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27 March 1998

[EXCERPT] UNITED NATIONS REPORT, THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1998

"A WORLD OF NEWS FROM THE WORLD ORGANIZATION"
Daily Highlights
Thursday, 26 March 1998
This daily news round-up is prepared by the Central News Section of
the Office of Communications and of Public Information at the United
Nations.
....
-- Disarmament Conference adopts programme of work, breaking political
deadlock.
-- -- --
Breaking a political deadlock which had persisted for over one year,
the Conference on Disarmament adopted its programme of work on
Thursday. This action was accompanied by a political declaration read
out by the Conference President.
According to the Declaration, agenda item 1 on the cessation of the
nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament was identified as being of
"an extremely high priority." The President concluded that "the only
way to move forward on the substance at this stage would consist in
substantially increasing consultations regarding this item, under his
authority by using all possibilities".
As part of its work programme, the Conference established an ad hoc
committee to work this year on the issue of effective international
arrangements to assure non-nuclear weapon States against the use or
threat of use of nuclear weapons. The group will negotiate with a view
to reaching agreement on the issue, perhaps in the form of an
internationally legally binding instrument.
The Conference also decided to appoint special coordinators to deal,
respectively, with the following issues: the prevention of an arms
race in outer space; a comprehensive programme of disarmament; and
transparency in armaments. In addition, special coordinators were
appointed to address a review of the Conference's agenda; expansion of
its membership; and its improved and effective functioning.
Agreement on the work programme came as the Conference prepared to
close the first part of its 1998 session, which will resume in
mid-May. However, the proposal did not enjoy complete support from the
membership. The representative of Canada questioned whether any real
progress could be made on the issue of negative security assurances at
this point, while the South African delegate said the decision
represented the "lowest common denominator" and addressed solely
procedural, rather than substantial, matters.
Other countries backed the decision with reservations. The
representatives of India, Pakistan and Syria said the proposal did not
reflect their national positions, especially regarding the priority
they felt should be given to nuclear disarmament. The representative
of Egypt also stressed that nuclear disarmament should receive
priority attention, but said the decision at least allowed the
Conference to begin concrete work.
-- -- --
.........