Disarmament is the priority, not the Conference
The Conference on Disarmament (CD) met for the final plenary meeting of its first session of 2010 on Tuesday morning. The CD heard a statement from the new US ambassador to the CD, Ms. Laura Kennedy, as well as from Ambassador Grinius of Canada and from a new formal group consisting of observer states to the CD. The CD president indicated that bilateral consultations on a programme of work would continue throughout the intercessional period.
Highlights
The new US ambassador to the CD declared that the US Nuclear Posture Review will further reduce the number and role of nuclear weapons.
Ambassador Kennedy also argued for the necessity of commencing negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT), stating that it would reduce dangers of nuclear attacks, provide a foundation for future disarmament efforts, and promote transparency and stability.
The Canadian ambassador argued that the CD must adjust to today’s multi-polar work and that it might require new ways forward.
The Croatian delegation spoke on behalf of a newly formed group of 21 observer states, emphasizing the need for more transparent information to observers as well as serious consideration for expanding membership of the CD.
New US ambassador
Ambassador Laura Kennedy made her first statement to the CD this morning, declaring that the US will continue to significantly reduce their nuclear arsenal and that the forthcoming Nuclear Posture Review will reduce both numbers and the role of nuclear weapons in US national security strategy.
Urging the CD to begin negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty, Ambassador Kennedy argued, “Before reducing arms, we have to top increasing them [emphasis added].” She said that while such a treaty is no longer necessary “to halt the Cold War arms race, it would consolidate the arms control gains made since the end of the Cold War.” Noting that a verifiable FMCT will be “an important foundation” for the confidence to eliminate nuclear weapons globally, she indicated the United States’ interest in participating in substantive discussions all the CD’s core issues while we commencing negotiations on an FMCT.
Observer states organizes themselves
A group of 21 current observer states to the CD formed on 9 March, with the aim of becoming members of the CD as a medium-term goal, but also to improve their access to information regarding the work of the CD in the immediate future. Ms. Danijela Zunec Brandt from the Croatian delegation notified the CD about the creation of this group and stated that they had provided the CD president with a paper suggesting that briefings by each president of the CD and observer states should take place for the rest of the 2010 session. In their statement, the group of observer states argued that “the modalities of including or informing interested Observer States of developments in the CD by their respective regional groups vary greatly.” Ms. Zunec Brandt also noted that according to the rules of procedure, the CD should review its membership at regular intervals, and argued that the 11 years that have passed since the last expansion cannot be seen as a regular interval. The group of observer states also stated that while some might argue that there is no place for discussing the enlargement of the CD when consensus cannot be reached on a programme of work, “it might not be an accident that the stalemate in the CD coincides somewhat with the stalemate in its enlargement.”
End of the first session: ways forward
As the CD wrapped up the first part of its 2010 session, Ambassador Marius Grinius of Canada stated that it was time to take stock of where the CD stands and look to the future. He argued that the failure to act on two consensus agreements of last year, CD/1864 and A/RES/64/29, has resulted in fears that consensus on a programme of work in the CD may not be achievable any time soon. As the CD moves into a two month break now, he noted that in today’s multi-polar world, the CD still operates in “archaic regional groups,” where 65 potential vetoes can block work at any time. Ambassador Grinius argued that member states should take these two months to examine “alternative ways forward outside of this body,” noting that the most important word in the CD is “disarmament,” not the word “conference”.
The president of the CD did not discuss such new approaches, but rather stated that he was currently preparing a plan that will provide for bilateral consultations with all members of the conference, taking place as quickly as possible in Geneva and in New York during the NPT Review Conference.
Notes from the gallery
As the first session of the CD ends, it is extremely disappointing that member states cannot agree on a programme of work in the light of last year’s accomplishments. There have been some positive steps forward in the last few months, such as the decision to let WILPF read out the international women’s day statement, the decision to carry out consultations on further enhanced participation of civil society, and today’s announcement that observer states are organizing themselves to take a more active role in the work of the CD. However, such positive steps do not mean that the CD can spend another 11 years in deadlock. We agree with Ambassador Grinius of Canada that the delegations in Geneva need to consider new ways to move forward in order to make substantive progress on disarmament.
Next meeting
The second part of the CD’s 2010 session will be held between 31 May and 16 July.