General Assembly Session 53 meeting 79

The President

The General Assembly will now consider the reports of the First Committee on agenda items 63 to 80.

I request the Rapporteur of the First Committee, Mr. Motaz Zahran of Egypt, to introduce the reports of the First Committee in one intervention.

Mr. Zahran (Egypt)

I am very pleased to submit to the General Assembly the reports of the First Committee on agenda items 63 through 80, relating to disarmament and international security. These reports are contained in documents A/53/576 to A/53/593.

Responding to an appeal of the General Assembly, the Committee utilized its resources fully and ended its work during the current session after five weeks, during which it held 31 official and two unofficial meetings. The Committee's work in this session can be described as very stimulating, from a procedural point of view. From a substantive point of view, it was very constructive, fully focused on the work and very practical in nature.

Forty-eight draft resolutions, one draft decision and a number of amendments to the draft resolutions were submitted to the Committee. Of the 48 draft resolutions and one draft decision, 26, or 55 per cent, were adopted without a vote. This indicates a wider convergence of views in the work, and we hope that this trend will continue.

The disarmament programme in 1998 was very eventful; this year, Member States dealt with questions that had to do with disarmament and international security. It is clear that the recent nuclear tests in South Asia and other developments had an impact and framed the debate in the international forums on disarmament. Naturally, the First Committee's general debate on disarmament and international security reflected this. The draft resolution on nuclear tests and the unprecedented number of amendments to it fully convey the atmosphere and the rationale that prevailed during the discussion of that question.

In general, statements by delegations paid tribute to the achievements made in the past two years, but they also reflected an increasing concern and willingness by Member States to work in a more cooperative manner to deal with the questions which should be dealt with in the near future.

As in past years, the complexities of questions having to do with nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation still form the essence of the debate on international security concerns. Foremost among the subjects addressed are nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, nuclear-weapon-free zones, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the ban on the production of fissile material for the purposes of the production of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction as well as on conventional weapons, including anti-personnel mines. Of the 48 resolutions and the one decision, 27 were dedicated to these questions.

The majority of delegations shed light on the developments in disarmament during the past year, particularly those within the framework of the Conference on Disarmament. Member States expressed particular satisfaction vis-à-vis the decision by the Conference to establish, under item 1 of its agenda entitled "Cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament" an ad hoc committee to negotiate, on the basis of the report of the Special Coordinator (CD/1299) and the mandate contained therein, a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

Delegations also stressed that more efforts should be made to reduce nuclear arsenals, unilaterally, bilaterally and multilaterally.

There was an increasingly ambitious tendency to consider nuclear disarmament in a way that would result in the adoption of innovative and courageous approaches. In this context, a new draft resolution was adopted, entitled "Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: the need for a new agenda", which was added to the list of other draft resolutions dealing with nuclear weapons.

Member States also affirmed that they are determined to effectively bolster the non-proliferation regime at the global level. The establishment of new nuclear-weapon-free zones and the strengthening of existing zones as a step towards that objective occupied the attention of the Committee. In that context, the draft resolution on Mongolia's international security and nuclear-weapon-free status was also adopted by consensus. Support for that draft resolution was a welcome new development and can be added to the support traditionally provided by Member States for draft resolutions on the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones in Central Asia and the Middle East, on bolstering the regime established by the Treaty of Tlatelolco, on the nuclear-weapon-free southern hemisphere and adjacent areas and on the dangers of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.

Satisfaction was expressed with regard to the decision of the Conference on Disarmament in 1998 to establish an ad hoc committee on provision of security guarantees to non-nuclear-weapon States. However, there is still a need for careful negotiations to achieve internationally effective guarantees and measures that will lead to an international agreement in that respect. That issue was at the forefront of our attention during the dialogue on security questions.

The agenda items dealing with other weapons of mass destruction, particularly regarding the agreements on chemical and biological weapons, all shared in the attention of the Committee. As before, the two draft resolutions on the two conventions were adopted without a vote.

In addition, the Committee adopted a draft resolution on the convening of the fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament. Among the positive developments was the adoption of that draft resolution without a vote, as in past years. The convening of the fourth special session will be discussed in the Disarmament Commission in 1999. The Commission was unable to reach a consensus on the issue last year. However, I hope that through further consultations and, in particular, through the convergence of positions on important questions in the Commission, we will be able to eliminate completely those differences so that the special session can be convened.

