We use Google Analytics to learn more about who is reading the resources on our website. Please read Google Analytics privacy policy for further information. Close

logo_reaching-critical-will

14 March 2007

On March 14, the Conference on Disarmament (CD) heard statements from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Ms. U. Joy Ogwu, and the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Republic of Korea (South Korea), Mr. Cho Jung-Pyo. Morocco and Pakistan on behalf of some members of the Group of 21, namely Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, DPR Congo, DPRK, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tunisia, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe and observer states of the G-21, namely Costa Rica, Ghana, Guatemala, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Madagascar, Oman, Philippines, Thailand, Uruguay, Brunei Darussalam, and Singapore, also made statements. Spain announced schedule changes for this week, which are listed below.

The Big Picture
Nigeria said that "as a developing country, it recognizes the casual relationship between disarmament and arms control and the attainment of sustainable development, including the Millennium Development Goals." It also said that non-proliferation and disarmament are central to conflict prevention. Nigeria advised that the CD pursue a security order "constructed through compromise, rather than through a zero-sum approach in which the winner takes all", and encouraged delegates to see themselves as "partners in global security building efforts."

Fissile Materials Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT)
Nigeria said negotiating an FMCT is the "first logical and sensible step in addressing nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation", but believes that "negotiating an FMCT that excludes existing stocks is defective and unhelpful, as it merely legitimizes that status-quo, without addressing the fundamental fears of many." However, an FMCT including stocks and a verification mechanism would strengthen the disarmament regime. South Korea also supported beginning to negotiate an FMCT, and hoped the US draft mandate and treaty would "provide a good basis for starting negotiations."

Nuclear Disarmament
South Korea said that the structured debates on nuclear disarmament have revealed that transparency, irreversibility, and verification should be nuclear disarmament's guiding principles, which the Group of 21 said should be applied to all nuclear disarmament measures. South Korea also said the CD needs to discuss nuclear doctrine and policy, operational status, reduction and verification. The Group of 21 agreed, and there was a genuine need to diminish the role of nuclear weapons in strategic doctrines and security policies, in order to minimize the risk that those weapons would ever be used and to facilitate the process of their total elimination. The Group of 21 also reiterated the need to refrain from any act that might lead to a new type of nuclear arms race, including the development of nuclear weapons, and new types or modernization of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems. Nigeria called on the nuclear weapon states to lower the threshold of use of nuclear weapons.

Negative Security Assurances (NSAs)
Nigeria and South Korea both supported negative security assurances (NSAs). Nigeria not only said that non-nuclear weapon states upholding the non-proliferation regime deserve to be rewarded with NSAs, they also said that denying NSAs encourages proliferation and amounts to a "betrayal". "Experience has shown that when we fail to focus on what others perceive as a threat or danger, we not only create division and mistrust," said Minister Ogwu, "but also create conditions that encourage the quest for alternative options for self preservation." South Korea also saw NSAs as a way to reduce the sense of insecurity among non-nuclear weapons states, and said they should be provided to those that "faithfully meet their NPT and safeguards obligations."

Outer Space Security
South Korea affirmed the importance of space security, including "the prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) and the intentional targeting of space objects", and hoped that formal and informal intensive consultations would deepen the understanding and elaborate aspects of the issue. "PAROS" refers to a treaty to prevent the weaponization of space, promoted by Russia and China, and "the intentional targeting of space objects" alludes to China's recent anti-satellite test, so perhaps South Korea is trying to bring both China and the US together under a broader heading of dicussions of "space security".

As the current President of the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, Morocco noted that the Code included transparency measures like annual declarations on ballistic and space programs and prior notice for missile and space launches. The Code will make another presentation during an international workshop on the use of outer space technology for sustainable development in Rabat, April 25-27, organized by the UN Bureau for Space Affairs, the European Space Agency and the Royal Centre for Remote Sensing. 

Small arms and light weapons
Nigeria also discussed small arms and light weapons, which it said are "wreaking havoc" on the region. Minister Ogwu called on the international community to respect and emulate the landmark ECOWAS Convention, adopted in June 2006, which bans arms transfers into, from or through West Africa. Nigeria also said it was prepared to work with other governments to "ensure the speedy negotiation of a legally-binding Global Arms Trade Treaty" (ATT), saying that although Nigeria was pleased with UN General Assembly resolution on an ATT (61/89) it was time initiate the necessary processes and administrative mechanisms to facilitate negotiation.

North Korean Nuclear Issue
South Korea discussed the North Korean nuclear issue, outlining the merits of the current agreement of the Six Party Talks. First, greater formality and binding power was achieved by multilateral talks, second, the agreement laid the foundation for halting additional production of nuclear materials by North Korea, and third, it would expedite the denuclearization. South Korea plans to use the resolution to reinforce inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation, and vice-versa. 

Next Plenary Meeting (schedule changes)
Contrary to our last report, the next formal plenary meeting will be held on March 16 from 11:30 after the informal meeting on Agenda Item 5. The CD will welcome the Secretary for Human Rights and Multilateral Affairs of Mexico and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain.