Conference on Disarmament concludes high-level segment

Mia Gandenberger | Reaching Critical Will

The Conference of Disarmament (CD) concluded its yearly high-level segment on Wednesday, 5 March 2014. Over the past three days, the conference has heard statements delivered by the President of the General Assembly, Ambassador John W. Ashe, and high-level representatives of Slovakia, Argentina, Italy, Greece, Kazakhstan, Japan, Canada, Hungary, Czech Republic, Qatar, Finland, Latvia, and Spain.

President of the General Assembly

The President of the General Assembly, Ambassador John W. Ashe, addressed the CD on Monday, 3 March. He highlighted the debate on the future of the CD in the General Assembly and recalled the points raised during the high-level meeting on nuclear disarmament on 26 September 2013. He regretted that those speaking about the CD could only reference past successes, as the latest achievement, the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty, was negotiated almost 20 years ago. He called on states to focus on the bigger picture, to overcome differences and to live up to responsibilities. After all,  “Peace underpins development and development demands disarmament.”

Work of the CD

All representatives that addressed the CD this week expressed their deep concern with the continued deadlock. The President of the General Assembly, Slovakia, Argentina, Italy, Kazakhstan, Hungary, and Latvia welcomed the re-establishment of the Informal Working Group to agree on a programme of work for the 2014 session.

Both Canada and Finland raised the issue of reevaluating the working methods of the CD. Slovakia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Czech Republic, and Finland expressed support for the expansion of the CD’s membership while Latvia called for the CD to open up for universal membership. Slovakia, Greece, and Qatar asked for the appointment of a special rapporteur or coordinator to that end. Finland also expressed support for a deeper involvement of civil society.

Slovakia, Italy, Greece, Czech Republic, Hungary, Canada, Kazakhstan, Finland, Latvia, and Spain called for the commencement of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT). Slovakia, Argentina, Italy, Greece, Kazakhstan, Japan, Canada, Hungary, Czech Republic, Finland, Latvia, and Spain also welcomed the Group of Governmental Experts that will address this issue in a first meeting in April. Finland highlighted the importance of a voluntary moratorium on the production of fissile material.

Recent successes outside the CD

Slovakia, Italy, Greece, Czech Republic, Hungary, Finland, Latvia, and Spain recalled the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in the General Assembly in April 2013 as a landmark treaty for arms control. Many of the speakers expressed hope for a swift entry into force of the treaty and Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Finland, Latvia, and Spain expect to be able to ratify the treaty soon.

The international response to the use of chemical weapons in Syria last year and the resulting accession of Syria to the Chemical Weapons Convention was highlighted by Italy, Greece, Hungary, Finland, and Latvia. In addition, Italy, Greece, and Latvia highlighted the agreement reached in November 2013 between the E3/EU+3 and Iran.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Slovakia, Argentina, Italy, Greece, Qatar, Czech Republic, Hungary, Canada, Japan, Kazakhstan, Finland, Latvia, and Spain highlighted the continued importance of the NPT. The implementation of the Action Plan agreed upon at the 2010 NPT Review Conference was described as an important step on the road to nuclear disarmament by Slovakia, Greece, Hungary, Canada, Kazakhstan, Latvia, and Spain. Finland and Kazakhstan also highlighted the need for universalization of the NPT.

Many representatives, for example those of Italy, Greece, Qatar, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Finland, and Spain, stressed the importance of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. They also highlighted the need for intensified efforts in this regard.

Humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and nuclear disarmament

The President of the General Assembly and representatives of Slovakia, Greece, Argentina, Canada, Kazakhstan, Finland, and Spain expressed concerns about the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons. Argentina, Kazakhstan, Spain, and Finland noted the two conferences on this topic held in Oslo in March 2013 and Nayarit in February 2014.

However, while believing that the humanitarian consequences should be kept in mind, Slovakia, Greece, Canada, and Spain argued that efforts should focus on the NPT and its 2010 action plan. Canada reiterated its support for the so-called step-by-step approach to nuclear disarmament.

The President of the General Assembly, however, expressed his hope that the humanitarian initiative might accelerate international nuclear disarmament efforts. He pointed out that it “must truly be a collective effort, because we face the risks posed by these weapons collectively, not as States with narrow national security interests.” The Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan stressed that the humanitarian aspect of disarmament “should function as a driving force.”

Continued debate about the current situation in Ukraine

In their statements on Wednesday, Spain and Latvia expressed their full support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine and invited the international community to cooperate in finding a diplomatic solution to the crisis. After the conclusion of the high-level segment, the Ambassador of Ukraine took the floor to reiterate some of his positions raised in the debate on Monday, 3 March. He urged member states again to study his delegation’s briefing note that has been circulated to all UN missions. In response, the Ambassador of Russia referred delegations to an interview given by President Putin on Tuesday, 4 March, on this matter. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Sweden reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and repeated their call for a peaceful solution. The representative of Belarus raised concerns regarding the implementation of the Budapest agreement.

Next plenary meeting

The next plenary meeting of the CD will be held on Tuesday, 11 March at 10.00 in the Council Chamber.