who will be CD President in March, and the P6 to give attention to resolving this issue during this year and to enable the women’s NGOs to deliver their annual statement in their own voice in the CD on 8 March.

Sweden, Minister Magnus Hellgren

Mr. President, I did not intend to take the floor either, but I feel a need to react on a few comments that have been made. First of all, though, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the impressive efforts you have made during your presidency and in giving us guidance hopefully for a fruitful year in the CD and in bringing the P6 together.

I would like to add our delegation’s voice to those of Ireland and Sri Lanka on the issue of NGOs being allowed to deliver their message by the authors themselves. We also have studied the rules of procedure very carefully and we think that there is nothing preventing the CD from inviting that message to be presented by its authors. I strongly urge members to view the opening of the curtains behind you, Mr. President, not only as a symbolic gesture, but as a sign of a new era in the CD.

Secondly, I would like to thank the two delegations of the Russian Federation and China for their timely introduction of their document with compilations and comments on their previous working paper on the issue of PAROS. At a glance, I quickly recognize that the views expressed by my delegation have been incorporated, but we will also study this document very, very carefully at the expert level. But the introduction of it, more than three months in advance of the sessions that will take place under the Russian presidency of the CD, is an example of how to help delegations prepare properly at the expert level for these focused debates, and I thank those delegations very much for that.

Netherlands, Ambassador Johannes Landman

Mr. President, we have just had two interventions by Ireland and Sri Lanka and I would, without having asked for instructions from my authorities, like to support, on behalf of the Netherlands, the appeal. And I would even like to broaden it: that we indeed have the possibility to look a little bit more closely at the important roles of NGOs and how they are kept outside our doors.

The main reason I am taking the floor is that I would really sincerely like to compliment and commend you on your efforts, and in particular what has come out of them, because one can put out a lot of effort and then nothing comes out of it. But you have managed, perhaps for the first time in a long time, to produce something on behalf of the six Presidents of this year, and that is that we now have an idea of the different time slots for the different issues which are of gravest concern to all of us here. And now we have to make the best of it and to make optimum use of it. I think that the P6 have delivered. It is now for every single succeeding presidency to capitalize on it. It is with that aim that the Netherlands requested the secretariat at the beginning of this week to submit a two-page document. I am happy to see that finally it has been able to at least distribute one part of it, which is the timetable of activities, the schedule you have just received. The piece of paper is just meant as a working tool, as a help, to visualize at a glance which presidency is in charge, and secondly, it gives very clearly in black the different clusters and the subjects on which these clusters are focused.

The Netherlands really sincerely hopes that this will indeed allow for a structured debate. We have just had an interesting intervention by the Russian and Chinese representatives. It cannot be that we have just five days of discussion on PAROS. It cannot be that we have just five days of discussion on the important matter of disarmament. It cannot be that we have just five days of discussion on FMCT. These clusters have to be carefully prepared. If we want to involve our capitals, if we want to have an intensive session - because it should be seen as that - of five days with experts, it has to be prepared. So I do hope indeed that every presidency takes its responsibility and focuses on the preparation of the cluster or clusters it has during its presidency. It doesn’t make sense, frankly, to discuss where we are to focus in the coming weeks under the able chairmanship of Ambassador Park on agenda points 1 and 2, that we are going to discuss an agenda item that was maybe foreseen in June or July. So I do hope indeed that we all work and respond to the appeal of Ambassador Park - and I think his presidency is of particular significance because it will be the trend-setter - that we will indeed be able, on the basis of items submitted and proposals for sub-items, that we are having this focused debate and prepare, to the best of our ability, these clusters which are foreseen.

It is our credibility that is at stake. We cannot continue as we have done in the past. We have to change, and we also have to have clearly in mind that the aim is that out of this exercise come clear decisions as regards material to negotiate.

This approach of ours is not a precedent. It should be a one-time exercise to help us out of the doldrums.

South Africa, Ambassador Glaudine Mtshali

Mr. President, firstly I would also like to lend our support to the statement that was made by Ireland and supported by Sri Lanka, Sweden and the Netherlands. It is a matter long overdue.

As we come to end of your term as the President of the Conference on Disarmament, I wish to express my delegation’s appreciation for your tireless and innovative efforts to guide the work of the Conference. As I pointed out during the first plenary of this year, South Africa has considerable sympathy for your difficult task as the first President of the CD in 2006, as we will find ourselves in a similar position at the beginning of next year. It is for this reason that my delegation has followed your initiatives with keen interest, particularly the establishment of the Friends of the Presidents, as well as the introduction of the P6 concept that is aimed at creating greater continuity amongst the six Presidents during a given year.

My delegation will continue to monitor closely and evaluate the success of these and other initiatives during the course of this year, in order to ascertain whether they have contributed to moving the Conference closer to the adoption of a programme of work. If this should prove to be the case, such methods could also be of assistance in the search for a consensus on a programme of work during South Africa’s presidency at the beginning of 2007.

In this regard, I wish to place on record my appreciation for your hard work and dedication to our shared objective: of rousing the Conference on Disarmament from its slumber and getting it back to work as it should be.

Egypt, Ambassador Hassan Shoukry

Mr. President, since this is the first time I am taking the floor, I would like to express our gratitude for the excellent manner in which you have undertaken your responsibilities.

It is not my intention to make a substantive intervention at this time, but I would like to take this opportunity to indicate my delegation’s support for the proposal of Ambassador Mary Whelan concerning the delivery of the statement of the NGOs of women working for peace by its representative. We believe that this can only promote the work of the CD and is a sign of inclusiveness that is long overdue.

