United Nations (UN)

UNGA General Debate 2000: Statements on Arms Control & Disarmament

55th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, September 12-22, 2000.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, the following excerpts are taken from full texts of statements provided on the United Nations website, http://www.un.org/ga/webcast/retro.htm.

Angola (Foreign Minister Joao Bernardo de Miranda), September 16: "Another serious issue affecting international security is the circulation and transfer of small arms that flow to areas of conflict by way of rebel groups. This takes place with the connivance of certain governments and networks of transnational organized crime. The lack of international legal instruments capable of controlling transactions of these arms is stimulating the creation of actual arms markets, above all in Africa. This is leading to an increased number of conflicts and making their resolution even more difficult. …"

Bahamas (Foreign Minister Janet G. Bostwick), September 21: "The world's drug problem and the trafficking in small arms and light weapons are issues for which the global community urgently needs results. While these twin evils are, in our view, closely linked, every indication is that the trafficking in firearms is taking on a life of its own. The introduction of firearms into ordinary, non-drug related criminal activity, and even domestic conflicts, is perhaps the greatest single threat to peace and stability in the Bahamas today. The Bahamas, therefore, looks forward to next year's United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons… We are confident that the commitments made in our Millennium Declaration will motivate us to grasp this significant opportunity for concerted action. We urge, especially, developed countries in which firearms are manufactured to take the steps necessary to prevent illicit arms trafficking."

Bahrain (Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed Bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa), September 16: "[Bahrain] renews its invitation to Iraq to cooperate with the United Nations, to fully implement relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly those relating to weapons of mass destruction, and to release prisoners and detainees of Kuwaiti and other nationalities, as a means leading to the lifting of sanctions and an end to the suffering of the brotherly Iraqi people. … Another challenge is a military one. It is the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear capabilities, and the means of transfer thereof, that have increased in numerous regions of the world in the last few years. Given the threat to the world's future, security and safety that such weapons pose, it is a welcome sign for mankind as a whole that the member states of the United Nations have welcomed [outcome of] the [NPT] Review Conference …and that the nuclear powers have agreed on the elimination of nuclear weapons. Aware of the dangers of the proliferation of nuclear weapons, especially in light of the wars and conflicts that our region has witnessed over the last decades, we in the Middle East, including the Gulf region, have supported all initiatives that aim at freeing the region from all weapons of mass destruction, and in particular nuclear weapons."

Bangladesh (Foreign Minister Al-Haj Abdus Samad Azad), September 19: "To ensure peace and development, we must move ahead with an agenda for real disarmament. The nuclearisation of our own region in South Asia has caused us concern. As one of the least developed regions in the world, South Asia cannot afford to get into a race for nuclear weapons. Reflective of her Constitutional commitment to total and general disarmament, Bangladesh took the lead in South Asia to sign the CTBT in 1996 and ratifying it earlier this year. We also were among the first in South Asia to sign the Ottawa treaty…which was also ratified by us during the Millennium Summit along with the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and all its Protocols."

Belarus (Foreign Minister Ural Latypov), September 15: "The Republic of Belarus is committed to its choice for a nuclear-weapon-free world. We believe in the generosity and great meaning of the initiative put forward by the Head of our State to establish a nuclear-weapon-free space in Central and Eastern Europe. We are confident that in due time this idea will receive a sufficient number of proponents. During this session the Republic of Belarus has deposited the documents on the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the Protocol [IV] on the Blinding Laser Weapons to the Convention on [Ceratin Conventional Weapons]… At the same time, a continuing absence of visible consensus within the UN on the key issues of the international disarmament process is becoming a dismaying reality. To exit this dead end would essentially require setting priorities and embarking upon an active dialogue aimed at achieving progress in both nuclear and conventional disarmament. Five million of victims [of conventional war] over the last decade - is it not…[incentive] enough to set to real action? It is critical to maintain and consolidate the strategic global parity built under the complex conditions of the 20th century. In this regard, preservation of and respect for the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty is a logical basis for the maintenance of international stability. Its violation could result in an extremely dangerous disruption of the established set of interdependent agreements in this area. The Republic of Belarus will again co-sponsor the resolution on the ABM during this session of the UN General Assembly."

Belgium (Foreign Minister Louis Michel), September 13: "Last April, during the Conference on NPT, Belgium intervened vigorously to express our concerns regarding a certain number of facts which could lead to the weakening, if not the complete rethinking of the NPT regime negotiated throughout these years. We are welcoming the conclusions of the Conference, and the reflection that it triggered. A favorable climate has been created in order to implement the plan of action. This being said, a certain number of states still refuse to adhere to the NPT, and others have not yet ratified the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. We have followed closely, and with some concerns, the discussion around the anti-ballistic defense system in the United States. Belgium is not opposed in principle to the notion of anti-missile defense. We are only stating that the political perception, the analysis of the threat and the means to counter it vary greatly from regions to regions. There is no unique response, nor universal, but it is of paramount importance to make sure that an anti-missile system, whatever it may be, contributes to general stability and the consolidation of confidence building. In other words, the decisions will have to be taken not only on the basis of a strategic and technical analysis, but also on a consensual basis which builds upon political and strategic balances. We welcome the decision by the American administration to postpone the decision on the launching of a program. Besides the question of technical feasibility, this program, taken on a unilateral basis, would have had a negative impact on our common objectives of disarmament. We are hoping now that this decision will encourage negotiation of a START III agreement between the US and Russia. Rapid progress on a new substantial reduction of nuclear arms could lead to a new round of negotiations in Geneva regarding the cut-off Treaty banning the production of nuclear fissile materials. … Belgium welcomes the adhesion by 138 States to the Convention on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines. Further efforts have to be made in order to implement it and mobilize the necessary funding to eliminate landmines for ever."

Brazil (Foreign Minister Luiz Felipe Lampreia), September 12: "At the Non-Proliferation Treaty conference, modest but nevertheless significant progress was made towards freeing the world from the scourge of nuclear arms. As a member of the New Agenda, Brazil is proud of its contribution to the success of the meeting. Its results will be a litmus test of future advance in the nuclear disarmament field."

Bulgaria (Foreign Minister Nadezhda Mihailova), September 12: "Disarmament issues continue to play an important role in the overall efforts to secure a better world for the future generations. The Bulgarian Government attaches high priority to the international efforts to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime. We call for an early entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty as an important step in that direction and support the decision of the Conference on Disarmament to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to Conduct Negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut Off Treaty. We favour the strengthening of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and believe that further acceleration of the negotiations and early conclusion of the protocol to the Convention is required. As a State Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention Bulgaria would like to contribute to the enlargement of the number of accessions to the Convention in order to achieve recognition of the prohibition of chemical weapons as an universal norm of international law. As a concrete effort to this end we are hosting a regional seminar of Organisation of Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in Sofia on September 28-30 of this year. With regard to conventional arms, anti-personnel land mines are widely recognized as a pernicious weapon which indiscriminately kills and maims hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. Convinced of the need for a total prohibition of the APM, on July 29, 1999 the Bulgarian Parliament ratified the Ottawa Convention thus contributing to its early entry into force. We are also ready to contribute to the efforts of the international community to reduce conventional weapons, including small arms, especially their excessive and destabilizing accumulation in areas of conflict. We regard universal participation in the UN Register of Conventional Weapons as an important step towards effective transparency, both on a regional and a global scale."

Canada (Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy), September 14: "Aggressive pursuit of the global arms control and disarmament agenda is the ultimate responsible act. Our generation built the nuclear arsenals that are outmoded and rotting; we produced the chemical weapons that poison people; and today we still make and distribute the small arms that are found everywhere - in the hands of children, the arsenals of drug dealers and the garrisons of guerilla fighters. But we have also had the foresight to build a system of international obligations and principles to constrain our own behaviour. We have to validate and implement these instruments. Above all, we must do nothing to damage them. Certainly, governments must prepare for the defence of their people. Responsible defence is an element of responsible government. But surely, our responsibility to defend our citizens begins not with the development of new weapons systems, but by dismantling old ones: by ratifying the CTBT; by joining the 104 States Parties to the Ottawa Treaty; by implementing the international non-proliferation norms and disarmament obligations embodied in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; by developing comprehensive action plans to stop the proliferation of small arms and missile technology. …

To build a world that values human security, we must start with concern and action for those who will inherit it. It is fitting, therefore, that in this year of fresh resolve, the future of our children is a key element of the agenda - particularly through the UN Special Session on Children next year. Nowhere is the safety and well-being of children more at risk than in conflict situations. Children should have no part in war. Yet today, they are among its main victims. Four years ago, Graça Machel brought the horrific plight of war-affected children to the attention of the world. Since then, action has been taken to reduce their suffering, most notably with the appointment of Olara Otunnu as the Secretary-General's Special Representative on Children and Conflict, and more recently, with the landmark agreement last January on the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. This week, with Graça Machel as Honourary Chair, Canada is hosting the International Conference on War-Affected Children in Winnipeg. This meeting, the first of its kind, is bringing together more than 130 governments, 60 NGOs and private-sector groups, international organizations, and young people from every region. … The aim of the conference is twofold: to formulate a comprehensive, global action plan, and to forge the necessary political will to implement it. Together, we hope it will help children traumatized by war, and ultimately eliminate their involvement and victimization in conflict."

Chile (Foreign Minister Maria Soledad Alvear Valenzuela), September 12: "We support the Security Council's agreements establishing a massive humanitarian program for Iraq, under the 'oil for food' formula, and we favor the ongoing evaluation of this program. We hope that the Iraqi government will cooperate effectively with the new inspection agency, UNMOVIC. … Although the post-Cold War hopes for a world free of nuclear weapons in the near future have been tempered, this goal continues to be a valid one, as addressed by the Non-Proliferation Treaty. I have the honor to report than on July 12 of this year, Chile deposited its instrument ratifying the [CTBT]… We call upon all nations to ratify this treaty rapidly, in order to reach the 44 countries necessary for its entry into force."

China (Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan), September 13: "Global strategic stability is the foundation on which world security rests. And the 1972 ABM Treaty is an important cornerstone for global strategic stability. Any move to undermine the totality and effectiveness of the Treaty will have a profound negative impact on world peace and security. The proposal for a national missile defense system that is prohibited by the ABM Treaty is essentially aimed at seeking unilateral military and strategic supremacy and thus a typical example of the Cold War mentality. Such a plan, if implemented, will only bring serious negative consequences to the security of the whole world. The adoption by the General Assembly of the Resolution on Preservation of and Compliance with the ABM Treaty at its 54th session with an overwhelming majority is an indicator of the firm will of most countries in the world to maintain and strictly observe the ABM Treaty. The UN should continue to show serious concern over the attempt by a certain country to develop a missile defense system to the detriment of the global strategic stability and it should take necessary measures to stop this dangerous development. … In recent years, China. Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have reached, within the framework of the Shanghai Five and through consultation and cooperation based on equality, an agreement among themselves on confidence-building in the military field and reduction of military forces in the border areas. This offers something useful for the international community to draw upon in its exploratory efforts for a new security concept."

Colombia (Foreign Minister Guillermo Fernandez de Soto), September 12: "The beginning of the new millennium is also marked by new concerns and threats to peace and security. The proliferation and illicit traffic in small arms is one of these. The illegal traffic in arms has reached unacceptable proportions and its impact has been even more devastating than the impact of weapons of mass destruction. Despite this, the international community is not attaching to it the importance and priority which this grave problem demands. Urgent and effective measures are needed to halt and completely eliminate this illegal trade. The countries affected by this phenomenon cannot remain exposed to the criminal activity of the networks of arm traffickers who taking advantage of the absence of monitoring and oversight mechanisms are causing irreparable damage to our societies. Governments have the political and moral responsibility to act resolutely against the illicit export of arms and to bring all the force of the law to bear against the merchants of death and violence who profit from this nefarious trade. Colombia has paid a very high price in human lives as a consequence of this criminal activity. Countries that are exporters of small arms must establish controls on intermediaries and refrain from authorizing sales if there is a risk of improper use. There is need for greater transparency and for the exchange of information on the modalities and routes of trade. We must urgently create mechanisms to provide financial and technical assistance so that the affected countries might be better able to implement effective controls. We have a responsibility to ensure that the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons to be held in 2001 results in concrete commitments and effective action."

Costa Rica (Foreign Minister Roberto Rojas), September 14: "Our experience has taught us that democracy alone provides the necessary framework for the full respect of human rights. … Additionally, our national evolution has taught us that the first step in this policy is the elimination or reduction of the military budgets. Costa Rica abolished its army over fifty years ago and, thereafter, has been free from armed conflicts with its neighbors and from military oppression over its population. A diminution of the military expenses is especially valuable for developing States whose resources are limited and cannot be mismanaged. In this context, the armies constitute a heavy burden upon our budgets and a constant source of tension and repression. Would not it be better to devote to health the one hundred and ninety one billion dollars that developing countries waste on their armed forces? Would not it be preferable to allocate to education the twenty two billion dollars that are spent in arms transfers to the third world? Our historical experience has made us a witness and an example of the many-sided and positive relationship between disarmament and development."

Croatia (Foreign Minister Tonino Picula), September 12: "Developments in the area of disarmament and international security have been seriously afflicted by the lack of political will to translate political commitments and international obligations into practice. Certainly, Croatia recognizes and welcomes unilateral and multilateral achievements, in particular during the last decade of the century. The entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention, of the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Landmines, the adoption of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the strengthening of nuclear safeguards, as well as measures taken within the START framework, demonstrate that progress is possible given the political will and common endeavor. However, the overall situation is far from encouraging and calls for more effective action. Croatia welcomes disarmament pledges and the plan of action by the states parties to the NPT at the 2000 Review Conference. Still, we do share the concern of all peaceloving countries about the retention of nuclear deterrence doctrines, nuclear and missile proliferation and the risks involved in growing revolution in military affairs. We need full involvement of governments and civil society in devising strategies for the implementation of major commitments undertaken in New York. Regarding small arms, the main cause of death on the planet, Croatia strongly supports the convening of the United Nations Conference on the illicit trade in small arms in 2001, and is in favor of establishing international legal control system to help stop the spread of death caused by light weapons.

Parallel to small arms, the most serious threat to the lives of people, both in war and in peace, are anti-personnel landmines. Croatia is a country highly contaminated by anti-personnel landmines, with about one million of landmines scattered in many parts of its territory. Their presence poses serious obstacle to the economic development of the country, and even more so to the return of people to their homes. The minecleaning process is underway, but its dynamics has to be intensified if the real progress is to be seen anytime soon. Many of the ongoing activities are performed in cooperation with donor countries, to whom we extend our sincere gratitude, but the efforts aimed to eliminate that evil completely and for good have to be brought to a maximum."

Cuba (Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque), September 15: "Isn't it really paradoxical that Western powers - while developing new, state killing devices - intend to prevent poor countries from utilizing conventional light weaponry essential to nations that, like Cuba, live under the permanent threat of a military aggression? … The world will be really safer if total, complete disarmament takes place, including nuclear disarmament in particular. While it is true that light weaponry must one day be eliminated, other types of deadlier and more dangerous conventional armaments owned by a handful of developed countries must also be disposed of - the sooner the better. Mines must be eliminated; that is correct, but the threats of aggression against poor countries must be dissipated long before that."

Cyprus (Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides), September 21: "Cyprus welcomes the efforts of the United Nations in the area of disarmament and we are particularly pleased at the successful conclusion earlier this year of the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Process. We would like to congratulate the Russian Federation for the recent ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the START II Treaty. We consider the expansion of the regime of nuclear-free zones, including one in our region of the Mediterranean, as an important component in our goal toward a nuclear-free world. The illicit trafficking of small arms is an issue of grave concern. We are fully supportive of international efforts in this direction and consider more effective action to eliminate this phenomenon, an imperative need of our increasingly interdependent world. The cost to human lives, the economies and the social fabric of many societies of our inaction in putting an end to this, is simply unacceptable."

Czech Republic (Foreign Minister Jan Kavan), September 16: "We believe that boosting defense capacities to protect against potential attack is an absolutely legitimate step by any government. In the case of National Missile Defense, however, we are talking of a concept shrouded in question marks. In our opinion, security, as conceived today, is comprehensive and integral, something that cannot be built up to the detriment of other partners. The Czech Republic sees the way to a safer world primarily in a continuation of the disarmament process and the non-proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction, leading ultimately to a world free of any nuclear weapons. We support the view that a more intense disarmament process will lead to savings in the funds spent on arms. Employing them for peaceful means would increase the ability of the international community to tackle pressing challenges such as the widening gap between rich and poor countries, deal with ethnic and religious conflicts, environmental care, and so on. … Therefore, the Czech Republic welcomes President Clinton's decision to leave the verdict on the NMD to the new President."

Denmark (Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen), September 12: "We will continue to support regional co-operation, also when it comes to countering the uncontrolled spread of small arms… [L]andmines are a substantial obstacle to development. Increased efforts by the UN, governments and NGO's are necessary. … The Second Meeting of States Parties to the Ottawa Convention provides an important opportunity. … I have addressed new challenges and possibilities at the start of the new millennium. Let me end by reminding this Assembly that old challenges still need to be addressed. Weapons of mass destruction are a lethal legacy of the Cold War. They need our continued attention. Certain states are still pursuing the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction and building a missile capacity. There is a need for further improvement of the international non-proliferation regimes."

Egypt (Foreign Minister Amre Moussa), September 13: "There is a need to recognize the importance of the continued and serious consideration of the question of disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, which are the most destructive and pose the greatest threats. The priority of nuclear disarmament must not be overshadowed by the increased attention paid to the small arms and light weapons and anti-personnel land mines. That is not to say, however, that we do not recognize the importance of these subjects or the need to deal with them in a comprehensive and appropriate manner. In this regard, we would like to reaffirm the initiatives made by Egypt for the elimination of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons. We welcome the results of the Sixth Review Conference of the NPT in the field of nuclear disarmament in general. We welcome in particular the Conference's recognition of the specificity of the situation in the Middle East and its reaffirmation of the continued validity, and the importance of the implementation of the resolution on the Middle East adopted by the Review and Extension Conference of 1995. We also welcome the proposal of the Secretary-General to hold an international conference to achieve the objective of nuclear disarmament as adopted in the final document of the Millennium Summit last week. This will constitute a step towards the implementation of our proposal to convene an international conference to consider ridding the world of nuclear weapons within a specified time period. … The stability of peace and security in the Middle East is connected to the need for a serious consideration of the question of armaments in the Middle East. Diffusing the tension, in a permanent manner, necessitates dealing with the problem of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery vehicles. This will also contribute directly to the maintenance of international peace and security. Peace and stability in the Middle East will not be complete or durable without the establishment of a comprehensive regional security system. This system must ensure the control of the quantity and quality of armaments in the region. It must also establish a zone free from weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East in accordance with the initiative of President Mubarak which enjoys world wide understanding and support."

El Salvador (Foreign Minister Maria Eugenia Brizuela de Avila), September 16: "[E]ven though the Conference of the parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons had not achieved what her Government had hoped for, it had still taken steps in the direction of eliminating the threat of nuclear war. Having suffered from a long drawn-out war, El Salvador was particularly concerned by the illicit traffic of small arms and light weapons. Such traffic had prolonged the war in El Salvador. The traffic of small arms and light weapons not only prolonged conflicts, but also threatened international stability. Trafficking of small arms and light weapons went hand in hand with terrorism, money laundering, drug trafficking and international crime. International cooperation was required to immediately address the problem." (UN Press Release summary, GA/9770.)

European Union & Associated States (Hubert Vedrine, Foreign Minister of France), September 12: "The European Union calls for the termination of terrorist activity in Kashmir, the implementation of confidence- and security-building measures and strict respect for the line of control in order to restore a peaceful local climate and enable the dialogue between Pakistan and India to resume in the spirit of the Lahore Declaration. The EU shall be looking closely for such signs from the parties involved and encourage those initiatives likely to resolve all the disputes between the two countries. It is important for the specific measures laid down in Security Council Resolution 1172 to be implemented and for Pakistan and India to subscribe to the international non-proliferation regime and sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. …

The threat of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems is a crucial issue which the European Union, sharing the concern for international peace and security that ought to inspire the nations represented here, is resolved to combat relentlessly. To this end, international cooperation must be stressed along with the development of multilateral standards for non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament. This is particularly true of chemical and biological weapons, which have now been banned. The Union is working towards the early conclusion of a protocol to strengthen the 1972 Convention on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons which shall contain reliable and effective verification measures. We are equally determined to ensure nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, where so much progress has been made since the signing of the NPT, to which 187 states are now parties. Since the end of the Cold War, effective instruments for ending the arms race and achieving disarmament have started to see the light of day, with the halt to testing, the treaty enshrining it, the first two START agreements to reduce the largest nuclear arsenals and a host of unilateral decisions that follow the same trend. Consolidating this mechanism must be our priority. A start was made with the review conferences of 1995 and 2000; the results which we welcome must be fully implemented.

We must give full weight to strengthening the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency through the widespread implementation of the measures contained in the 1997 model protocol and to remain alert to the issue of NPT compliance. We must also revive the momentum of the multilateral negotiations.

The entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the completion of the operational readiness of the CTBTO and the negotiation at the Disarmament Conference of the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty are all necessary steps that are of concern and ought to mobilize all states, be they parties to the NPT or not. The start of this negotiation implies urgent negotiations on a working program at the conference on Disarmament. International standards in this field can only be effective if they are universal. Arsenal reductions, which are the prime responsibility of the nuclear­weapon states, must also be continued. This will enable us to move closer to our common objectives: the elimination of nuclear weapons and general, comprehensive disarmament under strict and effective international control.

The issue of small aims and light weapons is just as sensitive in many regions of the world. It deserves special attention. The EU will contribute to the preparation of the International Conference on the Illicit Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its aspects, which will take place during the summer of 2001, with the objective of obtaining a positive and enforceable plan of action to combat the destabilizing accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons. At the same time, the Union shall continue its drive in favor of the implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction. It shall join in the efforts to achieve the total elimination of anti-personnel mines."

Finland (Ambassador Marjatta Rasi, Permanent Representative to the UN), September 12: "Peace and security are indivisible. Disarmament is a part of a comprehensive and integrated action in preventing conflicts and in promoting a global dialogue on peace and stability. Arms control agreements, including the ABM Treaty, remain a cornerstone in international security. The successful outcome of the NPT Review Conference creates a new momentum in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. CTBT must be ratified by all. We hope for a swift entry into force of the START II Treaty, and we are looking forward to the commencement of the START III negotiations. One of the main concerns is regional arms race. We need to ensure that the few countries remaining outside the NPT regime do not develop weapons of mass destruction. Also conventional arms and in particular anti-personnel landmines, small arms and light weapons remain a concern in regional and internal conflicts. The UN Conference on Illicit Trade in Small Arms in All Its Aspects should aim at significant results in adopting a comprehensive approach integrating security and development. Enhanced international action is also needed in humanitarian demining particularly in post-conflict situations where civilian population continue to be victims of anti-personnel landmines."

Germany (Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer), September 14: "One of the greatest dangers facing humanity remains the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The risk of regional arms raises, particularly in South Asia, has increased. Further developing the international arms control regime therefore continues to be one of the UN's key tasks. This will require resolute implementation of the results of the Sixth NPT Review Conference. Against this background, President Clinton's decision not to commit now to the development of a national missile defence system is very welcome. The ABM Treaty must remain as a cornerstone of strategic stability and the basis for further nuclear disarmament measures. In poor countries the excessive stockpiling of small arms must be stopped. We must therefore do everything we can to achieve tangible progress at the UN Small Arms Conference to be held in 2001. This presupposes the inclusion of all aspects, including the legal transfer, of production and stockpiles."

Ghana (Foreign Minister James Victor Gbeho), September 18: "Disarmament lies at the heart of the UN efforts to ensure and sustain international peace and security, conditions necessary for all productive human activity. The nuclear threat of the Cold War era still looms large over all of us and will continue to do so until the nuclear powers and militarily significant countries disarm. It is therefore reassuring that despite the gloom which has beclouded the UN disarmament machinery over the past years, positive results have been achieved at the Sixth [NPT] Review Conference of the State parties of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty... The United Nations must thus capitalize on this momentum and continue in its search for new ways and means to achieve nuclear disarmament and arms non-proliferation. It must also embark on confidence-building measures in order to enhance the process. In this regard, the Disarmament Commission and other relevant machinery on Disarmament established by the General Assembly should be given every opportunity to fulfill their mandates through the demonstration by Member States of commitment, flexibility and the necessary political will. Ghana would therefore use this opportunity to reiterate its support for the proposal by the Secretary-General to convene a major international Conference on the nuclear threat. We will also play an active part in the preparatory process leading to the UN Conference on Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects in 2001."

Guatemala (Vice President Juan Francisco Reyes Lopez), September 12: "[A]s regards general disarmament, we insist on the need to advance towards the total elimination of (1) nuclear, chemical and bacteriological weapons, (2) illicit trafficking in small arms, and (3) the use of anti-personnel mines and explosive devices. In respect of these matters we strongly support all the concrete actions that the United Nations are undertaking to achieve these aims as well as those that tend to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones in all regions of the world." Hungary (Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi), September 16: "One of the major international problems was linked to the question of classic weapons and weapons of mass destruction. The Non-Proliferation Treaty Conference was an important step towards a safer world. The final document adopted by the Review Conference reaffirmed the central role of the treaty and the need for international cooperation, and it was hoped that the Programme of Action would be implemented shortly. Hungary attached importance to the initiation of work on the treaty prohibiting the use of fissile matter for military purposes and the prohibition of biological weapons." (UN Press Release summary, GA/9769.)

India (Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh), September 19: "Disarmament, and global nuclear disarmament in particular, is essential to engender a greater sense of security among member states. India has been, and will continue to be, in the forefront of efforts towards global nuclear disarmament and genuine non-proliferation. We welcome the recommendation of the Secretary General in his report on the Millennium Summit to convene an international conference on Eliminating Nuclear Danger. We urge commencement on negotiations on a Nuclear Weapons Convention to bring about a nuclear-weapon-free world. India remains ready to participate in agreed and irreversible steps such as de-alerting of nuclear forces, thus lowering nuclear danger through accidental use or otherwise; [we] also [support] a global agreement on no-first-use and on non-use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states. The situation with regard to the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the lack of progress, on a Programme of Work at the Conference on Disarmament, in Geneva, shows the importance of building a consensus, both within and amongst nations, on issues that affect national and international security. We are conscious that 155 countries are, at present, signatories to the CTBT. We would like to reiterate to them our continuing commitment that India does not wish to stand in the way of entry into force of the CTBT. India volunteered, and continues to observe a moratorium on further explosive nuclear testing. This meets the basic obligation of the CTBT. India also remains ready to engage in meaningful negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament, including on a global treaty to ban the future production of fissile material for weapons purposes.

Illicit transfer, manufacture and circulation of small arms, particularly by States to non-State actors and to terrorist groups, and their intrinsic linkage with terrorism and narco-trafficking are matters of very deep concern to the world community. When this is combined with religious fanaticism and military adventurism, a threat is posed to global civilized norms, which we strive for. The international community can no longer afford to permit these purveyors of death, outrage and destruction to continue to inflict untold suffering upon innocents. We look forward to a successful outcome of the International Conference on Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons, in all its aspects, next year."

Indonesia (Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab), September 19: "One major issue confronting us is the lack of progress on the elimination of nuclear weapons. We are even more concerned to see a new rationalization for their continued use, coupled with repeated assertions of their legitimacy and necessity, and the danger of the deployment of anti-ballistic missile defense systems. This lack of progress increases the prospects of a new nuclear arms race, which will threaten the existing arms control agreements and the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Ridding the world of the dangers posed by nuclear weapons pending their total abolition is the greatest challenge of our time."

Iran (Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi), September 15: "Good-governance at the international level requires provision of rational and comprehensive mechanisms to ensure security for all. Nuclear disarmament is the most fundamental priority in this regard. It is imperative to initiate multilateral negotiations for the elimination of all nuclear weapons, within a time-bound framework and through a comprehensive and universal convention. The proposal of the Secretary-General to convene an international conference on nuclear weapons is a valuable contribution, which could build upon our collective achievement during the NPT Review Conference. Furthermore, following the outcome of the NPT Review Conference, serious and comprehensive international pressure should come to bear on Israel to accede to the Treaty and put its installations under IAEA safeguards. This would pave the way for the establishment of a zone free from weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East."

Iraq (Foreign Minister Mohammed Said Al-Sahaf), September 21: "The comprehensive sanctions imposed on Iraq have entered their eleventh year. By any standard, these sanctions amounts to genocide and they involve a brutal application of collective punishment and taking revenge on an entire people. There is no longer any doubt that these sanctions constitute a continued, flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and of international law and international humanitarian law, a matter which has been confirmed by the reports of United Nations Agencies and humanitarian and human rights organizations. The most recent testimony to that effect is to be found in the working paper adopted by the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights at its fifty-second session held in Geneva from July 31 to August 18, 2000, which affirmed that the sanctions regime against Iraq is unequivocally illegal under existing international humanitarian law and human rights law. It is well-known that the Americans and the British claim that the oil-for-food programme alleviates the impact of the unjust sanctions imposed against Iraq. That claim, however, quickly proves its baselessness when set against the figures published by the United Nations itself. More than three and a half years have now passed since the inception of the programme, during which period Iraq has exported $31.6 billion worth of oil. Of this total, $9.5 billion have been allocated to the Compensation Fund in Geneva and $1 billion allocated for the administrative expenses of the United Nations, while $8.3 billion have been disbursed for purchases to cover the needs of the people of Iraq, and there are floating and semi-frozen allocations for certain needs of Iraq amounting to $10 billion that, however, have not been disbursed owing to the obstructions placed by the Americans and the British. Such egregious obstructions include putting contracts relating to construction materials on hold with the contracts thus put on hold totaling so far 1173 valued at more than $2 billion. … The United States openly declares that it is prepared to use the veto against any attempt to lift the sanctions imposed on Iraq. It is indeed shameful for the United States that its Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, has declared on a television programme that the continuation of sanctions is worth the death of half a million Iraqi children. …

I must point out that my country is being subjected to a continued daily aggression by American and British aircraft in the no-flight zone imposed on northern and southern Iraq by a unilateral decision of the Washington and London Governments. The aircraft launching the aggression take off from their bases in Saudi, Kuwaiti and Turkish territory. This continued military action which violates the integrity and sovereignty of Iraq's airspace has no basis in law or in any binding resolution passed by the competent organ of the United Nations; it constitutes instead an illegitimate unilateral action undertaken by the United States of America and the United Kingdom. These aggression acts have taken the form of interference in the internal affairs of Iraq on the one hand, and, on the other, a continuation of acts of military aggression against Iraq through the imposition of the two no-flight zones. What confirms the illegal character of the imposition of those two no-flight zones are the official statements issued by the Russian Federation, France and China, which expressed their positions to consider the imposition of those zones as having no basis in law from the very beginning. … The American and British acts of aggression have inflicted huge material and moral losses on Iraq and have caused grave damage to its civilian infrastructure. The loss of human life…has amounted to more than 300 martyrs and 900 wounded civilians. … Iraq has discharged its obligations under the relevant Security Council resolutions. Consequently, the logical result that is supposed to ensue is for the embargo imposed on it to be lifted. On the other hand, the Charter requires that the American-British aggression against Iraq should be condemned and that the perpetrators of that aggression and those who are participating in carrying it out (namely, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Turkey) should be made to bear the international responsibility with all its legal implications.

We cannot, under any circumstances, have anything to do with any unjust position that ignores the record of our fulfillment of our obligations and denies us our legitimate right to have the embargo lifted as required by the Charter and the correct interpretation of the relevant Security Council resolutions. A flagrant example of how the record of the fulfillment of our obligations is being ignored and how our right to have the embargo lifted is being denied is to be found in the underhanded way by which the United States of America and Britain have been able to make Security Council resolution 1284 (1999) a vehicle for defrauding Iraq of its rights and distorting its complete fulfillment of its obligations under the relevant Security Council resolutions, including in particular resolution 687 (1991). Resolution 1284 (1999) does not represent a solution at all, nor is it, in essence, anything more than a deliberate ploy to get through the American anti-Iraq policy as embodied in the perpetuation of the embargo to an unforeseeable point of time. We have therefore clearly declared that we shall have not deal with this resolution. …

The Middle East region suffers from a grave situation caused by the possession by the Zionist entity which occupies Arab Palestine of a huge arsenal of weapons of mass destruction of all kinds, be they nuclear, chemical or biological long-range ballistic missiles. The Zionist entity which occupies Arab Palestine refuses to accede to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and refuses to place all its nuclear installations under the comprehensive safeguards regime of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Besides its dangerous threat to peace and security in the Middle East region and the world, this situation exposes the double standard applied by the United States which, on the one hand, arms the Zionist entity and give it unlimited support and, on the other, deliberately ignores the provisions of paragraph 14 of Security Council resolution 687 (1991) which specifies the measures imposed on Iraq should be applied on other countries in the region in order to make the Middle East a zone free of weapons of mass destruction and of all systems of delivery of those weapons as well as towards the goal of imposing an international prohibition against chemical weapons. The Security Council has taken no step in this regard despite the fact that Iraq has implemented all the required measures. As a result, the way the Security Council has acted under American pressure in this context is a flagrant example of the double standard policy."

Ireland (Foreign Minister Brian Cowen), September 14: "Progress in disarmament remains crucially important both to the maintenance of peace and to development. At the Sixth Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, very considerable efforts were made by all the States Parties to ensure a successful outcome. This reflects the central role of this Treaty for the achievement of a world free of nuclear weapons. The outcome highlights the underlying premise of the Non-Proliferation Treaty that these weapons do not provide assurances of peace and security. The threat to humanity posed by their continued existence will remain until we achieve an effective and global ban. There have been welcome and significant reductions of their arsenals by the Nuclear-weapon states. But defence strategies, based on nuclear weapons, continue to include the possible use, even the first use, of these weapons. The Non-Proliferation Treaty is not a charter for the indefinite retention of nuclear weapons by any State. It represents a clear obligation to make nuclear disarmament a reality. At the Review Conference the parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty came closer in their common understanding of what is demanded by the Treaty. In this connection the 'unequivocal commitment to the total elimination of their nuclear weapons' made by the nuclear weapon States is of fundamental significance. However, let us not lull ourselves into complacency because we have reached agreement on a programme of action. We now have an opportunity to begin the root and branch elimination of these weapons. Progress is primarily dependent on action by the five nuclear-weapon states. States which participate in security arrangements involving nuclear weapons have a particular responsibility to diminish the role of nuclear weapons in security policies. All states share a responsibility to advance negotiation of those measures needed to guarantee a world free of nuclear weapons. For our part, Ireland and our partners in the New Agenda Coalition are determined to work vigorously for the achievement of this goal.

I referred earlier to the role of conventional arms in conflict situations. The ravages and suffering caused by small arms as well as by landmines are immense. We are, at least in the case of landmines, beginning to see positive results from the implementation of the Ottawa Convention. The practical outcome has been the destruction of over 22 million mines by some 50 states; expenditure on mine clearance has more than doubled, and countless lives have been saved. Next year, the United Nations will focus on small arms with the first International Conference specifically addressing this issue. We must set ambitious goals for the conference so that we may have a basis for making genuine inroads on the culture of violence fostered by the dissemination of these weapons."

Israel (Acting Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami), September 18: "In the midst of our own peace process, we ask ourselves, is the world safer today? Are we leaving our children a better place? Has mankind really lost the urge and impulse to wage war? The Middle East is not tranquil yet. It is still replete with armed conflicts, political hostilities and animosities. Israel believes that regional arrangements are crucial for arms control. A step-by-step approach, commensurate with progress towards comprehensive peace, is the right approach. We are concerned by the expanding stockpiles of conventional weapons in the region. That is complemented by attempts made by Iran and Iraq to acquire and develop non-conventional weapons, and by an increasing missile threat. Just recently, Iran conducted a long-range ballistic missile test. Israel attaches great importance to the eventual establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the region. In order to reach that goal, direct negotiations between all states of the region must be held."

