22 June 2006

The Conference on Disarmament (CD) concluded its debate on new weapons of mass destruction and radiological weapons at the final plenary meeting of the Russian Presidency, June 22. The Foreign Minister of Myanmar made a statement to the Conference, as well as representatives from China, Norway, India, Switzerland, France, United States, Italy and the Russian Federation.

In its statement as outgoing president, Russia hoped the themed discussions organized by this year's presidents provide food for thought on the tabled proposals for a programme of work, and that "a sober analysis of the results of the Conference's this year's session will help us reach an agreement on the CD program of work, or at least come closer to such an agreement without breaking the balances and taking into account of the real situation, leaning on pragmatism, realistic approach and due consideration of the opinions and interests of all Member States."

Nuclear Disarmament
H.E Mr., U Nyan Win declared that Myanmar's priority in the CD was Nuclear Disarmament. "We do perceive that the continued existence of nuclear weapons poses a grave danger to mankind. Myanmar firmly believes that the only effective defense against nuclear catastrophe is the total elimination of these weapons." Myanmar, who annually introduces a resolution on nuclear disarmament in the UN General Assembly's First Committee, would like to see an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament established as the highest priority by the CD.

Radiological weapons
According to China, discussions on new weapons of mass destruction and radiological weapons should include definitions and principles. States should explore a commitment to not develop, produce, stockpile and use any radiological weapons, a commitment not to attack nuclear facilities, how to prevent radiological materials from transferring and how to stop non state actors from using this radiological material. However, China also believed that it was necessary have domestic laws and regulations to strengthen the management of radiological material.

India pointed out that the CD last gave this matter serious thought in the summer of 2002, and though it was unlikely that any state would resort to developing, producing and using radiological weapons "the threat of their use by terrorist is now well recognized and we see merit in the Conference reaching an understanding on banning radiological weapons, and foreswearing the development of such weapons in the future."

The United States, the only country of 182 to vote against a UN General Assembly resolution prohibiting the development of new types of weapons of mass destruction, rejected the term "new types of weapons of mass destruction" as an entirely hypothetical concept.

Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS)
The Foreign Minister of Myanmar called upon all states, particularly those with major space capabilities, to contribute to the peaceful use of outer space and the prevention of an arms race. Myanmar supports "elaborat[ing] a legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space and on the threat or use of force against outer space objects."

Switzerland, which is working with France on civilian critical infrastructure, called the growing dependence on space assets an important part of civil infrastructure in need of protection. Switzerland recommended the CD continue to discus PAROS, and because many space applications can be used for civilian and military purposes, examine greater interaction between the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and the CD.

Russia said more than 20 delegations made statements, states introduced eight working papers and experts from seven states participated in the PAROS discussions, succeeding "in modeling, in a way, the function of the future CD Ad Hoc Committee on PAROS, where political and professional elements would be intertwined." Ambassador Loshchinin warned that if the ripe PAROS "overripes", it will be too late.

Terrorism and Fissile Materials
The United States spoke about combating terrorism through the emerging international framework against terrorism, new gap-filling and in-depth measures, and recommended the CD make "a direct and meaningful contribution ... through the immediate negotiations of a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty under the draft mandate" (CD/1776) they presented in May. Italy also linked the two subjects, reminding the conference of their May 16 working paper "Banning the Production of Fissile Material to Prevent Catastrophic Nuclear Terrorism" (CD/1772).

As well as stopping the production of new fissile material, states can reduce the risk of nuclear terrorism minimizing the use of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) in the civilian nuclear sector. Mr. Kjetil Paulsen of Norway shared highlights from an international symposium in Oslo earlier this week, where 130 experts and diplomats from 45 countries discussed minimizing the use of HEU in the civilian nuclear sector. Ambassador Paulson remarked on the business-like exchange among the experts, and noted that it greatly facilitated the policy discussions. "When experts, by and large, agree that something is doable it is difficult to ignore by diplomats and policy-makers," he said, "Though sometimes we do it anyway."

In addition to current political and legal international frameworks, like Security Council Resolutions 1540 and 1373, the Nuclear Terrorism Convention and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, the United States recommended one gap-filler and one new in-depth strategy. They suggested that civil and administrative penalties, and possibly liability, could fill an existing gap in preventing and deterring unwitting facilitators in the public and private sector from engaging in high-risk activity that contributes to the proliferation of WMD to terrorists. A defense-in-depth approach to terrorism would require international cooperation across the full spectrum of partner government agencies, including Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Interior, Finance, Science and Technology, Energy, Health, Environment and Commerce, as well as related regulatory, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies.

France investigated the purpose of critical civilian infrastructure further and pointed out the danger of terrorist attacks by asking what the consequences of the attacks at 9/11, Madrid and London would have been if they were done by weapons of mass destruction.

The next plenary meeting will be held next Thursday at 29 June at 10 am.

-Jennifer Nordstrom, Reaching Critical Will 
Beatrice Fihn, Disarmament Intern 
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom