GA/DIS/3186

FOUR DRAFT RESOLUTIONS INTRODUCED IN DISARMAMENT COMMITTTEE, INCLUDING TEXT CALLING FOR EXPERT REPORT ON MISSILES

One of four draft resolutions introduced this afternoon in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) would have the General Assembly ask the Secretary-General to prepare a report, with the assistance of a panel of governmental experts, on the issue of missiles in all its aspects for consideration at the next Assembly session. The draft resolution was introduced by the representative of Iran.

The Committee also heard the introduction of drafts on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia, the United Nations Regional Centre in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United Nations disarmament, fellowship, training and advisory services programme.

The Assembly would call upon the five States of the Central Asian region to continue their dialogue with the five nuclear-weapon States on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia, according to a draft resolution introduced by the representative of Uzbekistan. The Assembly would welcome the desire of the States of the region to finalize work on the establishment of such a zone and on the progress so far achieved.

A draft resolution introduced by the representative of Belize on the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean would have the Assembly reiterate its strong support for the role of the Regional Centre in promoting United Nations activities at the regional level to strengthen peace, stability, security and development among its Member States.

According to a draft text on the United Nations disarmament, fellowship, training and advisory services programme, introduced by the representative of Nigeria, the Assembly would express its appreciation to the Governments of Germany and Japan for inviting the 1999 and 2000 fellows to study selected activities in the field of disarmament and to the Government of the United States for organizing specific study programmes in the field of disarmament, thereby contributing to the fulfilment of the overall objectives of the programme.

The representatives of Colombia, on behalf of the Rio Group, and Brazil, on behalf of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), participated in the thematic discussion.

The representatives of Israel and Iraq spoke in exercise of the right of reply.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. Monday, 23 October, to conclude the second stage of its work.

First Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/DIS/3186 20th Meeting (PM) 20 October 2000

Committee Work Programme

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met this afternoon to continue its second phase of work, namely a thematic discussion on disarmament and security items, as well as the introduction and consideration of related draft resolutions. The discussion, which began on Friday, 13 October, will conclude on 23 October.

The subjects to be covered in the thematic discussion are as follows: nuclear weapons; other weapons of mass destruction; the disarmament aspects of outer space; conventional weapons; regional disarmament and security; confidence- building measures, including transparency in armaments; disarmament machinery; other disarmament measures; and, related matters of disarmament and international security. The deadline for submission of draft resolutions was Friday, 13 October. The Committee has received 50 texts.

The Committee was expected to hear introductions of drafts on the following: missiles; establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia; United Nations Regional Centre in Latin America and the Caribbean; and the United Nations Disarmament, Fellowship, Training and Advisory Services.

By the terms of a draft resolution, sponsored by Iran, on missiles (document A/C.1/55/L.1), the General Assembly would request the Secretary-General, with the assistance of a panel of governmental experts to be established in 2001 on the basis of equitable geographical distribution, to prepare a report for the Assembly�s consideration at its next session on the issue of missiles in all its aspects. The Assembly would also decide to include the item in the provisional agenda of its fifty-sixth session.

A draft on the twentieth anniversary of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (document A/C.1/55/L.3), sponsored by France, would have the Assembly recognize the importance and high quality of the Institute�s work, and reiterate its conviction that it should continue to conduct independent research on problems relating to disarmament and security and to undertake specialized research requiring a high degree of expertise. The Assembly would request all Member States to consider making financial contributions to the Institute in order to ensure its viability and the quality of its work over the long term. It would recommend that means be sought of increasing the Institute�s funding.

By the terms of a draft resolution on the United Nations disarmament fellowship, training and advisory services programme (document A/C.1/55/L.13) the General Assembly would express its appreciation to the Governments of Germany and Japan for inviting the 1999 and 2000 fellows to study selected activities in the field of disarmament, and to the Government of the United States for organizing specific study programmes in the field of disarmament, thereby contributing to the fulfilment of the overall objectives of the programme.

It would also have the Assembly express its appreciation to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- Ban Organization and the Monterey Institute of International Studies for organizing specific study programmes in the field of disarmament in their respective areas of competence, thereby contributing to the objectives of the programmes.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Japan, Liberia, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Romania, Russian Federation, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, United States, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

A draft resolution sponsored by Belize and Peru on the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (document A/C.1/55/L.17) would have the Assembly reiterate its strong support for the role of the Regional Centre in the promotion of United Nations activities at the regional level to strengthen peace, stability, security and development among its Member States. The Assembly would express its satisfaction with the vast range of activities carried out by the Regional Centre in its last year of work.

By further terms, the Assembly would express its appreciation for the political support and financial contributions to the Regional Centre, which were essential for its continued operation. In that respect, it would appeal to Member States, in particular the States of the Latin American and Caribbean region, and to international governmental and non-governmental organizations and to foundations, to make voluntary contributions to strengthen the Centre, its programme of activities and their implementation.

By the terms of a draft resolution on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon- free zone in Central Asia (document A/C.1/55/L.45/Rev.1) the General Assembly would welcome the desire of the five States of the Central Asian region to finalize work on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia and the concrete steps that they had taken to prepare the legal groundwork for the initiative and the progress that they had achieved. It would call upon the five States to continue their dialogue with the five nuclear-weapon States on the establishment of the nuclear-weapon-free zone and request the Secretary-General to continue to provide assistance to the Central Asian States in the elaboration of a treaty on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-weapon free zone.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Statements

ANDRES FRANCO (Colombia), speaking on behalf of the Rio Group, commended the efforts of the United Nations and regional and subregional groups to combat the stockpiling, dissemination and illicit trafficking in small arms. The States of the American hemisphere had pledged to implement the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Materials and to cooperate among themselves to prevent and ultimately eradicate those scourges.

He noted that a number of initiatives to combat the illicit traffic in small arms and to reduce their stockpiling and excessive circulation were also under way in several regions. Those regional initiatives reflected the growing concern of the international community at the consequences of uncontrolled proliferation and illicit trafficking in small arms for peace, security and social and economic development. That concern needed to be reflected in the attitude of countries that still permitted such transfer without any real restrictions. That situation facilitated access to the small arms market by groups and individuals that operated outside the law and fostered corruption.

He said the Group was concerned at the easy availability of small arms and light weapons in the international marketplace, their indiscriminate circulation among the civilian population, their use in violent and criminal actions and, in particular, their trafficking, which had the most destabilizing consequences as a result of the lack of effective control by States over their production and trade. The capacity of States to combat the manufacture and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, ammunition and explosives must be strengthened. Measures such as the establishment of multi-sectoral committees to coordinate and orient the activities of national bodies and agencies responsible for the control of such arms could be implemented.

MOHAMMAD HASSAN FADAIFARD (Iran) introduced the draft resolution on missiles (document A/C.1/55/L.1). It was being presented for the second consecutive year and, in the same spirit, was centred upon the main notion of addressing missiles in all its aspects. Missiles were among the main components of military operations, as well as an important consideration in military strategies. Today, all major countries had reserved a prominent role for missiles in their military planning. Those were part and parcel of nuclear weapons, as their means of delivery. They were also an effective delivery means for chemical and biological weapons.

Similarly, in the conventional field many countries, as well as military alliances, had defined a specific role for missiles -- to carry strike missions, as well as to deter the adversary from launching military offensives, he continued. Recent concerns had been raised over the development of missiles at the global and regional levels. He shared that concern and believed that such developments could affect the security environment, particularly at the regional level. Some partial solutions might be effective with regard to some aspects of missiles, but could also produce some other negative consequences. The issue of missiles was a global one and partial or very narrowly defined measures to deal with them was not conducive to results that would be generally accepted.

He said that a global issue should be dealt with globally. The draft resolution on missiles mainly reproduced last year�s text. The Assembly, last year, requested the Member States to convey their views on missiles to the Secretary-General. Some countries, including Iran, had transmitted their views as reflected in the Secretary-General�s report on the subject. The only new element in the current text was the addition of operative paragraph 2, which asked the Secretary-General to establish a study group to assist him in preparing a report on missiles in all their aspects. The mandate for such a group, although quite general, was also quite comprehensive. That would be a good start for a process of addressing missiles at the global level. The study group would be the best forum for structuring a constructive dialogue on an issue over which all Member States had concerns.

SANTIAGO MOURAO (Brazil), on behalf of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), said that the member States of MERCOSUR had expressed their commitment for putting into effect instruments of nuclear non-proliferation in their region. They had also expressed their desire to ensure full implementation of the relevant international treaties, to make the world free of nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction.

The countries of the group were determined to continue moving forward to establish a zone free of anti-personnel mines, he continued. Chile and Argentina had taken transparency measures in that regard. Chile had already begun demining activities. The countries were also committed to enlarging and systematizing information coming into the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms. They were pleased to see that the last Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Review Conference covered the question of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The use of nuclear energy in their zone was linked to putting into place relevant safety measures.

ALFONSO GAHONA (Belize), speaking on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean Group, introduced the draft resolution on the United Nations Regional Centre in Latin America and the Caribbean (document A/C.1/55/L.17). The countries of his region had managed to avoid the nuclear arms race and overcome the effects of some local conflicts that had been made worse by cold war competition. It had done that with a committed and independent attitude that had favoured both nuclear and conventional weapons disarmament.

