Reaching Critical Will

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Conference on Disarmament

General Assembly First Committee

UN Disarmament Commission

Special Session on Disarmament

Unofficial transcript,
Bangladesh, Ambassador Abdul Hannan
September 17, 2009

Let me begin by expressing our sincere appreciation to you, Mr. President, for your leadership, perseverance and commitment which were instrumental in adopting this year’s report by consensus.

We would like to thank all other 2009 presidents for their hard work and dedication in making significant progress in the work of the Conference in 2009. In particular, I would like to express our profound appreciation to Ambassador Idriss Jazairy of Algeria for his and his country’s role in achieving consensus on the 2009 Programme of Work or as contained in document CD / 1864.

This breakthrough had ended years of impasse in the CD and created the opportunity of
of holding of substantive work in the Conference this year. However, consensus on implementation of CD/1864 eluded us this year. As the next President of the Conference of we are therefore acutely aware of the need of the Conference to begin substantive work early next year in order to maintain the positive momentum created in the CD in 2009. Both within the Conference and beyond, we note that there is a great expectation that the Conference will be able to resume at an early date its mandated role as the single multilateral forum for disarmament negotiations.

In the report just adopted the Conference has asked the current and the incoming presidents to conduct consultations during the intersessional period and if possible make recommendations. We take this responsibility very seriously. We appreciate to work closely with the Austrian Presidency. We shall count on the support of all members and particularly the other presidents of 2010 as well as on the Secretary to getting the job done. And I thank all Delegations who have expressed their support for our efforts.

Thank you.