Reaching Critical Will

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Conference on Disarmament

General Assembly First Committee

UN Disarmament Commission

Special Session on Disarmament

Unofficial transcript
Russia, H.E. Ambassador Valery Loschinin
August 20, 2009

Thank you.

Madame President, first allow me to express our great gratitude to you and your colleagues and the six presidents of this year’s session for the great amount of work including many bilateral consultations to elaborate the draft procedural solution for our forum which would take into account the interests of all states. In particular, we would like to note your personal, tireless and very useful efforts to prepare the draft decision of the Conference contained in document CD 1870 rev. 1 and also the draft decision of the statement of the president. This is the compromise which is sufficiently balanced and should be acceptable to everyone. Once again, I stress that we do support the package solution proposed by you. Unfortunately, despite all efforts we have been made we have not yet been able to agree and adopt a decision on the implementation of the Programme of Work of the Conference which is the first to be adopted in many years. However, as I say, hope dies last and we are certain that our work soon will bear fruits, although there is very little time left, and the time factor is extremely acute. But even so, we do hope that we will be able to make a step forward. Ultimately, it must be recognized that a good basis has been created for the beginning of substantive work in the Conference on Disarmament. And the sooner it takes place, the better.

Thank you.