Reaching Critical Will

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Conference on Disarmament

General Assembly First Committee

UN Disarmament Commission

Special Session on Disarmament

May 15, Pakistan
Unofficial transcript

Madame President, we would also like to take this opportunity at the beginning of the second part of the 2007 session of the CD to express our great appreciation for the dedication and energy with which you have presided over the work of the Conference. We will also take this opportunity to thank the Ambassadors for presiding over the Conference in the earlier part of this year.

Madame President, we have expressed our particular concerns with regard to L1 in the informal consultations that were held earlier. We would like to just add a few points that we had stated there just to reiterate our understanding of the discussions that took place earlier in the year. We understand that during the first part of this year, the discussions that were held in informal and formal settings. There was a broad expression of support looking forward to the four core issues in the session. Discussions on all agenda items reflected divergences in perspective as well as in approach. The momentum that should have been utilized to narrow the gaps and to develop better understanding of officials that were raised on agenda items. This we believe could have also helped us further in a developing a comprehensive balance of work.

We understand that there was a clear support in establishing committees for the four core issues, and in this context we would like to recall that the majority of Conference members expressed their readiness to begin negotiations in a facilitated treaty on the basis of the report of the special coordinator, CD 1299 on the mandate contained therein, which stated a call for an indiscriminately, multilaterally, international, and verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. We believe that we should continue to adhere to these agreed parameters in order to launch sustained FMT negotiations. If Conference members wanted to determine priorities in sequences with sequencing officials in order to achieve the objectives of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, NSA should be the priority issue. First months of nuclear disarmament continues to be the resondento of the Conference. This would help build confidence of non-nuclear weapon states, strengthen the non-proliferation regime, and thus lay solid foundations for nuclear disarmament. The next step should be a comprehensive program on nuclear disarmament that could include an FMT and a clear road map for future steps. This, in our view, is the most robust and durable way of reviving the CD, which is a common objective of all of us present here today.

We believe that L1 needs to be looked at again. Space has to be created for all in open ended consultations and in this context we strongly propose a meeting by the distinguished Ambassador of Egypt where there would be a look into the engagement and set up a process that would be inclusive and where concerns of all countries can be expressed. This would allow for collective ownership of L1.

Madame President, Pakistan believes in the importance of multilateralism and is committed to make the CD work and we will do our best to revive it to negotiations in accordance with its rules of procedure.

Our Capitol is in the process of analyzing and evaluating the draft decision and the specific mandates proposed therein. We have not yet completed this policy review. We therefore reserve the right to take a look at the L1, and if required, submit Amendments to the text for which we would again reiterate the importance of having discussions in a structure inclusive process as has been said by the Ambassador of Egypt.

Thank You.