Address by Russian Foreign Minister

On Saturday, 7 March, a plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) convened to accommodate Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s schedule. Minister Lavrov commented on the relationship between the financial crisis and disarmament; relations with the United States and next steps for bilateral reductions; measures for “strategic stability”; the proposed anti-missile system in Eastern Europe; and preventing an arms race in outer space.

Economic demilitarization
Minister Lavrov argued that the current financial and economic crises “constrict the resource base for disarmament and conversion programs,” though he also acknowledged “that under globalization the crisis cannot be overcome through military preparations or war as happened in 1930-s. Regretfully, the Cold War has ‘institutionalized’ militarization in the field of international relations.”

Many academics and activists argue that the financial crisis not only demonstrates beyond a doubt the need for conversion, disarmament, and demilitarization, but also provides an opportunity for such progress. At a recent conference in Washington, DC, “Security Without Empire,” Bruce Gagnon of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space argued that the conversion of military industries is essential to reducing military expenditures, and that popular support for conversion is essential for government action. US Congressman Barney Frank, in calling for a 25% reduction of the US military budget, has argued that the US government has “for too long indulged the implicit notion that military spending is somehow irrelevant to reducing the deficit and have resisted applying to military spending the standards of efficiency that are applied to other programs. If we do not reduce the military budget, either we accustom ourselves to unending and increasing budget deficits, or we do severe harm to our ability to improve the quality of our lives through sensible public policy.”

US-Russian nuclear reductions
Minister Lavrov recognized Russia’s “special responsibility” as a nuclear weapon state and permanent member of the UN Security Council to effectively work toward nuclear disarmament. He welcomed the “resetting” of US-Russian relations as discussed with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and emphasized the importance of a follow-on to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). He also read a statement by Russian President Medvedev, calling for a legally-binding instrument that limits warheads, strategic delivery vehicles, and the legality of deploying such arms outside of national territories.

Measures for “strategic stability”
Arguing that the elimination of nuclear weapons “can only be achieved through strengthened strategic stability and strict adherence to the principle of equal security of all,” Minister Lavrov urged the following steps:

Advancement of nuclear disarmament by all nuclear weapon states, “with their ‘gradual’ engagement in efforts already being undertaken by Russia and U.S.”;

Preventing of the weaponization of outer space;

Preventing of operational deployment of strategic offensive weapons equipped with conventional warheads (building “compensatory potential”);

Ensuring states do not possess a “nuclear upload potential”;

Preventing attempt to use NPT membership to implement military nuclear programs; and

Ensuring verifiable cessation of conventional capabilities “coupled with efforts to resolve other international issues, including settlement of regional conflicts.”

Minister Lavrov also called for strengthening of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at the next Review Conference in 2010; entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; and ratification of the International Atomic Energy Agency Additional Protocol by all countries . He welcomed the entry into force of the Central Asian nuclear weapon free zone and urged for the development of such a zone in the Middle East. He also called for development of multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle, urging, “joint work should be carried out to develop global nuclear energy infrastructure through the establishment of multilateral centers for the provision of nuclear fuel cycle services” and citing the establishment of the International Uranium Enrichment Center in partnership with Kazakhstan. Noting that the European Union has now made a similar call, Minister Lavrov reiterated the importance of developing an international agreement on the elimination of intermediate- and short-range ballistic missiles. He also said the Russian delegation to the CD is prepared to start negotiations on a fissile materials cut-off treaty.

Anti-missile system in Europe
Minister Lavrov further argued that unilateral anti-ballistic missile systems undermine efforts toward nuclear disarmament by eroding strategic stability and global parity. He proposed a “constructive alternative to unilateral plans in this crucial area”—a “package proposal” to “unite efforts of all States interested in counteracting potential missile threats.”

Despite arguing that the proposed US anti-missile system in Europe is based on unfounded fears of missile attacks by Iran—noting that Iran does not possess intercontinental ballistic missiles or nuclear weapons—the Russian government has for several years been inviting NATO and the United States to cooperate with it on an anti-missile system to “protect” both Europe and Russia. In March 2007, Russia’s ambassador to NATO urged, “Since Iranian missiles and the nuclear weapons of the ‘rogue states’ rank among our common threats, let us gather together and assess them, and let us build an antimissile system jointly.” While this suggestion was largely ignored by the former US administration, on Friday, 6 March 2009, US Secretary of State Clinton indicated that there may be an “opportunity” for Russia and the United States to “cooperate on missile defense.”

Weaponization of outer space
Minister Lavrov argued that preventing an arms race in outer space is in everyone’s interest, noting that it will help make “the strategic situation predictable and preserving integrity of orbital assets” and that it is easier to prevent the weaponization of space than to get rid of new weapon stockpiles afterwards.

Unfortunately, given the incredible amounts of money spent on space weapon technology and the “opportunities” the contracts for such technology provides for weapon profiteers, it will in fact be very difficult to prevent its development.

Minister Lavrov announced that the Russian and Chinese CD delegations will soon introduce a document summing up and responding to the comments they received on their drafty treaty on preventing the placement of weapons in outer space. For a list of comments on the treaty delivered in plenary meetings of the CD, please see Reaching Critical Will’s fact sheet on the draft treaty.

Notes from the gallery
For the first time in a long time, the CD chamber was packed with press. Before delivering his official statement, Minister Lavrov had to shoo away photographers standing in the middle of the room, saying, “We’re here for disarmament, not publicity.” Last year, Minister Lavrov’s CD address received much less media attention. We hope the increased publicity will result in increased interest in, and scrutiny of, the CD by media and the public.

The next plenary meeting of the CD is scheduled for Thursday, 12 March 2009.

- Ray Acheson, Reaching Critical Will of WILPF