Reaching Critical Will

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Conference on Disarmament

General Assembly First Committee

UN Disarmament Commission

Special Session on Disarmament

Statement by Mr Mr. Avila Comacho of Colombia to the Conference on Disarmament 9th September 2008

Unofficial Transcript

Thank you Mr President, as this is the first time that I am taking the floor in the plenary formal meeting under your Presidency. My most sincere pleasure that you are presiding on behalf of the sister republic for the work of the Conference on Disarmament and may assure you of full support to achieve success. May I also, on behalf of my delegation, welcome the distinguished Ambassadors of South Korea, Austria, France, Italy and their appointments in this city and I assure them of the Colombian’s mission full support.

Mr President, my delegation wishes success personally and professionally to the Distinguished Ambassador Massod Khan of Pakistan as he takes his new functions, we appreciate the major contributions he has made to this forum. I would also like to acknowledge the work done too by all the Presidents of this year which made it possible to move forward, sparing no efforts in taking the steps necessary to find possible a formulations that would lead to the adoption of a program of work. We also acknowledge the important and painstaking work done by the coordinators who provided helpful and necessary opportunity for discussion of the issues.

Mr President, w have come the time of the year when we call on to adopt and have indeed have adopted the report of the Conference to the United Nations General Assembly at its next session. This might be the appropriate time, to voice some reflections and to some extent renew spirit of cooperation so as to create opportunities for dialogue and to understand of the situation that we now experiencing. However, it is not just a creating windows of opportunities, in addition, these opportunities must be seized and acted on. As far as my delegation is concerned, we have had more than enough of words, we now need to put these into actions. We need greater political will, in the Conference on Disarmament we need to overcome terminal crisis that it has been going through, in some way above all, achieve the adoption of a program of work.

My delegation is of the view that the proposal presented by the six Presidents contained in document CD/1840 is a solid base that can serve in the continuation of our work next year. Many efforts have been made by the Presidents to set it aside as a valid option. We think that this proposal provides continuity to the work of the Conference and an opportunity to move forward in consensus.

Lastly Mr President, may I underscore the efficient and excellent manner in which you and your delegation managed to draft and present the work of the Conference through open and inclusive consultations and in particular we appreciate the transparency in which you have worked. And is well known, Colombia supports the adoption of the report and through tremendous efforts have managed to reflect what took place in this forum during this year.

Mr President may I show you that my delegation will continue to contribute to the further work of the Conference on Disarmament.

Thank you sir.