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

CD holds meeting

Beatrice Fihn | Reaching Critical Will of WILPF

The Conference on Disarmament (CD) met on Thursday, 18 August for a final plenary meeting under the presidency of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Statements were delivered by the delegations of Switzerland, the Group of 21 (G21), the Informal Group of Observer States (IGOS), Brazil, Japan, Pakistan, South Africa, Egypt, Germany, Algeria, Nigeria, Poland, France, India, China, Cuba, and outgoing CD President, Ambassador So Se Pyong of DPRK.

Highlights

  • The G21 outlined its position on the priorities of the CD and reiterated a number of concrete steps towards the goal of nuclear disarmament.
  • The Japanese ambassador wondered why the G21 failed to mention FMCT as a step towards nuclear disarmament.
  • The Brazilian delegation reiterated its support for the Colombian proposal to form a working group to address the working methods of the CD.
  • Outgoing CD President, Ambassador Pyong of DPRK, noted that the Colombian proposal was workable, but that its future was now in the hands of the member states.
  • IGOS noted that over 150 UN member states at the recent General Assembly meeting voiced support for dealing with the question of expanded membership.
  • In his farewell statement, Swiss Ambassador Jürg Lauber advocated for modernization of the CD, arguing that it must take into consideration current views of security, such as human security.

Moving towards nuclear disarmament 
Ambassador Akram of Pakistan delivered a statement re-emphasizing that the G21’s priority continues to be nuclear disarmament and that negotiations on this should commence without delay. The G21 also advocated for a number of concrete steps to promote the goal of nuclear disarmament, such as reaffirmation of the unequivocal commitment of nuclear weapon states (NWS) to the goal of complete elimination of nuclear weapons; elimination of the role of nuclear weapons in the security doctrines; adoption of measures by NWS to reduce nuclear danger, such as de-alerting and decreasing of operational readiness; negotiations of negative security assurances; negotiations of a convention on the prohibition of the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons; and negotiations of a Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC).

After the statement, the Japanese ambassador, Aiko Suda, commented that he was puzzled by the failure to mention “one of the most important steps of nuclear disarmament,” namely, a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT). This comment triggered a brief discussion, which highlighted the difference in views amongst CD delegations. The Pakistani ambassador reminded the CD that the G21 operates by consensus and the statement had to be approved by all delegations in the group. He said that the Japanese ambassador should be able to draw whatever conclusions he wished to from that fact.

The delegation of South Africa drew attention to the references to the call for implementation of the NPT 2010 action plan, including those actions relating to the CD. Mr. Combrink stated that the issue of fissile materials is included in this. The delegations of Egypt and Algeria argued that a future NWC would take fissile material into account, and therefore the G21 promoted that the issue of nuclear materials would be covered during such negotiations. The Nigerian representative referred to a part of the G21 statement that supported negotiations of “a phased program for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons” and argued that this was an example of how fissile material can be covered.

Ambassador Hoffmann of Germany agreed with the point made by the Japanese ambassador and believed that while fissile materials would be included in a NWC, it would have been good to have the words FMCT in the statement. Ambassador Hoffmann picked up on the comment made by the Pakistani ambassador regarding the consensus approach of the G21 statement and highlighted paragraph 12 of the statement, which notes the “genuine and urgent need to eliminate the role of nuclear weapons in strategic doctrines and security policies to minimize the risk that these weapons will ever be used and to facilitate the process of their elimination.” Ambassador Hoffman argued that if the consensus statement applies to all members of the group, also this paragraph should apply to those states in G21 that possess nuclear weapons.

Ambassador Danon of France noted that once a group delivers statements based on consensus agreements, it often boils down to the least common denominator. He argued that despite the fact that “the international community as a whole considers the FMCT as a priority,” it is still enough for one country to express opposition to a reference in a text. Ambassador Danon also argued that the negotiations of a NWC was never agreed upon in the 2010 NPT action plan, and therefore should not be a topic that the international community prioritize until 2015, since it has 64 other actions to implement.

Colombian proposal
Last week, the president of the CD, Ambassador Pyong of DPRK asked the regional groups to give their feedback on the proposal for a working group on revitalization of the CD made by Colombia. In today’s meeting, only the Brazilian delegation voiced its support for it, no other delegation mentioned it. In his outgoing statement, it appeared that Ambassador Pyong had nothing to report concerning the feedback of the regional groups. He stated, “It is true that this proposal goes not entirely satisfactory but I do believe that it is workable. As I have already informed the delegations through the coordinators, I shall leave it to member states for their decision when it is most opportune.”

Next plenary meeting
The next plenary meeting will be held on Tuesday, 23 August at 10:00am.