7 February 2006

Tuesday 7 February's CD session heard statements from eight delegations and the Secretary General to the Conference. Member States continued to explore Programme of Work possibilities, issues and priorities for this year, France defended its new deterrence doctrine, Ireland suggested a modest increase in civil society engagement with the conference, and the CD Secretary General announced the new CD Deputy Secretary General: Ambassador Tim Caughley. France, Nigeria, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Syrian Arab Republic, Egypt and the CD Secretary General delivered statements.

Nigeria, Germany and Ireland expressed support for the A5 proposal. The A5 has the most support in the CD, although, as Germany's Ambassador Brasack sadly noted, "being near to consensus by no means is an equivalent to having reached consensus. Nigeria's Joseph Ayalogu suggested re-formulating the "not cast in stone" A5 proposal in order to accommodate the concerns of those unable to join the consensus.

Ireland, Germany and New Zealand also prioritized the immediate commencement of negotiations on a Fissile Materials Cut-off Treaty (FMCT), though all still supported the other three core issues (Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space, Nuclear Disarmament andNegative Security Assurances). While supporting all the issues, in order to be realistic regarding simultaneous negotiations Ireland "attach[es] particular priority to commencing negotiations on a fissile material treaty while establishing subsidiary bodies to consider other areas." Germany called negotiations on a non-discriminatory, universally applicable and verifiable FMCT "the next logical and essential step in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation."

While the CD is struggling to agree on a Programme of Work, several delegations have introduced 'additional issues' for the CD to consider. Some delegations have argued that focus on the core issues does not exclude the consideration of new issues. Others, including Germany, Ireland and New Zealand, have cautioned against further complicating finding consensus on a Programme of Work. Germany said that although it remains "open, undogmatic and flexible to explore" new issues, it also "is crucial that additional issues are not misused for adding to the unfortunate list of linkages that is blocking the CD already."

Last week Australia introduced the issue of MANPADS to the CD. Norway took the floor specifically to express support for this proposal. Although some of the cautious, like Ireland, have said they "would not seek to oppose the consideration of any item likely to command a consensus", the Syrian Arab Republic took the floor to say "no consensus exists in the CD for these new topics," which require reflections from capitals and regional consultations before being discussed.

Understanding the conference is looking for something to do while waiting for the political will to begin negotiations on the core issues, New Zealand suggested that instead of dealing with other issues, they find a less frustrating way to discuss and secure a work programme. Ambassador Tim Caughley recommended the conference hold debate on the international security environment and how the Conference can improve Member States' collective security "to demonstrate what the four core issues remain pre-eminent in this regard, as well as to translate the respective priorities contained in existing proposals into a sequence or timetable for taking them up."

Nigerian Ambassador Joseph Ayalogu joined others in commending the P6 initiative, which he hoped would increase the Presidency's continuity. While Nigeria supports the Friends of the Presidents, Ambassador Ayalogu proposed the Friends focus on the programme of work rather than the agenda which was "already adopted" and the working methods that had been "looked into in the past".

Ambassador François Rivasseau of France submitted a 19 January 2006 speech by President Jacques Chirac regarding the new French Deterrence Doctrine as an official CD document. Presumably in response to international concern over France's announced willingness to use nuclear weapons against a state that might "resort to terrorist means" to attack France with weapons of mass destruction, Rivasseau recalled France's nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (NWFZ) security guarantees to non nuclear weapon states. While the NPT security guarantees are not legally binding, France "has provided legally binding negative security guarantees to more than 100 countries, by ratifying the protocols of Treaties creating nuclear weapon free zones". Germany strongly called upon the CD "to agree on a work programme that seriously pursues the issue of negative security assurances", recalling the 2003 EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and its recognition of security assurances as a means to forego the acquisition of WMD and as a deterrent.

Ireland, who submitted the 2004 proposal to increase civil society's access to the CD, made another modest proposal for increasing our engagement with the CD. Ambassador Mary Whelan stated "At minimum my delegation wishes to have the annual statement of NGOs on International Women's Day delivered by its authors." New Zealand joined her saying "It will be another demonstration of the sense of purpose and relevance of this Conference, if...the CD can take a more enlightened approach to the delivery of the annual Women's Day statement next month in the manner [Ambassador Whelan] proposed." CD Secretary-General Sergei Ordzhonikidze announced the CD's new Deputy Secretary-General, current New Zealand Ambassador Tim Caughley, who will be commencing on his duties shortly. We congratulate Ambassador Caughley on his new position, and are sure he will bring the sound values he has shown as the Ambassador of his delegation to his new job.

Alex Sundberg
Disarmament Intern

Jennifer Nordstrom
Reaching Critical Will 

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom