Reaching Critical Will

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Conference on Disarmament

General Assembly First Committee

UN Disarmament Commission

Special Session on Disarmament

Statement by Ambassador Mauricio Montalvo of Ecuador to the Conference on Disarmament 2nd September 2008

Unofficial Transcript

Thank you very much

I just wanted to echo the comments expressed by representative of Norway about your draft report and would like to stress the efforts that you as presidents have made to ensure that there is harmony both about the contributions and negotiations and the debates in these sessions and how this is reflected. We support what was said by Norway that the Conference does not yet have an agenda and we are in a situations of a deadlocked as she described that however, we believe that the draft you submitted to us is obvious has been consistent with the regulations of conference and we believe that it is sufficiently objective to reflect the negotiations of the work of the conference and it has been presented as is appropriate in a minimum of two weeks before it is approved. I think it is important to stress that this is how the Presidents acted.

Without a doubt, it is a document that is useful, and with a correct orientation that deserves constructive work from all parties. As any proposal, it is a text that has to be discussed, to be analyzed and improved and be seen by the contribution just made by Norway and in that sense, my delegation shares the positive spirit that should prevail in order to improve this annual report to the Conference and would like to urge all delegations to welcome it with this spirit.

We believe that Venezuela as President of the CD has made an effort to satisfy everyone’s wishes. It has stuck very closely to the rules and regulations and it has achieved an appropriate balance to achieve the necessary consensus for its approval. So our job now is to enrich this draft report, improving it where appropriate with realistic responsible proposals and amendments.

Thank you very much.