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UNGA Disarmament Index 2014: S–Z

This is an index of all references made to issues of disarmament, peace, and security, made in the 69th General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly from 24–30 September 2014. Included in this index are all references made to arms control, disarmament, nuclear and conventional weapons, nuclear energy, the arms trade, and militarism.

A-G | H-R | S-Z

Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Lucia | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Samoa | San Marino | Sao Tome and Principe | Saudi Arabia | Senegal | Serbia | Seychelles | Sierra Leone | Singapore | Slovakia | Slovenia | Soloman Islands | Somalia | South Africa | South Sudan | Spain | Sri Lanka | Sudan | Suriname | Swaziland | Sweden | Switzerland | Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan | Tanzania | Thailand | Timor-Leste | Togo | Tonga | Trinidad and Tobago | Tunisia | Turkey | Turkmenistan | Tuvalu
Uganda | Ukraine | United Arab Emirates | United Kingdom | United States | Uruguay | Uzbekistan
Vanuatu | Venezuela | Viet Nam | Yemen | Zambia | Zimbabwe

Saint Kitts and Nevis
H.E. Mr. Patrice Nisbett, Minister for Foreign Affairs
29 September 2014

No relevant references.

Saint Lucia
H.E. Mr. Alva Romanus Baptiste, Minister for External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation
30 September 2014

No relevant references.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
H.E. Camillo Gonsalves, Minister for Foreign Affairs
29 September 2014

Militarism: “International law and sovereign equality are the bulwarks against the type of naked aggression and unilateralism that have too often led our nations to the precipice of war.”

Samoa
H.E. Mr. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister
26 September 2014

No relevant references.

San Marino
H.E. Mr. Pasquale Valentini, Minister for Foreign and Political Affairs
27 September 2014

No relevant references.

São Tomé and Príncipe
H.E. Mr. Gabriel Arcanjo Ferreira Da Costa, Prime Minister
29 September 2014

No relevant references.

Senegal
H.E. Mr. Mankeur Ndiaye, Minister for Foreign Affairs
25 September 2014

No relevant references.

Serbia
H.E. Mr. Tomislav Nikolić, President
26 September 2014

Disarmament: “Traditionally, Serbia supports multilateral approach also in the field of disarmament and arms control, proceeding from the conviction that, in the world of rising interdependence and complexity, common challenges call for common solutions.”

Seychelles, Republic of
H.E. Mr. Jean-Paul Adam, Minister for Foreign Affairs
29 September 2014

No relevant references.

Sierra Leone
H.E. Mr. Samura Kamara, Minister for Foreign Affairs
29 September 2014

Arms trade: “We have also ratified the Arms Trade Treaty, the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and Protocols thereto. We are presently working towards their domestication.”

Singapore
H.E. Mr. K. Shanmugam, Minister for Foreign Affairs
29 September 2014

No relevant references.

Slovakia
H.E. Mr. Andrej Kiska, President
25 September 2014

Nuclear weapons: “Twenty years ago, Ukraine abandoned its nuclear program in exchange of security and territorial integrity guarantees granted by the United States, United Kingdom, China, France and the Russian Federation. Today, instead of marking important anniversary of achievement in the area of security and stability on the European Continent, we are witnessing an armed conflict and political instability. Instead of building a world without weapons of mass destruction we encourage those countries, which seek their security under lethal nuclear umbrella. Bitterly we forget the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”

Disarmament: “Disarmament is a key for elimination of the potential sources of tension and conflicts.”

Arms trade: “The signing of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) last year was an important step towards establishing common legal standards for regulating and monitoring of the international trade with conventional weapons. The Slovak Republic was among the first 50 countries that have ratified the Treaty. We are hopeful that the implementation of this Treaty will contribute towards eliminating the risk of illegal arms trade and thus strengthening global security.”

Slovenia
H.E. Mr. Borut Pahor, President
26 September 2014

No relevant references.

