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Press Release
GA/DIS/3174

NUCLEAR SAFEGUARDS SYSTEM, GUARANTEES AGAINST USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS DISCUSSED IN CONTINUED DISARMAMENT COMMITTEE GENERAL DEBATE

Humankind had suffered the ravages of two world wars; it could not withstand a third, the representative of Kuwait told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) this afternoon, as it continued its general debate.

He warned that the spectre of nuclear war still haunted the world and nuclear stockpiles continued to surge. Moreover, nuclear arsenals were being developed outside the safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Through a bitter experience, the Kuwaiti people had recognized, more than many others, the risk posed by weapons of mass destruction as a result of threats made by its neighbour to the north -- Iraq. In addition, the refusal of the Israeli Government to join the nuclear non-proliferation regime and place its nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards had created a clear imbalance in one of the most sensitive regions of the world.

The representative of Nepal said that the fulfilment of the pledge by the nuclear-weapon States that were party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to totally eliminate their nuclear arsenals offered the only absolute guarantee against the use of nuclear weapons. The prospects for disarmament, both nuclear and non-nuclear, did not appear very bright. That goal required effective efforts at all levels -- national, regional and international.

Nationally, he said, the political will was needed to maintain security with minimum armaments. Regionally, countries should strive for the creation and expansion of nuclear-weapon-free zones. Multilateral efforts should also be strengthened to contain both the conventional and non-conventional arms races.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. Monday, 9 October, to continue its general debate.

First Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/DIS/3174 8th Meeting (PM) 6 October 2000

Committee Work Programme

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met this afternoon to continue its general debate on disarmament and international security agenda items.

The debate was expected to be dominated by discussions related to the 2000 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT); the treaties banning the production and stockpiling of other weapons of mass destruction, including the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (Biological Weapons Convention); the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (Chemical Weapons Convention); and the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones.

Attention would also be directed at developments with the 1972 Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (ABM Treaty), by which the United States and the Russian Federation agreed to limit the deployment and development of anti-ballistic missiles; the Strategic Arms Limitation and Reduction Treaties (START), by which the two countries also agreed to significantly reduce the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads; and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

Landmines were also expected to be discussed in the context of the two instruments to ban or limit their use - Protocol II of the Convention on the Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed To Be Excessively Injurious or To Have Indiscriminate Effects (Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons) and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Ottawa Convention).

Statements were expected to be made by the representatives of Nepal and Kuwait.

(For detailed background, see Press Release GA/DIS/3168 issued 29 September).

Statements

K.P. OLI (Nepal) said that the top priority of disarmament should be the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and control of small arms and light weapons. The consensual adoption of a final document by the sixth NPT Review Conference was very significant. The States parties' "unequivocal undertaking" to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals carried added importance. The achievement of that goal offered the only absolute guarantee against the use of nuclear weapons.

He said that despite rising tensions in the region of South Asia following the 1998 tests, his country drew satisfaction from the fact that a nuclear-testing moratorium had been observed by the countries concerned. He hoped that the pledge made by nuclear-capable States by being parties to the CTBT would be translated into action soon.

He added that the proliferation of nuclear weapons, the growing emphasis on military doctrines, missile proliferation and possible deployment of a national missile defence were additional factors that posed alarming dangers to international security. The prospects for the accomplishment of the goal of disarmament, both nuclear and non-nuclear, did not appear very bright. The goals could only be effectively pursued by undertaking efforts at all levels -- national, regional and international. At the national level, there should be political will to maintain security with the minimum stockpiles of armaments. Regionally, countries should strive for the creation and expansion of nuclear- weapon-free zones in various parts of the world.

Multilateral efforts also needed to be strengthened to contain both conventional and non-conventional arms, he said. A strong political will needed to be displayed at the international level to turn commitments into action and to speed up negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament.

It had become imperative to undertake efforts both at the regional and international levels to combat, control and eliminate the illicit circulation and proliferation of small arms and light weapons, he continued. The proposed United Nations Conference on such arms should focus on consciousness-raising, creation of international norms, and on efforts, initiatives and activities of regions and subregions to address the issue. His Government had made it clear to the United Nations Secretariat that it was prepared to meet the obligation of having the Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific start operating from Kathmandu, where it belonged. The Government was fully prepared to house the Centre and remained ready to provide the operational cost necessary for it to begin operation at short notice.

