Statement by H.E. Mr. Hiraishi Yoshinobu (Minister)

Chargé d’Affaires, Delegation of Japan

to the Conference on Disarmament

(CD/1863)

Geneva, 4 June 2009

Mr. President,

Since my delegation is taking the floor for the first time under your presidency, let me, at the outset, congratulate you, Ambassador Moritan, on your assumption of the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament at this remarkable period in the life of the CD. Let me assure you of my delegation’s full support and cooperation.

With last week’s historic adoption of the programme of work represented by document CD/1863, the Delegation of Japan would like to extend to the P6 of 2009, in particular Ambassador Jazaïry of Algeria, its highest praise for guiding the CD to this outcome. We thoroughly welcome the adoption of CD/1863; it has been a long time coming. I would like to add that the Foreign Minister of Japan has also issued a statement welcoming the adoption of CD/1863.

Mr. President,

The adoption of the programme of work, though momentous, is not the end of the story, but only the beginning. Now is not the time to relax. The next task is to sort out all the organizational matters, such as the appointment of chairs for the four working groups and special coordinators and the formulation of a schedule of activities for the subsidiary bodies. This is the current number one priority of the CD.

Moreover, Mr. President, as Ambassador Tarui, who left Geneva on the day we adopted the programme of work, mentioned in his farewell statement on 26 May, what is important for strengthening international nuclear disarmament is to produce and enter into force an FMCT as quickly as possible. As such, we should find some way for maintaining negotiations until their conclusion.

From this perspective, we need to carry over the great momentum of this year into the next. We must try to sort out the organizational issues for next year’s work as well, before the end of the current session, which should be reflected in this year’s report together with the historic programme of work, perhaps in the form of recommendations. This is fully consistent with past practice and the Rules of Procedure.

In this way, we can have a fair projection of how and in what order substantive work, including negotiations, will be conducted next year. This will assist delegations in their planning, for instance the scheduling of travel arrangements of the relevant experts from capital, as well as facilitating the immediate commencement of substantive work upon the opening of the 2010 session.

Lastly, Mr. President, now that we have finally adopted the programme of work after so many years of stalemate, we should not fall into complacency. In this vein, let me leave you with an old Japanese saying from the time of the Samurai warriors, “after victory, tighten the helmet cord.”

Thank you Mr. President.