Jamaica (Foreign Minister Paul Robertson), September 14: "The deadly flow of illegal small arms around the world continues unabated, sustained by greed and lawlessness. This illicit arms trade contributes significantly to the escalation and perpetuation of violence in conflict and post-conflict areas, undermining peacekeeping operations and frustrating efforts at disarmament, demobilization and the restoration of civil order. But…this phenomenon is not unique to countries in a state of war. The illegal traffic in weapons is also linked to the illicit trade in narcotics, and this undermines stable democracies like Jamaica, destroying the social fabric of our communities. This situation simply cannot stand. Urgent, action is needed. Global interdependence warrants collective action to stem the flow of these guns from producer to receiving states. The responsibility to curb this illicit traffic cannot rest with the receiving states alone. Jamaica looks with anticipation to the convening of the First International Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons next year. It is our hope that this meeting will address comprehensively and decisively national, regional and international measures to regulate and control the legal manufacture, acquisition and transfer of small arms; measures related to the marking, registration and tracing of these weapons, and mechanisms for the systematic exchange of information. …

The transhipment of nuclear and other hazardous waste through the Caribbean Sea poses yet another kind of danger to the security of small island states of the sub-region. The Caribbean Community has repeatedly expressed concern at the threat to the fragile marine and coastal environment of the Caribbean posed by this continued practice. A single nuclear accident in this semi-enclosed sea would have consequences we dare not even contemplate. This concern was again brought to the attention of the international community during the 2000 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, held earlier this year. We look forward to cooperating with like-minded states and we propose to work toward ensuring that a regime is established for liability and compensation to our countries in the event of an accident."

Japan (Foreign Minister Yohei Kono), September 13: "In order to ensure that the twenty-first century is truly a century of peace, it is of greatest importance that the international community make united efforts to address the issues of disarmament and non-proliferation. In 1945, Hiroshima and Nagasaki became the first two cities in human history to suffer indescribable nuclear devastation. That experience is the starting point of Japan's actions aimed at the realization of a world free of nuclear weapons. With succeeding generations in this half-century, the extremely shocking experiences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki might very well be pushed to the edge of our memory. In such circumstances, new signs of proliferation of nuclear weapons and missiles are arousing our concern. I believe, however, that engraving the tragic experiences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in our minds is the first step toward the 'creation of a world free from the nuclear threat,' which is one of the biggest challenges facing the United Nations. In light of such experiences, Japan has maintained the three non-nuclear principles as its fundamental national policy, and has focused particular attention on nuclear issues; it will continue to stress the importance of this issue. …

Throughout my political career, I have been deeply committed to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation issues. A senior politician for whom I have great respect once told me with great fervor: 'I hope that somebody among the peoples of the world will take the lead in advocating peace, and that all others will cooperate for that cause, so that the earth will avoid a crisis. I believe that Japan must play the role of that somebody.' These words have become my political credo, as well as the resolve of many Japanese people. When I was Foreign Minister in 1994, Japan submitted to the General Assembly for the first time a resolution entitled 'Nuclear disarmament with a view to the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons,' which gained the support of an overwhelming majority of Member States. … I highly appreciate the final document adopted at the 2000 NPT Review Conference this spring, since it contains practical steps to be taken in the future in the fields of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, including an unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination,of nuclear arsenals. I also appreciate the postponement by the US Government of its decision to deploy a National Missile Defense, as a result of prudent consideration with an emphasis on a further dialogue on this important issue. Japan hopes that this announcement will inspire a further deepening of the discussion on issues surrounding NMD. I hope other countries respond to this move by taking actions to avoid a vicious circle of an arms race, and to create a beneficent circle toward nuclear disarmament. The international community must continue its efforts for the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and also demand that the nuclear-weapon states further reduce their nuclear arsenals. This will strongly require a further reduction by the United States and Russia in their nuclear weapons through the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks, as well as efforts by other nuclear-weapon states, unilaterally or through their negotiations, to reduce their nuclear arsenals. I also believe that we must seriously consider what kind of practical paths we should take to realize a world free from fear of nuclear weapons. A world free of nuclear weapons is not a dream - it is within our reach.

With this recognition, Japan will submit to this session of the General Assembly a draft resolution on the elimination of nuclear weapons which displays the 'paths' toward the realization of a world free of nuclear weapons, while ensuring the non-proliferation of weapons of mass-destruction. It does so through measures such as the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, and the immediate commencement and early conclusion of negotiations on the Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty, as well as the promotion of the START III negotiations, and through further deeper reductions in later stage in nuclear arsenals, leading to the final stage for total elimination. Japan expects that this resolution will gain wide support from the international community. Further, I would like to point out the importance of concluding negotiations on the protocol to the Biological Weapons Convention by the year 2001, and strengthening efforts to cope with missile proliferation. …

On the issue of small arms and light weapons, in which Japan has been actively engaged, the G-8 countries [have] made clear for the first time that they will not authorize the export of small arms if there is a clear risk that these might be used for repression or aggression against another country. I hope this achievement will lead to the success of next summer's UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. Moreover, at Japan's initiative, the 'Small Arms Fund' was established at the United Nations this spring. The purpose of this fund is to extend assistance for the collection of small arms and the reintegration of ex-combatants into civilian society."

Jordan (Foreign Minister Abdel-Elah Khatib), September 15: "Ten years have passed since the beginning of the Gulf crisis caused by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. As a result, the region as a whole continues to suffer. Iraq continues to pay a heavy price as a result of the continued comprehensive sanctions imposed on it, which caused and continue to cause unprecedented mass suffering for Iraq and its people. Jordan calls for launching a new thinking to put an end to the suffering of Iraq, especially that these collective sanctions, which are the severest of their kind in the United Nations history, did not achieve their goal of consolidating peace and security. They led instead to results that gave rise to future dangers threatening the region as a whole in the long run."

Kazakhstan (Foreign Minister Erlan A. Idrissov), September 12: "While recognizing that global security and stability increasingly depend on economic, environmental and humanitarian aspects of development, we should not belittle the importance of military and political dimension of security. A fundamental issue of elimination of weapons of mass destruction continues to be a matter of our common concern. International instruments in this field, first of all the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons have not yet gained universal support and, thus, cannot be fully effective. The situation with regard to the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty is a cause for concern. We call on all countries to radically change this state of affairs and support the Secretary-General's proposal to hold an international conference to find ways to avert the nuclear threat. Kazakhstan having been the epicenter of the Cold War nuclear confrontation and having resolutely resisted the temptation to turn into a nuclear power after it gained independence has every right to raise the issue with such a vigour. As for Kazakhstan, it continues to contribute to the efforts to ensure global security. Fully respecting its obligations under the above-mentioned international instruments, Kazakhstan has been consistently promoting on its initiatives with regard to the Conference on Interaction and Confidence- Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and the establishment of a nuclear-free zone in Central Asia. We are convinced that the CICA initiative has a rational kernel and call on the UN and the Asian states to continue their support of the CICA process in the interests of Asian and global security."

Kenya (Foreign Minister Bonaya A. Godana), September 15: "[W]e are disappointed that the Conference on Disarmament for the second year running has not undertaken any substantive work. This situation is particularly disturbing since the conference is the sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum. The Conference has for a considerable period of time been expected to conduct serious negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty and a Treaty on Nuclear Disarmament. This very Assembly has in various Resolutions urged the Conference on Disarmament to undertake such negotiations. During its 54th Session for instance, the Assembly passed four Resolutions which inter alia called on the conference to get down to serious work. The lack of progress at the Disarmament Conference is due to the reluctance of key nuclear-weapon states to submit themselves to negotiate in good faith, despite their obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. We still expect the Nuclear Weapon States to honour their commitment to undertake genuine nuclear disarmament, which they renewed during the 2000 Review Conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Failure of the Conference on Disarmament will send a wrong signal to non-nuclear-weapon states and might encourage those with nuclear ambitions to pursue them. After the end of the Cold War, there is no longer any justification for maintaining nuclear arsenals, if there even was one. Kenya calls on the nuclear countries to preserve outer space as a nuclear-free zone.

The serious security problem posed by the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons is a matter of grave concern to Kenya. We hosted in March this year, the Great Lakes Region and Horn of Africa Conference on Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons. The meeting, which was attended by ten states, adopted the Nairobi Declaration. The Declaration calls for greater co-operation and information sharing between law enforcement and border control officials of States of the Region; the strengthening and or adoption of national laws and control mechanisms governing civilian possession of arms; and urges source countries to regulate weapons and amts transactions through licensing. The Nairobi conference was an important initiative. Kenya is in the process of organising a follow up meeting later this year. In the same vein, I would like to express our full support for the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons…"

North Korea (Li Hying Chol, Permanent Representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the UN), September 15: "The United States is creating our non-existent 'missile threats' in order to justify the establishment of its 'Theatre Missile Defense' and 'National Missile Defense' systems. Nevertheless, it gives rise to worldwide concern for its danger. Our missile program is of peaceful nature, to all intents and purposes. All countries have an equal sovereign right recognized in the United Nations to conduct a research work on and make use of the outer space. It is, therefore, totally unfair for the United States to take issue only with our rockets, while there are many countries that launch their own space rockets. If the hostile relations are removed and confidence is built between the DPRK and the US, there will be ways to address the concerns of both sides. The recent incident that prevented the President of the Presidium of our Supreme People's Assembly from attending the Millennium Summit is, after all, the manifestation of the continued hostile policy pursued by the US against the DPRK, labeling our country as 'a terrorism-sponsoring nation'. In this regard, we note that the US has recognized its responsibility for the incident and assured [us] that such [an] incident would not occur again. We also pay attention to the recently stated US position that it has no reason to perpetuate its hostile relations with our country. If this position is put into practice, we will be ready to respond in a positive way any time. …

The role of the United Nations in the field of disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, should be enhanced. Despite ever-growing desire and expectation of the international society for disarmament after the end of the Cold War, the disarmament process stands still, faced with new challenges. Reality requires that a nuclear disarmament process be turned into a United Nations process, instead of being left to the nuclear-weapon states alone. We are of the view that the fourth special session of the United Nations General Assembly devoted to disarmament should be held as early as possible taking into due consideration the demand of a large number of countries."

Kuwait (Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah), September 13: "The Millennium Summit was a momentous occasion to review and appraise the achievements and failures of the past. … In those meetings, resolve was renewed to rid humanity of the risks of nuclear weapons and the alarming dangers posed by their proliferation to international peace and security. …

Ten years have elapsed since the Iraqi invasion of the State of Kuwait. … The reverberations of the sinister Iraqi aggression are still felt by all of us today. The Security Council remains seized of dealing with the repercussions of that aggression. Since the invasion, the Council had to adopt 54 resolutions, in addition to numerous presidential statements in response to the persistent procrastination and equivocation on the part of the Government of Iraq which has constantly sought escape from its international obligations. Indeed, it is regrettable that for ten years now the Government of Iraq has failed to meet its obligations under Security Council resolutions. Chief requirements yet to be met under the Security Council resolutions relate to the question of Kuwaiti and third-country prisoners and hostages. This humanitarian issue illustrates the tragedy facing hundreds of families who continue to grieve over the unknown fate of their loved ones. Little progress, if any, has been made and we are basically still in square one. … The Government of Iraq persists in showing disregard to the humanitarian nature of this issue by its insistence on not resuming its participation in the Tripartite Commission and its Technical Sub-Committee since it boycott both organs in January 1999. Furthermore, the Government of Iraq also insists on non-cooperation with the High-Level Coordinator, Ambassador Yully Vorontsov, who was appointed by the Secretary-General to facilitate the repatriation of those prisoners and hostages. … What is deeply regrettable is that the Government of Iraq not only failed to meet the obligations we outlined earlier but alleges that it had completed the elimination of its weapons of mass destruction while it disallows United Nations inspectors to verify those claims. Also, it claims that it has fulfilled all its obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions. In this position, Iraq stands isolated in the face of the United Nations and the international community along with many regional organizations and groupings who continue to call on Iraq to complete implementation of Security Council resolutions. In his Report on the Work of the Organization this year, the Secretary-General put it most succinctly and eloquently when he said in paragraph 54 and I quote: 'Iraq's lack of compliance with various Security Council resolutions continues to be of grave concern.' In addition, the decision adopted by the last ministerial meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last June confirms beyond any doubt that there is indeed a single unanimous international and regional position on the need for Iraq to comply with Security Council resolutions. That decision demanded the Government of Iraq, among other things, to continue its efforts to complete the implementation of its commitments under Security Council resolutions in the interest of peace, security and stability in the region. It also welcomed the adoption of Security Council resolution 1284 and invited Iraq to cooperate with UNMOVIC under the Chairmanship of Mr. Hans Blix to implement the provisions of 1284. … Against this backdrop, the question we would like now to raise is: Where does Iraq stand now vis-à-vis those resolutions and the sincere calls made upon it by the regional and international organizations? We say sadly that the Government of Iraq for good ten years now has not drawn the right lessons while it continues to reveal its non- peaceful intentions and policies of aggression towards the State of Kuwait and neighbouring countries. The remarks made by the Iraqi president and announcements by several ranking Iraqi officials last month together with the unjust Iraqi misinformation campaign against Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are perhaps the most compelling evidence that the Iraqi regime is still determined on pursuing a course of aggression and feels no sense of remorse or contrition over its actions on August 2, 1990. … Kuwait, for its part, supports all efforts made by the United Nations to alleviate the suffering of the brotherly people of Iraq with whom we fully sympathize. We therefore welcome the improvements introduced by the 661 Sanctions Committee into the operational methods of the humanitarian programme with a view to facilitate and expedite delivery of humanitarian materials to the brotherly people of Iraq. We note with satisfaction the report of the Secretary-General issued last week in which he reported that the humanitarian programme succeeded in providing a great measure of assistance to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of Iraq in all sectors despite the many obstacles and difficulties the programme faces."

Kyrgyzstan (Ambassador Elmira Ibraimova, Permament representative to the UN), September 20: "Wishing to bring its own contribution to the efforts of the global community in creating a safe nuclear-free future, Kyrgyzstan is going further with its most active participation in the creation in Central Asia of a nuclear-free zone. We welcome the assistance from the UN in the realization of this initiative. We express hope that the countries of Central Asia may successfully finish the work on the drafting of a Treaty that meets both the peoples' regional interests and the interests of the entire international community. Speaking about world security, one cannot avoid the issue of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. … [W]e should reaffirm today its role in international security and our need to strictly observe and comply with all the provisions of ABM Treaty."

Lesotho (Foreign Minister Motsoahae Thomas Thabane), September 20: "Preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction - nuclear, chemical and biological - remains one of the most important tasks facing humankind in the 21st century. Above all, it remains a major threat to world peace. The pursuit of arms reduction and the challenge of achieving 'sustainable disarmament' thus remains the only bulwark against the use of or threat of use of weapons of mass destruction. In this regard, the United Nations remains the key institution for the success of all international non-proliferation efforts, not only by serving as a forum in which states carry out complex and sensitive negotiations, but also by being a catalyst for action. More importantly, the five permanent members of the Security Council, who are also nuclear-weapons states under the NPT, bear the responsibility to commit themselves to non-proliferation and to enforce all non-proliferation commitments. While we welcome the nuclear weapons states undertaking to eliminate their nuclear arsenals, their failure to agree to a specific timetable for doing so is regrettable. The challenge is to translate these undertakings into concrete actions towards eliminating all nuclear dangers. We thus support the Secretary General's call for a new international conference on eliminating nuclear dangers as a means of advancing our disarmament goals. We also remain convinced of the need and desirability of convening a Special Session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament.

Thanks to the efforts of all actors, both governmental and non-governmental, the world is beginning to witness tangible results as the production, trade and use of landmines slowly drops, thus lowering the number of casualties. This however should not lead to complacency as evidence of use of mines in some conflict areas, particularly in Africa, continues to surface. We look forward to a day when the world will be free of these weapons and encourage all those who continue to use mines as well as those who remain outside the Convention to heed the rapidly growing international and regional momentum for the ban on land- mines. Lesotho supports the convening of a UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons… We share the view that the outcome of the Conference should be a global Action Plan with specific timetables for the implementation of commitments on issues such as codes of conduct, legislative and regulatory measures, control, enforcement, transparency and tracing measures and mechanisms."

Libya (Abdurrahman M. Shalghem, Secretary of the General People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation), September 14: "The international community has made continuous efforts in the domain of disarmament. My country, which is a party, to most international conventions in this field, is still fully convinced that some international conventions which deal with certain aspects in this area should be reviewed. I would like to refer, as an example, to the Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel mines which deals only with simple weapons of limited effect. We, as one of the Third World peoples who are incapable of defending our borders and our lands against the powerful who possess aircraft carriers and aircraft that refuel during flight, feel that humanity should be preoccupied with the destruction of nuclear, chemical, and germ weapons, as well as ballistic weapons, rather than being concerned with mines, which are a simple form of weaponry.

On the other hand we have noticed that a number of obstacles still faces the efforts for the establishment of a world free from arms of mass destruction. Those who possess nuclear arms have not yet undertaken actual measures to dispose of their nuclear arsenals. In fact, some of them have continued to develop these weapons vertically, instead of commencing to destroy them. The Israelis, who possess hundreds of nuclear warheads with which they threaten the Arab people from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf, still refuse to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty and to place their nuclear installations under the supervision of the safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency. As we raise this most serious and grave subject, we are fully convinced that unless the international community adopts effective measures that oblige the Israelis to accept and implement the international conventions in the domain of nuclear disarmament, and unless the nuclear states take actual steps that prove the seriousness of their undertakings, the efforts directed towards the prevention of the proliferation of nuclear arms will be utterly worthless, and any claims concerning the destruction of nuclear arms will constitute a major act of deception which the peoples of the world will not be fooled by."