Brazil, Ambassador Carlos Antonio da Rocha Paranhos

I did not have the intention of taking the floor this morning, but I decided to do so in order to indicate clearly our full support for the proposal that has just been presented by Ambassador Mary Whelan of Ireland. I would hope that the incoming President of the CD could explore all possibilities of allowing representatives of the women’s NGOs to deliver their statement on International Women’s Day on 8 March.

And since I have the floor, I would also like to thank the distinguished representatives of the Russian Federation and China for their presentation on PAROS and their presentation of the compilation of comments and suggestions, because I think that being done with such an anticipation of time for the foreseen discussions on PAROS, that will give us material and an indication that we can progress in our work. I think that as Ambassador Landman from the Netherlands was saying, we have a clear indication of the timetable of activities. I think that we should devote ourselves to serious work, present ideas, proposals, because it would be, let us say, really a pity if we wasted this time. I think that the CD has to engage in serious work, with a view to finding ground for negotiations, and this is the time to do it.

I want once again to praise your efforts in engaging all the incoming Presidents in this exercise and finding a way of having us all discussing serious issues, with a view to moving forward. We cannot just repeat rhetoric and a repetition of national statements. We must find a way to move forward to the benefit of the credibility of the CD.

Norway, Minister Kjetil Paulsen

Mr. President, my delegation has been on record for many years as advocating that the NGO statement in relation to International Women’s Day be delivered by the NGO, that is, by the author herself, and not by an intermediary. We continue to hold this view, not because so much of significance, for NGOs or for anyone else, is taking in this chamber for the time being, but because it is a matter of principle. I would also encourage the incoming President to use his prerogatives and settle this issue once and for all.

Canada, Ambassador Paul Meyer

I had not intended to take the floor either this morning, but I did want to associate myself very much with the proposition that Ambassador Mary Whelan has put forward. We hope that we can start off on a new track this year in the CD, and this is one very modest way in which we can demonstrate a change in our attitude and practice.

Secondly, I wanted to commend my Russian and Chinese colleagues for the work that they have done in the compilation on reactions to their working paper on PAROS. I would draw attention to the fact that it also has a structure in it and sub-items - I count 13 headings - and I think that in reviewing the paper, we would all note the utility of moving from the general to the specific and also to begin to synthesize and summarize not only the original proposition, but various views and observations and new ideas relating to it. I think this is an effort that clearly we would like to see extended to the other priority issues before us, and I hope we can do so.

Thirdly, and really in extrapolation of this, I welcome Ambassador Park’s pre-notice of the approach he intends to take. I particularly endorse the idea of sub-items being used to structure our future discussions. As I observed in the last plenary, we’ve had enough of general debate in this forum. Of course, for those delegations that have not had an opportunity to give a general statement, I would very much welcome hearing from them. Participation in this body should have some obligations as well as rights, and I see that as at least ensuring that a national view on the subject matter of this Conference is at least put forward at some point in the tenure or membership. So I would encourage those who have not. At the same time I would encourage colleagues who have already made a general statement not to repeat themselves, but to move into the more specific mode as soon as we can. And it is for our President to guide us through this in terms of a coherent fashion. Obviously, there is more utility when one group’s commentary on the same subject at the same time than a cacophony of opinion across a whole spectrum of ideas.

And we’ve made some suggestions to the incoming President on that score, and we would hope others could encourage him indeed and design their own future participation in a way that is as substantive as possible and allows us to get down to the level of work that I think we all aspire to.

New Zealand, Ambassador Tim Caughley

Mr. President, I wanted to speak in part and particularly at the beginning to thank you for your efforts throughout your presidency. I feel, having sat in this chamber for a number of years, that the start we have made this year and the kind of debates that we have begun to have, including the interventions made today, have helped us to deepen our level of engagement, and I think a lot of the credit for that goes to your efforts and energy, and I welcome also your successor’s statement, his own efforts, and indeed the efforts of all the Presidents this coming year, and there is also I think a note of some pleasure to my delegation that already the first President for next year is focusing on efforts to move us to where we so desperately want to get. So I thank you for your leadership, Mr. President.

I also feel that we need to move beyond the general debate, as representatives of the Netherlands and Canada and others have referred to this morning, and in this regard I welcome the efforts of China and Russia in helping us to intensify the level of examination of one of our core issues, PAROS.

Mexico, Second Secretary Enrique Ochoa (translated from Spanish):

Mr. President, first of all allow me also to congratulate you on your initiative in holding structured debates during the different Presidential terms this year. We hope that these will not be useful only for having a more in-depth structured debate, but will also bring us closer to a consensus on our programme of work and in this same regard, we hope that the work to be done by your Friends will lead us along the same path.

I would also like to express thanks to the delegations of Russia and China for having presented us with an updated working document. We think that this practice is extremely wise and we hope that this will be repeated on other subjects; we consider this to be a joint responsibility of all the delegations in this room. Finally, I would like to add my voice to that of other delegations to support the proposal made by the delegation of Ireland.

Algeria, Secrétaire diplomatique Hamza Khelif (translated from Arabic):

Mr. President, at the outset, I would like to thank you for all the efforts that you have made ever since the beginning of the 2006 session, and even before, to activate the work of our Conference. I also wish to thank the distinguished Ambassador of the Republic of Korea for his proposal on the organization of the work during his presidency. In addition, the Algerian delegation would like to thank the delegations of Russia and China for revised working paper 1679 concerning a ban on the weaponization of outer space

We are convinced that outer space must never be used in such a manner, and we are also convinced that this matter should be considered in the framework of a balanced and comprehensive programme of work of the CD, in accordance with the five Ambassadors’ proposal.

I also wish to add my voice to that of the delegations which have spoken previously in favour of allowing civil society to address the CD directly.

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