HISHAM AL-GHANIM (Kuwait) said that the political will to free the world from nuclear weapons seemed to exist, yet that goal had not be properly addressed. Nuclear stockpiles must be removed and those dangerous weapons renounced. Meanwhile, the spectre of nuclear war still haunted the world and nuclear stockpiles continued to surge. Moreover, nuclear arsenals were being developed outside the safeguards systems of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Still, with political will and genuine support, nuclear-weapon stockpiles could be phased out. He welcomed the valuable steps taken, respectively, by the Russian Duma to ratify START II and the CTBT, and the announcement by the United States President to cease deployment of a national missile defence system. Those were landmark disarmament steps.

He recalled that the Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, in his statement to the Committee, had expressed his concern over the first increase in military expenditures since the end of the cold war. He had also stressed the existence of more than 35,000 nuclear warheads. There was no justification for that vast stockpile, but the Government of Kuwait remained hopeful that calls to eliminate those weapons by governments and people worldwide would be heeded. At the same time, prudence should be used in their removal. Nuclear-weapon States must be reminded of their responsibility not to encourage non-nuclear-weapon States to manufacture, produce, stockpile or otherwise acquire facilities leading to the production of nuclear weapons.

Countries should also be reminded of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons, he said. His country welcomed the Secretary-General's proposal to convene an international conference to identify the ways and means of removing the nuclear risk. That proposal had been endorsed by world leaders at the Millennium Summit. Similarly, his delegation absolutely supported the 1998 initiative of the Egyptian President calling for an international conference to rid the world of weapons of mass destruction. Meanwhile, not even 50 per cent of the identified disarmament objectives had been met. Efforts should focus on developing local and domestic economies, rather than developing nuclear weapons. The foundation of civilized societies should be bolstered and arms races should cease.

He said that through a very bitter experience, the Kuwaiti people had recognized, more than many other populations, the risk posed by weapons of mass destruction, as a result of threats made by its neighbour to the north -- Iraq. Kuwait continued to be haunted by Iraq, especially since it had not complied with Security Council resolutions, particularly in disarmament. In the past 10 years, that country continued to hold onto its weapons of mass destruction. It was "especially appalling and disgusting" that it had used them on its own civilian population. The Director-General of the IAEA, in his statement to the 2000 NPT Review Conference, had said that the Agency had not been in a position to carry out its Security Council mandate with respect to Iraq. As a result, IAEA could not, at this point, give any guarantee that Iraq had complied with its obligations.

Since Iraq had ceased its cooperation with the United Nations, he said, the Council had persisted in swaying Iraq to resume its cooperation. Three panels had been set up, one dealing specifically with the elimination of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Iraq had not fully and definitively complied with United Nations inspectors. Indeed, several issues must be addressed. He renewed his country's call to Iraq to fully comply with United Nations resolutions and eliminate its weapons of mass destruction and cease threatening its neighbours.

He said his Government attached great importance to efforts made to remove weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons, from the Middle East. Despite the fact that all of the Arab States had acceded to the NPT, their accession had not provided the minimum level of necessary security guarantees, especially in view of the Israeli nuclear threats and its "flagrant defiance" of the resolutions and the continued appeals by the international community to join that Treaty. In fact, Israel remained the only country in the region that had not acceded to the NPT and had not allowed the IAEA to inspect its nuclear installations, thereby creating a clear imbalance in one of the most sensitive regions of the world. The international community should apply pressure to the Israeli Government to remove its nuclear weapons stockpiles and subject those facilities to IAEA safeguards.

Continuing, he said that all States must stop providing technological and scientific assistance that could contribute to the Israeli nuclear weapons programme. All justifications by Israel had run counter to all of its claims to establish peace, as that must be built on mutual confidence. Indeed, peace could only be built by abandoning arms and the use of firearms against innocent civilians.

The spread of conventional weapons and the race by many countries to build up their military stockpiles was a cause for grave concern, he said. In that connection, the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms should become a mechanism for reducing military expenditures and channeling the surplus of those

funds towards development. At the same time, the impact of anti-personnel mines, affecting not only military troops in times of war, but innocent civilians in times of peace, had seriously threatened worldwide security. The most viable means of removing those mines must be found, and the States that had planted them should provide all possible assistance.

He said that the seemingly unfavourable international climate should not affect nuclear non-proliferation. Hopefully, the twenty-first century would be one of peace and stability, leaving behind a century full of conflicts and war. Nuclear-weapon States, as reflected in their statements to the Committee, had demonstrated good faith. Humankind had suffered from the ravages of two world wars; the world could not stand a third. If that were to occur, then that might spell the end of human civilization. Efforts should focus on building consensus and minimizing differences, in order to reach the appropriate solutions. Future generations would not be merciful in their judgements, if the world failed in such efforts.

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