While retaining its conventional aspects, the issue of regional and conventional disarmament acquired a new dimension for which effective measures will be required, especially with regard to landmines. The issue of conventional weapons has thus received broad attention. The initiatives taken by the Governments of Mali, Albania and other countries that have been harmed because of the trade in and illegal possession of such weapons, together with the report of the Secretary-General prepared last year with the assistance of the Panel of Governmental Experts on Small Arms, have all helped to concentrate the attention of the international community anew on that question. The First Committee also considered further improvements to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and the reporting regime and the possibility of widening its scope. In spite of the fact that the Register contributes to confidence-building, there was a wide divergence of opinion which prevented the Committee from adding further categories of conventional weapons, and weapons of mass destruction, and from making other improvements expected by Member States. In spite of the adoption of two draft resolutions on transparency in disarmament, dealing with all aspects of that question, Member States still attach great importance to that issue.

Finally, I should like to draw the attention of the Assembly to some additions in document A/53/576, under agenda item 63. The word "international" should be added to the title, which would then read:

Mr. Zahran (Egypt)

"Role of science and technology in the context of international security, disarmament and other related fields."

Mr. Zahran (Egypt)

The same correction should be made in the first line of paragraph 1 of the same document.

Before concluding, I should like to pay tribute to the delegations that took part in the Committee's work for the spirit of cooperation that they showed in our common search for a better, more secure and stable world. I also wish to extend special thanks to the Chairman of the Committee, Ambassador André Mernier, whose close knowledge of disarmament and international security and whose high diplomatic skills contributed great vision and leadership to the Committee. I should also like to thank Ambassador Arystanbekova of Kazakhstan, Ambassador González of Chile and Mr. Laptsenak of Belarus for carrying out their duties in the Committee.

I should also like to express our appreciation to the Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services, Mr. Jin Yongjian, and to the Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, Mr. Jayantha Dhanapala, for their leadership of the Secretariat staff and for their valuable contribution. In addition I wish to thank the Secretary of the First Committee, Mr. Lin Kuo-chung, whose broad experience and efficiency led to the success of the work of the Committee.

I should also like to express my appreciation to Mr. Mohammad Sattar, Mr. Timur Alasaniya, Mr. Michael Cassandra, Mr. David Biggs, Mr. Gary de Rosa, Ms. Lidija Komatina and others from the Secretariat staff for their valuable assistance to the Committee and to me personally. I should also like to add that I had the opportunity as Rapporteur of the First Committee to get to know the unknown soldiers who work with great dedication in the Secretariat and who deserve our great appreciation.

With these remarks, I should like to submit to the General Assembly for its consideration the reports of the First Committee contained in documents A/53/576 to A/53/593.

The President

If there is no proposal under rule 66 of the rules of procedure, I shall take it that the General Assembly decides not to discuss the reports of the First Committee which are before the Assembly today.

The President

Statements will therefore be limited to explanations of vote. The positions of delegations regarding the recommendations of the First Committee have been made clear in the Committee and are reflected in the relevant official records.

May I remind members that, under paragraph 7 of decision 34/401, the General Assembly agreed that:

"When the same draft resolution is considered in a Main Committee and in plenary meeting, a delegation should, as far as possible, explain its vote only once, i.e., either in the Committee or in plenary meeting, unless that delegation's vote in plenary meeting is different from its vote in the Committee."

May I remind delegations that, also in accordance with decision 34/401, explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

Before we take action on the recommendations contained in the reports of the First Committee, I should like to advise representatives that we are going to proceed to take decisions in the same manner as was done in the First Committee, unless notified otherwise in advance. This means that where recorded or separate votes were taken, we will do the same. I should also hope that we may proceed to adopt without a vote those recommendations that were adopted without a vote in the First Committee.

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the First Committee in paragraph 7 of its report.

The First Committee adopted the draft resolution entitled "Developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security" without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

May I take it that is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 63?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the First Committee in paragraph 11 of its report.

The Secretariat has been informed that no separate vote is requested on this draft resolution.

