15 August 2006

The Conference on Disarmament (CD) held a short plenary meeting on August 15 devoted to general debate. Columbia and Sri Lanka made statements.

Comprehensive program of disarmament: military expenditures and small arms and light weapons
Under the comprehensive program of disarmament and transparency in armaments rubric, Colombia questioned states' increase in military expenses and large stockpiles of weapons surpassing national security requirements. According to Colombia, this creates mistrust and tensions among states and these tremendous resources should be used for development instead. Colombia prioritized controlling the arms trade, particularly small arms and light weapons (SALW). Because small arms and light weapons are responsible for most of the killings in the world, Colombia said controlling them should be recognized as one of the traditional issues on the CD agenda.

Fissile Material and Program of Work
Colombia said a 2007 programme of work should include an Ad Hoc Committee to negotiate a Fissile Materials Treaty (FMT) and a parallel timetable for discussions on the other items in the Five Ambassadors' proposal, similar to this year's timetable for discussions. The Ad Hoc Committee to negotiate an FMT should have a broad mandate including current production, verification mechanisms and universalisation.

Sri Lanka said the CD should commence negotiations on a Fissile Materials Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) but "this can of course only be done if we can agree to address on an equal footing the priority security concerns of all member states and if we can maintain the constructive atmosphere that has prevailed during this year."

The report to the General Assembly: assessing the CD in 2006 and looking to make progress in 2007
Colombia reflected a common ambivalence in the CD regarding its work in 2006: It has been another year without progress or program of work, but the structured debates have engaged all the members and shown political will. Sri Lanka said the CD must decide how to build on the Six Presidents' 2006 timetable for discussions, which could "form the basis for the work of the Conference for years to come." In order to make progress in the future, the CD could try to allocate more time to certain items in future years' schedules, or make adjustments in its methods of work. These suggestions, along with the more radical Blix proposal to eliminate the consensus rule, and Chile's "?small incremental steps", should provide food for thought to "embark further on what we all believe should be a new period of productivity for the CD."

Colombia also suggested that the 2006 Six Presidents (P6) and the Friends of the Presidents could continue to help the presidents for 2007.

The CD closed the plenary meeting and continued with consultations on the CD report to the General Assembly. The next plenary meeting will be held on Thursday, 17 August.

-Beatrice Fihn, Disarmament Intern 
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom