STATEMENT BY H.E. DR. KUNIKO INOGUCHI
AMBASSADOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF JAPAN
TO THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT
Geneva, 27th June 2002
Mr. President,
Distinguished delegates,
At the outset, allow me to express my warmest congratulations, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament at this very critical juncture. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to your predecessor, Ambassador Hubert de La Fortelle of France, for his efforts to move the Conference forward. Now you are facing a challenge which your predecessors, despite their superb diplomatic skill and hard work, have been unable to overcome for several years. The problem on how to agree on a programme of work is pressing to the entire Conference. I would like to assure you the full support and cooperation of my delegation in our common efforts to bring this stalemate to an end.
My special appreciation also goes to Mr. Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Secretary-General of the Conference, Mr. Enrique Roman-Morey, Deputy Secretary-General, and all the other capable members of the Secretariat for the professional support and assistance they are providing.
It is my honour to take the floor for the first time in the plenary meeting of the CD. Having come here from the academic community, for me, the most valuable gift that I have received since my arrival in Geneva is encouragement and warmth, which has been extended to me by every experienced diplomat in this room. Taking advantage of this occasion, I would like to express my gratitude to all my colleagues. During my time as a professor of international relations, I worked on the theories of war and peace. In Geneva my duty is now to try my best to make a difference, however modest, in a real world to enhance peace and stability.
(Disarmament as the Highest Priority)
Mr. President,
I have always been overwhelmed by the enormous amount of human suffering caused by war and terror, as well as subsequent instabilities and famines. They still continue to exist globally and are becoming more serious in many regions. Major regional conflicts, in particular, have become ever more dangerous, due not only to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), such as nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, but also to the spread of their relevant technologies and delivery means, including ballistic missiles.
Terrorism is increasingly a major threat to international security, as harshly demonstrated by the attacks on 11 September 2001. It has the potential to cause massive casualties by using international networks and more sophisticated strategies. There is a real danger of terrorists using WMD, such as the sarin gas attack in the Tokyo subways in 1995 which killed 12 people and injured thousands.
It is incumbent upon the world community to directly confront these imminent threats to international peace and security. In my view, disarmament and arms control are the most fundamental ways to deal with these threats because they regulate and reduce the availability of weapons. The root cause of any war or terrorism is hatred, but not all hatred results in hostilities and terrorist acts. The major factor determining whether or not this hatred progresses to hostilities and terrorist acts is the availability of sufficient weapons to those wishing to resort to violence. Disarmament and arms control should therefore be given the highest priority by every government in the 21st century.
In this context, the recent signing of the Russia-U.S. Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions is a truly significant milestone that I hope will usher in a new century of disarmament. It manifests cooperation among the Great Powers which is essential for addressing various international issues, including disarmament, in this post-Cold-War era.
Needless to say, others, including developing countries, are also important players in disarmament. Here, I would like to stress particularly that developing countries suffer most from warfare today. Integrated with economic and social development measures, disarmament can be of most benefit to developing countries.
(Opportunity for the Conference on Disarmament)
Mr. President,
To put it simply, disarmament is a two-track game conducted through multilateral and other means - unilateral, bilateral, regional and so on. The two should complement and reinforce each other. It is important to find the best policy mix to cope with specific issues. Multilateral disarmament, among others, has a special meaning as indicated by the consensus resolution of the UN General Assembly 56/24T. This resolution reaffirms the importance of multilateral cooperation in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation for international peace and security as well as for global efforts against terrorism. The progress made in bilateral disarmament has offered a golden opportunity for multilateral disarmament, particularly within the framework of the Conference on Disarmament.
I therefore believe, following the statements made by the distinguished representatives of Australia and Brazil last week, that it is now high time for the Conference on Disarmament to seize the opportunity to resume its work. All delegations have presented their own interests and priorities to the Conference over the past few years. In order not to make those anguishing years fruitless, all delegations now need to show maximum flexibility to make a collective step forward for the common objectives of disarmament. If the CD could decide to commence its substantive work, it would transmit a new message of disarmament to the entire world.