Solomon Islands
H.E. Mr. Collin Beck, Permanent Representative
30 September 2014

No relevant references.

Somalia
H.E. Mr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President
26 September 2014

Militarism: “Solutions must not just be military in nature…. Military intervention can bring about a cessation of war, but it cannot propagate peace.”

South Africa
H.E. Mr. Jacob Zuma, President
24 September 2014

No relevant references.

South Sudan
H.E. Mr. Salva Kiir, President
27 September 2014

No relevant references.

Spain
His Majesty Don Felipe VI, King
24 September 2014

Militarism: “We live in times marked by the proliferation of conflicts--some of them especially devastating, due to their indiscriminate impact on civilians. Our primary objective must be to prevent wars, and when we fail in this, we must protect and assist the innocent victims. We must never relent in our efforts to resolve conflicts through diplomacy and through all of the instruments bestowed by the Charter of the United Nations.”

Sudan
H.E. Mr. Ali Ahmed Karti, Minister for Foreign Affairs
26 September 2014

Small arms and light weapons: “We also indicate in this regard the efforts of Sudan as regards border control and demarcation with the neighbouring states with a view to consolidating control posts and security operations to contain transnational crime including illegal transfer of small weapons and light arms.”

Suriname
H.E. Mr. Winston Lackin, Minister for Foreign Affairs
30 September 2014

Nuclear weapons: “From a military point of view, it [Latin America and the Caribbean] is an area of the world that is nuclear free. The Treaty of Tlatelolco has proven to be an effective instrument to monitor and maintain Latin America and the Caribbean, free from nuclear threats.”

Swaziland
H.E. Mr. Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini, Prime Minister
29 September 2014

No relevant references.

Sweden
H.E. Mr. Mårten Grunditz, Permanent Representative
29 September 2014

No relevant references.

Switzerland
H.E. Mr. Didier Burkhalter, President
24 September 2014

No relevant references.

Syrian Arab Republic
H.E. Mr. Walid Al-Moualem, Deputy Prime Minister
29 September 2014

Chemical weapons: “Last September Syria accepted the initiative of the President of the Russian Federation H.E. Vladimir Putin, and joined the Convention of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, based on the need to establish in the Middle East a zone free of Nuclear Weapons and all Weapons of Mass Destruction. It also wanted to prove to the whole world its commitment to stand against any use of chemical weapons.”

“Syria fulfilled its obligations resulting from its accession to the Convention [on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons], and completed its commitments despite the prevailing difficult situation.”

“Syria is committed to the full implementation of the provisions of the Convention [on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons] as a state party, and within the framework of the OPCW. The big question that remains is whether those who are supplying the terrorists with this, and other types of weapons will stop their actions and abide by international law, in particular the Convention of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the Security Council resolutions related to terrorism?”

WMD, nuclear weapons, nuclear energy: “Syria stresses that establishing a zone free from all weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East is unachievable without the accession of Israel, the only nuclear power in the region, to all treaties banning such weapons, and to put its nuclear facilities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). At the same time, we emphasize the right of all countries to acquire and develop nuclear technology for peaceful uses.”

Tajikistan
H.E. Mr. Qohir Rasulzoda, Prime Minister
25 September 2014

No relevant references.

Tanzania
H.E. Mr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President
25 September 2014

Arms trade: “Equally, important the menace of terrorism, illicit exploitation of natural resources; poaching; illicit trade in narcotic drugs and arms are making the world less secure.”

Explosive weapons in populated areas: “The horrifying scenes of bombing and death of innocent women, children as well as men in the recent hostilities between Israel and Palestine is heartbreaking.”

Thailand
H.E. Mr. General Tanasak Patimapragorn, Deputy Prime Minister
27 September 2014

No relevant references.

