STATEMENT BY H.E. PROFESSOR AKIKO YAMANAKA
VICE-MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF
Mr. President,
Distinguished representatives,
I am greatly honored to address this esteemed body on behalf of
the Government of Japan, especially since I have devoted myself to promoting
world peace as my lifelong mission.
Mr. President,
The Conference on Disarmament, including in its former
incarnation as the Disarmament Committee, was the venue that negotiated and
agreed to such important arms control and disarmament treaties as the Partial Test
Ban Treaty (PTBT), the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Biological
Weapons Convention (BWC), the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and the Comprehensive
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). It
has left for later generations an imperishable monument of the endeavors to
heighten the security of countries, not by the accumulation, but through the
reduction of weapons.
However, the CD has been in stalemate over the past
decade. This was an unexpected and
disappointing result in view of the fact that the cold war, which drew a long
shadow over the world for so many years, has long since past into history. Moreover, as new challenges to the NPT
regime amass, such as the proliferation of nuclear weapons as well as the risk
of those weapons and materials falling into the hands of terrorists, the CD
cannot even respond since it is unable to agree on the so called programme of work.
Diplomats to this forum have made continuous attempts in vain to break
the deadlock. This year, however,
we have seen a silver lining spread across this dark cloud that has shrouded
the CD, thanks to the introduction of Structured Debates on each issue of the
agenda. This seems to be the first
sign of momentum. Especially, the
substantial discussions on a treaty banning the production of fissile materials
for nuclear weapons (FMCT) have generated new possibilities which we should
transform into concrete action.
Mr. President,
Structured Debates have brought the substantial
exchange of views back to the CD. The
productive session last month on an FMCT was especially encouraging. Many experts attended the debates and several
countries submitted working papers.
While I believe many countries share my view, I am
aware that some do not. However, I want
to emphasize that the CD must not hesitate in revitalizing its work.
Firstly, we should begin by doing what can be done. As you are all well aware, the impasse at
the CD is not the result of diverse priorities among members but of the linkage
approach, which conditionally links one item to another. To my knowledge, in the history of
multilateral fora, such an approach has produced
scant few positive outcomes. We
should reconsider this approach. Nonetheless, abandoning linkages does not mean
other items will be disregarded. Each
item is meritorious in its own right, and we should begin work in accordance
with those merits. An FMCT is considered
ripe since not a single country has voiced objection to embarking on
negotiations. Of course, we should
also continue to deliberate on nuclear disarmament, Prevention of Arms Race in
Outer Space (PAROS) and Negative Security Assurance (NSA).
Secondly, we must avoid clinging to the
past approaches of the Conference. For instance, the Five
Ambassadors’ proposal for a program of work has produced few results, and we
must break from its spell. We must
review the present situation with fresh eyes while distancing ourselves from
the past approaches. In this
spirit, I believe that agreement to initiating negotiations on an FMCT without
preconditions will suit the interests of all.
Mr. President,
Now is the time for CD members to be flexible in their
quest for a creative and pragmatic modus
operandi. During the remaining three
months of this year’s session, the Conference should redouble its efforts to break
the long-standing stalemate.
Let me conclude by expressing my strong faith in the deep
knowledge and insight of the distinguished members of the CD, as experts of
disarmament and non-proliferation. The “window of opportunity” is open and there
is a real chance before us. It is
our responsibility to grasp it, because let me remind you, in the context of
this forum, inertia is also a weapon of mass destruction.
Thank you very much for your kind attention.