Lithuania (Deputy Foreign Minister Oskaras Jusys), September 14: "Co-operation requires wisdom and patience. Yet, all too often guns have been a choice of cure for ethnic strife, social or economic downfall. Vigorous and urgent efforts are needed to curtail proliferation of small arms. We deem it is vital for the 2001 UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons to address critical issues in the field of transparency, legitimate transfers, accountability, enforcement of sanctions, and observance of moratoria. … Against the background of gains in disarmament, a number of setbacks make the picture less encouraging. We share the profound concerns posed by the abundance of weapons of mass destruction and proliferation of missiles. And I fail to see any other way to a safer world rather than reducing, eliminating and outlawing weapons of mass destruction. In the wake of the successful outcome of the 2000 NPT Review Conference, Lithuania will work with other committed nations to have unequivocal commitment to nuclear disarmament materialised."

Republic of Macedonia (Foreign Miniuster Aleksandr Dimitrov), September 18: "The Republic of Macedonia continues to uphold its position In favor of nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation of nuclear and chemical weapons, as well as banning all weapons of massive destruction. We [also attach]…great importance to …the control of small arms and light weapons... We urge the international community to take strong measures and to make efforts to stop the arms trafficking, especially of small arms and light weapons. In that respect, we hope that that the UN International Conference on these issues, which will take place in June/July 2001, shall contribute to more efficient actions by the international community."

Madagascar (Foreign Minister Lila Ratsif Andrihamanana), September 18: "[Madagascar] had ratified the Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel mines and the legal work on the Convention on Biological and Toxin weapons had recently begun. It was important to end the proliferation of small arms and light weapons as the traffic thereof caused international harm." (UN Press Release summary, GA/9772.)

Malaysia (Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar), September 15: "We should strive to get rid of weapons of mass destruction, particularly, nuclear weapons, but also chemical and biological weapons. We must intensify the global efforts to reduce existing stocks of these horrendous weapons, culminating in their total elimination. The major powers and others that possess and manufacture these weapons, bear a special responsibility. We should all play our part in ensuring that there is no let up in the global efforts towards nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. We should also limit the production and deployment of ultra-sophisticated, 'high tech' conventional weapons, many of which are being used in the wars of developing countries resulting in the ironic situation of third world countries fighting their wars with first world weapons, thanks to the aggressive marketing efforts of arms vendors of the developed countries. The developing countries can ill afford the arms race that this will trigger, nor the huge defence expenditures to sustain the use of these weapons."

Mali (Foreign Minister Modibo Sidibe), September 19: "[A major] concern to his Government was the threat of small arms. Regional cooperation was required to support moratoriums, respect sanctions on the trafficking of arms, and strengthen prevention of the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons. The trafficking of arms was intimately linked to the use of child soldiers. The international community had a responsibility towards those children robbed of their childhood. Bringing about the end of conflicts required more attention of the root causes of conflicts, particularly their economic and social dimension."(UN Press Release summary, GA/9773.)

Marshall Islands (Ambassador Jackeo Relang, Permanent Representative to the UN), September 21: "We must…strive toward the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons. The universality of the NPT and CTBT is a major concern. In as much as they are a major challenge, traffic in drugs and small arms constitute a major threat to small islands, like the Republic of the Marshall Islands, due to its geographic isolation and its lack of required resources and capability to combat them."

Mauritius (Foreign Minister Anil Kumarsingh Gayan), September 21: "The continued existence of nuclear arsenals and the threat of a nuclear disaster represents a major impediment to the maintenance of peace and security. With the end of the Cold War, the feeling of insecurity created by nuclear militarisation has diminished, but the international community's aspiration for global disarmament and complete elimination of weapons of mass destruction within a defined time-frame has eluded us. We welcome all the efforts the international community is making towards achieving universal acceptance of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Yet more than 30,000 nuclear weapons are deployed around the world, including weapons that are still maintained in a high state of readiness. The risk that nuclear weapons may explode by design or accident is ever growing. My delegation is convinced that the early convening of an international conference on nuclear disarmament to address issues of global denuclearisation, including the total elimination of all existing nuclear weapons within a specific time frame, is of crucial importance. Such a conference will allow all states, more importantly those possessing nuclear capabilities and which do not fall under the purview of the NPT and the CTBT, to voice their concerns, and contribute substantially towards achieving a world free of nuclear weapons. This is a debt we owe to generations yet unborn."

Mexico (Foreign Minister Rosario Green), September 13: "Mexico continues its fight to achieve the total elimination of nuclear weapons and tests, and reiterates the call made last April by the group of countries that comprise the New Nuclear Disarmament Agenda initiative, for the nuclear powers to commit themselves to the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals. Future generations deserve a world free of nuclear weapons. They deserve a world that is also free from the uncontrollable manufacture and trafficking of conventional arms. They deserve, without a doubt, a world where anti-personnel land mines cease to claim thousands of innocent lives."

Moldova (Foreign Minister Nicolae Tabacaru), September 19: "Disarmament and non-proliferation are essential elements of the security architecture. The Republic of Moldova, like many other countries, considers that we should continue our efforts to achieve disarmament and non-proliferation, with universal ratification of the major multilateral disarmament instruments, negotiations on biological weapons, ballistic missiles and small arms. In particular we should reaffirm the role of the ABM Treaty as the cornerstone of international peace, security and strategic stability. The Republic of Moldova attaches utmost importance also to the issue of small and light weapons, primarily to the effort to create effective international mechanisms for the prevention of their illegal transfers, especially in the areas of conflict. In this respect, we are prepared to bring our contribution to the preparation of the International Conference…to be held next summer."

Mongolia (Foreign Minister L. Erdenechuluun), September 21: "As we review the progress in the area of arms limitation, disarmament and non-proliferation, our reaction can at best be termed as mixed. While there has been certain movement forward in some areas, there has been little or no progress in others. The 2000 NPT Review Conference in its Final Document included a number of agreed conclusions and recommendations related to nuclear disarmament. … These constitute an important statement of purpose and, if translated into practice, will open the way to practical nuclear disarmament measures. Mongolia welcomes the ratification by the Russian Federation of the CTBT and START II treaties. And we look forward to the United States' ratification of the CTBT at an early date. We urge the Russian Federation and the United States to follow-up on their earlier announcement regarding the discussions on START III. Mongolia joins the international appeal to the key states to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty so that it could be brought into force as soon as possible. The urgency of this call becomes even more compelling in the light of the activities that could seriously undermine the nuclear non-proliferation regime. My delegation also believes that it is important for the Conference on Disarmament, which for several years has been unable to agree on a program of work, to end its stalemate and to engage in earnest negotiations on an early conclusion of a universal and verifiable Fissile Materials Cut-Off Treaty. Pending the negotiation of that treaty we would welcome a moratorium by the nuclear-weapon-states on the production of weapons grade fissile materials and for greater transparency through disclosure of their present stocks. Better still, we would urge the United Nations to establish a Register for all stocks of weapons grade fissile material. This would help establish an important balance with the UN Register of Conventional Arms.

We welcome the decision taken by the United States to postpone the deployment of a National Missile Defense System. The ABM Treaty, a cornerstone of strategic stability, if undermined, could trigger an uncontrollable nuclear arms race. A growing emphasis placed of late on nuclear weapons in military doctrines is a cause of increasing concern. It is, therefore, only natural that countries like Mongolia favour the adoption of such steps as de-alerting of nuclear weapons, removal of nuclear warheads from delivery vehicles, joint undertakings by the nuclear-weapon powers of a pledge not to be the first to use nuclear weapons. These are essential safety measures that would reduce the risk of unauthorized or miscalculated use of nuclear weapons. In addition, provision should be made for legally binding negative security assurances to non-nuclear States Parties to the NPT as has become customary for NWS in signing Protocols to nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties. In this context, Mongolia welcomes the proposal by the Secretary-General to convene a major international conference aimed at identifying ways of eliminating nuclear dangers. We hope that this timely proposal will be given serious consideration at this session of the General Assembly followed by the adoption of a relevant resolution to this effect.

Mongolia shares the legitimate concern of the world community over the global proliferation of small arms and light weapons which are the principal instruments of death wherever conflicts and wars occur. We hope that the United Nations Conference…scheduled for 2001 will result in practical measures designed to tighten control, curb the spread and destroy surplus weapons. …

As is known, Mongolia declared in 1992 its territory a nuclear-weapon-free zone that was widely supported by the international community. Since then we have come a long way. The General Assembly at its 53rd session adopted a resolution (53/77D) entitled 'Mongolia's international security and nuclear-weapon-free status'. As a follow-up to its declaration the Parliament of Mongolia adopted last February a law on Mongolia's nuclear-weapon-free status thus institutionalizing it at the national level. At this session we expect a joint statement by the nuclear-weapon states providing security assurances to Mongolia in connection with its nuclear-weapon-free status, which would represent an important step along the road to institutionalizing that status at the international level. I wish to put on record my Government's appreciation to the P5 for their constructive cooperation and support."