Timor-Leste
H.E. Mr. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister
25 September 2014

Arms trade: “Western democracies are prone to paying for costly international tribunals for judging genocides. They also tend to feel shocked by the human rights violations that occur in developing countries. The issue with Indonesia cannot be seen only in terms of the actions by its military and its generals. Instead, it must be seen within a broader perspective, in which the governments of the western powers sold sophisticated weapons like rifles, warships, fighters, ammunition, tanks and cannons to the Indonesian military, in addition to providing it with training, so that it could decimate the Timorese.”

Arms trade: “But what is truly intriguing is the fact that no decent country has yet advocated the need to promote inquiries that would ascertain the origin of the weapons used in the massacres of civilians, particularly women and children, so as to identify the true beneficiaries of this world crisis, who are the ones selling weapons to uncontrolled bands throughout the world.”

Militarism: “The responses to the crises faced by humankind cannot be exacerbated by the desire to end war by waging war. Instead, they must be based on the desire to build a world of peace, supported by dialogue and by an effort - herculean, if need be - to respond to the root causes of problems that lead to terrorism, racism, extremism and intolerance.”

Togo
H.E. Mr. Robert Dussey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
29 September 2014

No relevant references.

Tonga
His Majesty King Tupou VI, King
27 September 2014

No relevant references.

Trinidad and Tobago
H.E. Mrs. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister
26 September 2014

Arms trade, small arms and light weapons: “I indicate that the time was right for the adoption of a treaty to regulate the international trade in conventional arms. It is now history that the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) has been adopted and after yesterday’s High Level Treaty Event now has the requisite number of States Parties for its entry into force, which is likely to be on December 25 of this year. Entry into force of the ATT will require State Parties to make important decisions to implement the provisions of the Treaty at the First Conference of State Parties which is likely to be convened by mid-2015.

“One of these decisions is on the location of the Secretariat of the ATT. Over a year ago, my country announced its candidature to have the ATT Secretariat located in Port of Spain. This bid had been endorsed by all CARICOM States and has to far received the support from a number of States from diverse regions. The hosting of this important body in a region which is disproportionately affected by the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and its association with other trans-boundary crimes, such as drug trafficking is a significant development. It will assist in the full and effective implementation of the Treaty, and contribute to the reduction, if not elimination of illegal weapons in the hands of criminals whose actions continue to threaten the sustainable development of our region. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago is committed to providing the necessary resources to host the Secretariat, and this has been transmitted to all Members of the United Nations. Once more I call on all those States which have not as yet announced their support for our candidature to do so and ensure that the principle of equitable geographic distribution in the location of major global bodies is observed. No country or region must continue to have a monopoly in hosting important institutions which are established for the benefit of all.”

Tunisia
H.E. Mr. Mohamed Moncef Marzouki, President
25 September 2014

No relevant references.

Turkey
H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President
24 September 2014

No relevant references.

Turkmenistan
H.E. Mr. Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs
24 September 2014

Militarism: “Experience demonstrated vividly once again that there is no military solution to international and internal conflicts in today's world.”

Disarmament, militarism: “Turkmenistan believes that irreversible nature of the disarmament process is the most important pre-requisite for peaceful and creative development of the region and establishment of climate of trust, openness and cooperation in Central Asia. Our country proceeds from the assumption that inertia-like model of the past century that was based on constant build-up of armaments has become irrelevant in today's world. Furthermore it considerably hampers and sometimes directly undermines efforts of the states in the sphere of social and economic development, enhancement of people's standards of living and development of successful economic cooperation. It is our conviction: the less armaments there are in the world, the more stable and peaceful will its development be and there will be more trust and understanding between countries and peoples.”

WMD, nuclear weapons, non-proliferation, disarmament: “We stand for consistent strengthening of international and regional cooperation in reducing the arsenals of weapons of mass destruction and effective implementation of the non-proliferation regime. As a party to the fundamental international treaties and conventions of the United Nations in the sphere of disarmament, Turkmenistan intends to provide all-round support to those processes. In this connection while emphasizing the landmark nature of the first session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2015 Review Conference of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty that was held in Vienna in 2012 Turkmenistan believes that it is necessary to continue the current dialogue on measures aimed at expanding the international legal framework of nonproliferation.