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 64?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the First Committee in paragraph 8 of its report.

The First Committee adopted the draft resolution entitled "Objective information on military matters, including transparency of military expenditures" without a vote. May I consider that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 65?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the First Committee in paragraph 7 of its report.

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 66?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the First Committee in paragraph 7 of its report.

The First Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I consider that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 67?

The President

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the First Committee on this item?

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 68?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the First Committee in paragraph 7 of its report.

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 69?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the First Committee in paragraph 7 of its report.

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 70?

The President

The Assembly has before it 27 draft resolutions recommended by the First Committee in paragraph 89 of its report on this item.

I call on the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran on a point of order.

Mr. Dehghani (Iran)

My delegation wishes to put on record that it had been its intention to join in sponsoring draft resolutions E, entitled "Small arms", and T, entitled "Illicit traffic in small arms".

The President

I shall now call on those representative who wish to speak in explanation of vote before the voting.

Mr. Kim Sam Jong (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)

My delegation wishes to clarify its position on agenda item 71 (d), entitled "Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction". We fully support the humanitarian purposes and the nature of that Convention. However, in the present situation on the Korean peninsula, where acute military confrontation exists, we are not in a position to accede to the Convention at this stage, for security reasons. In fact, we use landmines in the area along the military demarcation line, solely for defensive purposes. There are no instances of civilian casualties caused by those mines.

If the problem of prohibiting landmines on the Korean peninsula is to be solved satisfactorily, durable peace and stability should be ensured by replacing the present armistice system with a new peace mechanism. In this regard, a peace agreement between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United States should be concluded, and United States troops should be withdrawn from the peninsula.

In the light of this position, my delegation will not participate in the vote on draft resolution N.

Ms. Miller (Malta)

My delegation would like to explain its position on draft resolution H, entitled "Regional disarmament". Malta has reviewed the text under consideration and would like to say that the terms of the draft resolution continue to give rise to questions regarding its scope. It is not clear what the intention behind the draft resolution is. It would seem that it aims at the creation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the area to which it refers. Malta has consistently supported the creation of nuclear-weapon-free zones; this is reflected in the number of draft resolutions on the subject which Malta has supported in the First Committee, including those on the Treaties of Tlatelolco, Rarotonga, Bangkok and Pelindaba, on the Middle East, on the Almaty Declaration and on the more generic nuclear-weapon-free southern hemisphere.

We view such zones as a valuable contribution to the realization of the goals of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). However, as stated in the NPT itself, such zones should be based on agreements freely arrived at among the States concerned. We thus view these two principles as part of a whole, for it is only in that way that real progress can be achieved. From the voting pattern on draft resolution H in the First Committee, it is clear that agreement among the States concerned is absent. It is also clear that the proposal set out in the draft resolution, apart from disregarding regional concerns, does not take into account the broader concerns of the international community. The draft resolution was, in fact, adopted with only 57 votes in favour. It is therefore evident that the objectives of the draft resolution have little chance of success.

Malta believes that it would have been preferable for the sponsors of the draft resolution to adopt other approaches that could lead to significant disarmament in the region. The draft resolution in question clearly divides rather than unites us in our common goal to reach the ultimate objective of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. It is for these reasons that Malta will vote against the draft resolution.

Mr. Erdös (Hungary)

I am speaking on behalf of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, the Republic of Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

As the General Assembly prepares to vote on draft resolution H, contained in document A/53/584, referred to a moment ago by our colleague from Malta, these like-minded Central and Eastern European countries wish to express their gratitude to the many delegations that have opposed this draft resolution or that abstained from voting on it in the First Committee.

These like-minded Central and Eastern European countries wish to reiterate their confidence that the unequivocal position of the countries most directly affected by the draft resolution that is being put to the vote today will not be disregarded. As they have already indicated, they consider the thrust of this draft resolution -- which aims at imposing on virtually a whole region arrangements against the explicitly expressed will of the countries of that region -- as constituting an unfortunate, disturbing and counter-productive precedent.

The countries on behalf of which I am now taking the floor wish to appeal to all delegations to consider carefully the impact of such an action, which if approved by the General Assembly would clearly be at variance with the provisions of relevant United Nations documents. These like-minded Central and Eastern European countries therefore respectfully call on the other delegations not to endorse this draft resolution.