He said that with the signing of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco) his region had become the first nuclear-weapon-free inhabited region. Within the current disarmament context, he was pleased with the active participation of the Group�s members in all the forums that opened up some possibility in favour of total nuclear disarmament. That was rightly interpreted as a goal for all humanity. The Group also shared the concern of broad sectors of the international community over the lack of progress in that process.

The Group was also conscious of its own security problems, including low intensity conflicts nurtured by poverty and marginalization, he said. It was not completely free from global tensions. Thus, the region, without ignoring the maximum priority that must be assigned to the process of nuclear and general and complete disarmament, assigned great importance to the negotiations on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. That topic was important to the region�s own specific social and economic problems, as well as to its security. Indeed, the activities of the Regional Centre had expressed the link between security and development.

He appreciated last year�s decision of the General Assembly to revitalize the Regional Centre. One year later, it had reinitiated its activities across a vast range of disarmament items. The Regional Centre had the general mandate of assisting Member States in multilateral disarmament negotiations and in its deliberative activities towards the adoption of rules and agreements. It also sought to promote openness in military matters and other measures of trust. Finally, it had favoured a regional approach to the subject of disarmament in all its aspects, including that of nuclear disarmament.

He said that the mandate was a propitious one and would be highly beneficial to the region, particularly in the preparation of important disarmament and arms control negotiations. That assistance would have a marked effect on regional security. For example, the region assigned great importance to the preparations for and convening of the 2001 United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. That was why the draft resolution emphasized the activities performed this year by the Centre and also invited the States to enrich their agendas and incorporate more of their activities.

NODIRBEK IBRAGIMOV (Uzbekistan), introducing a resolution on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia (document A/C.1/55/L.45/Rev.1), said that the text was very close to those from previous years, which had enjoyed broad support. It reflected new developments that had taken place with regard to the establishment of the zone. It was now universally recognized that the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones enhanced regional stability and made a significant contribution to the strengthening of international peace, as well as firmly upheld the disarmament and non- proliferation process.

Since the adoption of General Assembly resolution 53/77 A on 4 December 1998, the Central Asian countries, with the assistance of the United Nations, had conducted intensive meetings and consultations on the establishment of such a zone. As a result, progress had been achieved on aspects of the treaty to establish the zone. The sponsors of the draft resolution hoped that it would find unanimous support.

SOLA OGUNBANWO (Nigeria) introduced the draft resolution on the United Nations disarmament, fellowship, training and advisory services programme (document A/C.1/55/L.13). He said the decision to establish the fellowship programme was taken by the General Assembly in 1978 at its first special session on disarmament. The stated purpose of the programme was to promote expertise in disarmament in more Member States, particularly in developing countries. Since its inception, the programme had consistently striven to meet those objectives.

He said that an evaluation of its effectiveness and impact had revealed that in 1979 it had trained 20 government officials from 20 countries; by the end of the current year, it would have trained 500 government officials from many more countries. Apart from the individual benefits to the fellows, the programme had benefited the diplomatic service and various multilateral talks through the well- informed efforts of the fellows. In fact, several former fellows were now participating in the work of the Committee. In evaluating the various United Nations programmes in 1999, the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services had described the fellowship programme as �the most successful United Nations training programme in the entire United Nations system�. The consistent support of Member States and organizations had contributed to the programme�s success.

Rights of Reply

MEIR ITZCHAKI (Israel), spoke in exercise of the right of reply to a statement made earlier in the week by the representative of Iraq on the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (ABM Treaty). He said it must be

emphasized that the subject under consideration was purely bilateral in nature. It was indefensible for Iraq to use that discussion as a pretext for levelling accusations against Israel and its relationship with the United States. He was surprised that those allegations were emanating from a country with a well-known record of using missiles to attack its own civilian population.

The Iraqi representative should not question the need for Israel�s missile defence, in light of the fact that Israeli civilians had more than once been the target of Iraqi missiles. Israel should, therefore, not apologize. For reasons that were well known, it was obliged to protect its citizens from attack. It seemed slightly ironic that it was being questioned on its missile defence from Iraq, especially in light of its President�s recent statement.

MOHAMMAD MOHAMMAD (Iraq), speaking in right of reply, said that it was strange that Israel should talk about the disarmament of Iraq, while everyone was aware that Israel had not acceded to the treaties on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Israel trampled on all calls relevant to the subject. The representative of Israel feigned ignorance of the fact that in 1981 Iraq was the target of attack and that the Security Council had called on Israel to abide by the NPT and to join the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regime of safeguards.

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