Nuclear weapons: “This dialogue becomes especially relevant in view of the practical steps that are being taken in order to implement the Treaty on the establishment of a nuclear-free zone in Central Asia.”

Disarmament: “Our country stands ready to engage in constructive cooperation with the Office of UN Deputy Secretary General on disarmament and participate in the implementation of a number of initiatives in this regard. Further improvement of existing UN structures can become another practical step in the implementation of consecutive measures in the sphere of disarmament. In this context we believe that it will be useful to consider the establishment of a UN Sub-regional Disarmament Center in Central Asia.”

Tuvalu
H.E. Mr. Enele Sosene Sopoga, Prime Minister
27 September 2014

No relevant references.

Uganda
H.E. Mr. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President
24 September 2014

No relevant references.

United Arab Emirates
H.E. Mr. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister for Foreign Affairs
27 September 2014

Nuclear energy, nuclear weapons: “[T]he UAE welcomes the ongoing negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement on Iran’s nuclear program, and affirms that in order to avoid emergence of an arms race in the region, a final and strict agreement must be reached, as the region does not need further tension and instability. Nevertheless, the UAE believes that the peaceful use of nuclear energy is a necessity in order to meet the world’s growing energy demands, and we are proud to be pioneers of a successful model in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, that is compliant with the highest standards of transparency, safety and security.”

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
H.E. Mr. David Cameron, Prime Minister
24 September 2014

No relevant references.

United States of America
H.E. Mr. Barack Obama, President

24 September 2013

Militarism: “One hundred years ago, a World War claimed the lives of many millions, proving that with the terrible power of modern weaponry, the cause of empire leads to the graveyard.”

Nuclear weapons, chemical weapons: “Moreover, a different path is available – the path of diplomacy and peace and the ideals this institution is designed to uphold…. That’s what the United States and Russia have been able to do in past years – from reducing our nuclear stockpiles to meet our obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to cooperating to remove and destroy Syria’s declared chemical weapons.”

Nuclear weapons: “America is pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue, as part of our commitment to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and pursue the peace and security of a world without them. This can only happen if Iran takes this historic opportunity. My message to Iran’s leaders and people is simple: do not let this opportunity pass. We can reach a solution that meets your energy needs while assuring the world that your program is peaceful.”

Uruguay
H.E. Mr. Luis Almagro, Minister for Foreign Affairs
29 September 2014

Explosive weapons in populated areas: “It is a hard and difficult world […], where military bombs hit and kill people in schools….”

“Uruguay deplores violence in all its forms, condemns the blockade of Gaza and its impact on human rights of the Palestinian population, the rocket attacks and mortar fire from the Gaza Strip against Israeli population and Israeli reprisals against the Gaza Stip.”

Chemical weapons: “We condemn the grave human rights violations and the fundamental rights, as well as all the violations to international humanitarian law committed towards the civilian population in Syria, in particular those relating to chemical weapons utilization, and their devastating impact on the civilian population.”

Uzbekistan
H.E. Mr. Abdulaziz Kamilov, Minister for Foreign Affairs
26 September 2014

No relevant references.

Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
H.E. Mr. Nicolás Maduro Moros, President
24 September 2014

No relevant references.

Viet Nam
H.E. Mr. Pham Binh Minh, Deputy Prime Minister
27 September 2014

WMD, nuclear security and safety: “Global challenges remain high on the agenda of the international community. Terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, nuclear security and safety ... are issues of primary concern of the international community and require the enhancement of joint efforts.”

Yemen
H.E. Mr. Jamal Abdullah Al-Sallal, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Yemen
29 September 2014

No relevant references.

Zambia (The Republic of)
H.E. Mr. Harry Kalaba, Minister for Foreign Affairs
26 September 2014

No relevant references.

Zimbabwe
H.E. Mr. Robert Mugabe, President
25 September 2014

No relevant references.