Mr. Boang (Botswana)

In the First Committee my delegation voted in favour of draft resolution A/C.1/53/L.23/Rev.1, now draft resolution H in document A/53/584, entitled "Regional disarmament". The affirmative vote cast by my delegation was borne out of our commitment to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and nuclear disarmament. It has, however, come to the attention of my delegation that the draft resolution does not seem to enjoy the support of the countries of the region concerned. The full support of the countries of the region should be secured if what is intended to be attained by operative paragraph 1 of the draft resolution before us is to be realized.

In the absence of such support and in view of article VII of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, my delegation will, at this stage, abstain during the voting on this draft resolution.

Mr. Kellman (El Salvador)

My delegation wishes to explain its vote on draft resolution H, contained in paragraph 89 of document A/53/584 and entitled "Regional disarmament".

El Salvador -- on principle and as a party to the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which created the first nuclear-weapon-free zone -- strongly supports all actions aimed at general and complete disarmament. We believe that one of the main ways to achieve this goal is to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones that take into account the characteristics of each region and that are based on arrangements freely arrived at. We are committed to this objective and therefore value greatly the initiative contained in this draft resolution. We believe that the principles included in it will be strengthened to the extent that it is supported by the greatest possible number of countries from this region.

Therefore my delegation will have to abstain in the voting on this draft resolution. Nevertheless, we agree in principle with its basic message. We understand that our abstention will not be taken as contravening the objectives and principles that govern the position of El Salvador with regard to disarmament.

Mr. Kunda (Zambia)

I should like to take the floor to make an explanation of vote in relation to draft resolution G, contained in document A/53/584 and entitled "Nuclear testing".

Since the vote on this draft resolution in the First Committee my delegation has received fresh instructions to abstain in the voting on the draft resolution in the General Assembly.

Mr. Granovsky (Russia)

The Russian delegation notes the positive and constructive thrust of draft resolution H, contained in document A/53/584, the text of which was submitted to the First Committee by Belarus. We believe that this draft resolution seeks to strengthen European security and the nuclear non-proliferation regime. The Russian Federation supported it in the First Committee, and we intend to vote in favour of it now.

The President

I shall now put the 27 draft resolutions to the Assembly one by one. After all the decisions have been taken, representatives will again have the opportunity to explain their vote.

To avoid any confusion, I should like to reiterate that I shall now put to the Assembly for adoption the 27 draft resolutions identified by the letters "A" to "Z" and "AA", which are contained in paragraph 89, in section III of the report, entitled "Recommendations of the First Committee".

We shall turn first to draft resolution A, entitled "Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia". The First Committee adopted draft resolution A without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

Draft resolution B is entitled "Assistance to States for curbing the traffic in small arms and collecting them".

The First Committee adopted draft resolution B without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

Draft resolution C is entitled "Prohibition of the dumping of radioactive wastes".

The First Committee also adopted draft resolution C without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

Draft resolution D is entitled "Mongolia's international security and nuclear-weapon-free status".

The First Committee adopted draft resolution D without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

Draft resolution E is entitled "Small arms".

A separate vote has been requested on the fourth preambular paragraph of draft resolution E.

If there is no objection to that request, I shall first put to the vote the fourth preambular paragraph.

The President

I now put to the vote draft resolution E as a whole.

The President

Draft resolution F is entitled "Reducing nuclear danger".

A separate vote has been requested on operative paragraph 3 of draft resolution F.

If there is no objection to that request, I shall first put to the vote operative paragraph 3 of draft resolution F.

The President

I shall now put to the vote draft resolution F as a whole.

The President

Draft resolution G is entitled "Nuclear testing".

The President

Draft resolution H is entitled "Regional disarmament".

The President

Draft resolution I is entitled "The Conference on Disarmament decision to establish, under item 1 of its agenda entitled Cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament' an ad hoc committee to negotiate, on the basis of the report of the Special Coordinator (CD/1299) and the mandate contained therein, a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices".

The First Committee adopted draft resolution I without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

Draft resolution J is entitled "Observance of environmental norms in the drafting and implementation of agreements on disarmament and arms control".