A consensus programme of work of the CD should be crafted, balancing all divergent positions of the member States. The so-called "Amorim formula," namely CD/1624, which has been a basis for further intensified consultations, is a well-balanced one. Many member States argue in different directions that it is not satisfactory in terms of their respective positions. I believe, however, that it should be viewed as a "middle ground".
I also believe that the Amorim formula will not affect the national interests of any country because every member State will be provided with ample opportunity to protect their security interests, even during the substantive work. Japan has already expressed its full support for CD/1624, and its position remains unchanged.
Having said this, it is also important to try every avenue, including new creative thoughts, to bring about a breakthrough. It may be possible to create a second, even more feasible option, by fine-tuning the Amorim formula based on the recent history of the CD, which is as follows:
In May 2001, the delegation of Russia presented CD/1644. With respect to this package proposal of nuclear disarmament and PAROS, it was the first time for Russia to accept the establishment of an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament.
This February, the ambassador of the United States elaborated on why his country believes that “broad-ranging discussion” is “the only appropriate approach” on PAROS “when member States have not reached agreement on a realistic framework for seeking to negotiate a multilateral treaty.” He made a point, which seems to my delegation truly valid, that multilateral outcomes can only be the result of engagement in “a joint search for practical solutions and mutual advantage”.
Further, during the five weeks since my arrival in Geneva, member States have witnessed an even more significant evolution. The ambassador of Russia has hinted at Russia's willingness to show more flexibility on the PAROS mandate it presented last year as CD/1644. Most recently, China has put forward a new proposal on the programme of work. I have found this proposal to be more realistic than China's previous position because it is based on CD/1624.
(Political Will, Constructive Ambiguity and Sustainable Work)
Mr. President,
After all this evolution, the differences are now narrower than two years ago, despite significant gaps still remaining with respect to the two difficult issues, namely nuclear disarmament and PAROS. All member States should collectively demonstrate their political will to fill in these gaps. I would like to call on all of them, including those who have strong views on these two issues, to work together to reach a common ground. Those States who genuinely contribute to the revitalisation of multilateral disarmament will surely be accorded the utmost respect and appreciation of all member States. Japan will spare no efforts to promote mutual compromise by the States concerned.
In addition, in order to draft mandates which become a basis for consensus, a key element is required: the constructive ambiguity to enable the Conference to reach a major decision while postponing agreement on difficult details to a later more focused stage. It will lead all member States to show maximum flexibility and tolerance for common objectives. Every delegation, including my own, must try hard to formulate the best language acceptable to all parties.
As the Conference is drawing to the end of this year's annual session, it is also important to sustain the mandates it may agree upon until the next session.
(Importance of Substantive Exercise)
Mr. President,
South Africa recently circulated its very substantive working paper on the "Fissile Material Treaty". Japan welcomes such efforts to keep the momentum of the CD. At the same time, activities with an educational and informational purpose can be more effectively carried out outside the CD. In this context, Japan highly appreciates the continuous efforts made by the delegation of the Netherlands and the most recent meeting on 7 June where delegations engaged in lively discussion resulting from an informative lecture. As co-organiser with Australia of a workshop on FMCT last year, Japan will consider further steps it can take outside the CD for an educational and informational purpose.
(Conclusion)
Mr. President,
Before concluding, let me make reference to today’s younger generations ? those who will be responsible for taking the world upon their shoulders in the future. As a professor, I encountered many boys, girls, young adults and students of my country. They are all concerned about the state of the world today, yet at the same time, they see hope for a safer world free from tragedies of wars and armed conflicts in the future. I believe young people around the globe share similar hopes and anxieties, although in some countries, anxieties may overshadow many of their hopes. If the member States of this CD decide to work together, they can make a difference and could respond to the expectations of the future generations. Thus, let us work together and create hope for the generations to come.
Thank you.