64TH UNGA/FIRST COMMITTEE THEMATIC DEBATE: OTHER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000991 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CD CDG KN PARM PREL UNGA SUBJECT: 64TH UNGA/FIRST COMMITTEE THEMATIC DEBATE: OTHER WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION 1.(U) Summary: The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) conducted its thematic debate on non-nuclear weapons of mass destruction on October 16. Most nations called for the adoption of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC),and called on states to meet the 2012 deadline of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) for destruction of chemical weapons stocks. ¶2. Sweden on Behalf of EU The EU called the proliferation of WMDs and their means of delivery a threat to international peace and security. It expressed hope in the universality of the BTWC, CWC and the 1925 Geneva Protocol. It encouraged states to meet the deadlines of the CWC to eliminate an entire class of weapons. Sweden said the EU is concerned about the proliferation of missiles and Iran and the DPRK's recent missile tests. ¶3. Canada Canada called for an "action-based plan" to be developed at the 2011 BTWC review conference. It stated that the plan needs to incorporate sustainability, and to coordinate assistance. It called for work to identify national and regional needs and improvements in the BTWC. ¶4. Australia Australia said it is working towards CWC and BTWC compliance, calling the CWC a cornerstone of the multilateral non-proliferation and disarmament architecture. It cited the work of the Australia Group in helping to fight proliferation of dual-use chemical and biological materials, equipment and technology. ¶5. Norway Norway called the CWC and BTWC essential instruments for achieving the goal of a world free of weapons of mass destruction. It was pleased by the implementation of the work program from the 2006 BTWC review conference. It called on all states to meet the destruction deadlines of the CWC. ¶6. Uruguay on behalf of MERCOSUR MERCOSUR called for the universalization of the BTWC and CWC and noted that all of the countries in MERCOSUR are free of these types of weapons. ¶7. Switzerland Switzerland was encouraged by the progress towards the universalization of the CWC, citing ratification by Iraq, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. It called on all states to meet the 2012 destruction deadline and ratify the BTWC. ¶8. Indonesia on Behalf of the NAM The NAM called for an effective and verifiable BTWC, to be implemented in comprehensive manner. They underscored the belief that there should be a complete non-use of bacteriological (biological) agents and toxins as weapons and called on all states to ratify the CWC. The NAM agreed that non-state actors should not obtain access to WMDs and said the forum for dealing with this is the General Assembly, not the Security Council. ¶9. Turkey Turkey called for wider adherence to the CWC and the BTWC and establishment of a WMD-free zone in the Middle East. Turkey also announced that Turkish national, Ahmet Uzumcu, had recently been elected Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). ¶10. Cuba USUN NEW Y 00000991 002 OF 002 Cuba called for prohibition of all WMDs and urged all states to abide by the destruction deadlines of the CWC. It called for the use of biological and toxin agents to be eliminated and that disarmament must be both "vertical and horizontal." ¶11. Venezuela Venezuela stated that it is a pacifist country that is free of WMDs. It called for the universalization of the CWC and stated that the Security Council is not the best place to deal with WMDs. ¶12. Russia Russia stated that the CWC is the most effective multilateral treaty. It said Russia was working as hard to meet its obligations for destruction of chemical weapons but it must bear the cost itself. It called for countries to share information about biological weapons as a confidence measure. It stated that acquisition of WMD by non-state actors is the biggest threat. ¶13. Iran Iran stated that no country has suffered more than Iran from chemical weapons. It called for all possessor states to destroy their stockpiles within the deadlines provided by the CWC. It stated that in the Middle East one state (Israel) has not put its facilities under any type of international monitoring. ¶14. Hungary Hungary presented the yearly draft resolution on "Convention on the Prohibition of development, production and stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their destruction." ¶15. Poland Poland presented the yearly draft resolution on "implementation of the convention on the prohibition of the development, production, stockpiling and the use of chemical weapons and on their destruction." ¶16. Republic of Korea Republic of Korea noted the progress has been made on the CWC and BTWC and called on all states that have not yet ratified these conventions to do so as soon as possible. It called on states to meet the destruction deadlines of the CWC. Rice