Morocco (Foreign Minister Mohamed Benaissa), September 13: "Another regional concern was the inhuman conditions imposed upon the people of Iraq through sanctions, particularly the lack of access to food and medicine by children... [Morocco] called on the international community to lift those sanctions, adding that the territorial integrity of Iraq was a prerequisite for regional stability." (UN Press Release summary, GA/9763)

Nauru (Ambassador Vinci N. Clodumar, Permanent Representative to the UN), September 20: "Despite the establishment of several initiatives by the UN in its effort to progress and expedite the question of disarmament, it is sad to note that progress is at a snail's pace due mainly to resistance by most nuclear-weapons states to disarm. In the Pacific region, which has been declared a nuclear-weapon-free zone by the Raratonga Treaty, the transboundary shipment of nuclear fuel and other radioactive material in the waters of State Parties to the Waigani Convention are banned. Our efforts through the NPT process and bilateral and multilateral initiatives to protect our ecosystem and seas against accidents from these shipments in the high seas of our region have been met with strong opposition by shipping states who, unlike us, are not dependent on the sea and its ecosystem for their livelihoods. In this regard, Nauru supports the call by the Secretary General to convene a special session of the General Assembly to address the nuclear weapons disarmament issue, as we are not satisfied with the pace of progress in the other fora. On the other end of the scale, small arms and fight weapons obtained through illicit trade accounts for much of the political, ethnic and criminal killings and human suffering that has occurred in the less affluent countries of the world. The tranquil South Pacific has not been spared from this deadly trade. The United Nations will be convening the First Conference on Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Weapons next year and it is our hope that member States will not put national political interests ahead of the desires of the international community to eradicate this illegal and offensive activity."

Nepal (Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola), September 12: "Lasting peace cannot be secured until nuclear weapons, which constitute the major threat to global security, are eliminated in a time-bound manner. Nor can it be achieved without the complete eradication of other weapons of mass destruction. We view that weapons delivery systems and the so-called national missiles defence threaten the peace as well. Small arms and light weapons have killed more people than all weapons of mass destruction combined. We must turn our backs on the guns by controlling small arms and light weapons. In this context, we welcome the proposed conference on small arms to be held in 2001. … As host to the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, Nepal is strongly committed to enhance the Centre's contribution to peace and disarmament, and is fully prepared to meet its obligation to house the Centre in Kathmandu."

New Zealand (Foreign Minister Phil Goff), September 14: "At the Millennium Summit world leaders agreed to strive for the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons. The outcome of the Non Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in May…demonstrates a new determination to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons. This is a matter of real urgency. We must promote the implementation of the new commitments. New Zealand with its New Agenda partners will table a draft resolution during this General Assembly session. New Zealand will also in partnership with Brazil promote a Southern Hemisphere free of nuclear weapons. In addition we will along with Australia, Mexico and Japan urge all countries yet to do so to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. We will also support further preparations for the United Nations Conference to address the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects, and join calls for adherence to the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel landmines. New Zealand urges caution regarding decisions on missile developments that could impact negatively on nuclear disarmament, lead to a new nuclear arms race, or be inconsistent with the commitment to the total elimination of nuclear weapons. This is no time for complacency. The UN's disarmament and arms control machinery must engage again in negotiations and other work on the new programme of action agreed at the NPT Conference."

Nicaragua (Vice Foreign Minister Jose Adan Guerra Pastora), September 22: "In initiating this new millennium, we note the urgent need to deepen and accelerate progress in measures and actions to achieve global disarmament, particularly those arms which, owing to their great power of destruction, endanger the preservation of life itself on our planet. We therefore welcomed the outcome of the Review conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons held this year, which reaffirmed the conviction that the full and effective application of the Treaty and the non-proliferation regime in all its aspects play a vital role in the promotion of peace and international security. Similarly, we focus singular attention on the problem of conventional weapons and the existence of anti-personnel mines, which are also a threat to human security. For this reason, we believe it is a priority to fulfil the obligations which each of us states has acquired under the international and regional conventions adopted on this matter. In Nicaragua, one of the most serious consequences of the armed conflict of the 1990s…was undoubtedly the existence of a huge quantity of anti-personnel mines throughout the national territory, a situation which even today claims numerous innocent victims. Accordingly, my country, with the support of the international community, is making huge efforts to achieve a permanent solution to this problem. Hence, together with mine clearance activities, we have initiated the process of destroying mine stockpiles, and have thus far succeeded in destroying more than 40,000 mines, in strict compliance with the Ottawa Convention… Nicaragua reaffirms its desire to do its utmost in the preparation of the third session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Ottawa Convention, to be held in our country in September 2001."

Niger (Representative Ousmane Moutari), September 21: "For many countries, including Niger, the chief source of anguish was the lack of basic physical safety of citizens due to armed conflicts and the unacceptable illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons. The proliferation of illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons was one of the major challenges facing the international community. Concrete and sustained measures must be taken on national, regional and international levels to stop this practice. … The United Nations conference on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons must develop and reinforce national, regional and international efforts with a view to prevent, fight, restrict and eradicate the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons." (UN Press Release summary, GA/9778.)

Nigeria (Foreign Minister Sule Lamido), September 19: "The debate so far has brought to the fore the problem of the contradiction between sovereignty and intervention. Of course, nation states, even those on the verge of evaporation would be sensitive to the word intervention, but, more than that, discussions on the issue has brought out the one-dimensional nature of the treatment of some issues or problems in terms of what we include or exclude in the definition. In this particular case, the debate so far has concentrated on war situations or armed conflicts featuring massive loss of lives. Now, what of other situations where loss of lives are also of serious magnitude but not as a result of a war situation or armed conflict? … What about the situation which arises from where sanctions lead to deaths on a serious scale? … Similarly, is there no other way by which the world can arrest proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Africa and other parts of the South? Certainly, the world knows about the nature and type of weapons used in the prosecution of these wars, where they are manufactured and by whom, the processes by which they are traded and acquired and the key facilitators of these processes including national governments and arms merchants. What if the search for solution focuses on these areas?"

Norway (Foreign Minister Thorbjorn Jagland), September 14: "We will continue to combat the illicit trade and spread of small arms. We should make full use of the opportunity provided by the UN Conference on Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons to take firm steps that will curtail this deadly traffic."

Oman (Foreign Minister Yousef Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah), September 15: "Despite all the serious international and regional efforts to alleviate the suffering of the people of Iraq, the general situation in Iraq continues to deteriorate as a result of the economic embargo imposed for the last 10 years. Therefore, we cannot now but call for the establishment of a mechanism to end the siege and to lift the embargo, which doubtlessly has done great harm to the people of Iraq. … The mechanisms available to the Security Council with regard to Iraq are no longer positive tools. UN inspectors have exerted substantial efforts to eliminate weapons of mass destruction, and indeed destroyed known Iraqi weapons. This could be sufficient to review once again how to end this tragedy, and to establish new mechanisms to enable the Security Council to continue monitoring Iraq's implementation of relevant UN resolutions, alongside the lifting of economic sanctions. We do not believe it is justified to punish a population on simply fear and suspicion. The Security Council should protect the Iraqi people from the deterioration of the human environment. The United Nations has an historical responsibility to cooperate with Iraq in order to minimise the widespread suffering that may befall the people of Iraq in the future. We look forward to Iraq cooperating in a positive manner to clarify the fate of the Kuwaitis who remain captives of the unknown inside Iraq, and their fate still undetermined."

Pakistan (Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar), September 18: "Pakistan has historically supported all proposals and agreements aimed at the limitation, progressive reduction and eventual elimination of weapons of mass destruction. For over a quarter century, we made efforts and initiated proposals to keep our area free of nuclear weapons. Also, Pakistan has been prepared to support universal and non-discriminatory measures and proposals. Pakistan voted in favour of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1996 and intended to sign it along with all others, especially the designated States. The process of bringing that treaty into force was derailed due to events not of our making. Even then, Pakistan was not the first to conduct tests in 1998. It will not be the first to resume them. We still hope the treaty can be brought into force. Pakistan will not obstruct the realization of that aim. Our Government continues efforts to build domestic consensus in favour of the treaty. Meanwhile, restraint and responsibility remain the guiding principles of our nuclear policy. Pakistan will not enter into any nuclear arms race. Our sole aim is to retain minimum credible deterrence. I wish to reaffirm in this august assembly, our nuclear capability is only meant to deter aggression against Pakistan, it poses a threat to no country. We support efforts aimed at prevention of vertical or horizontal proliferation of nuclear weapons. During the past year we have further strengthened domestic regulations against export of nuclear equipment or materials. Our power reactors are under international safeguards. Pakistan is prepared to cooperate in efforts for restraints in development, production and deployment of ballistic missiles. To be successful, such efforts must be non-discriminatory. Their aim must be stabilization of the situation. Any use of nuclear weapons is inconceivable. However, the Charter obliges us to refrain from the threat or use of force. The world community should, therefore, emphasize No-First-Use of force, nuclear or conventional.

At the global level, Pakistan supports calls for continued observance of the ABM Treaty. Militarization of outer-space will be a disservice to hopes for maintenance of existing restraint and stability. Pakistan will participate in negotiations on the proposed Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty and make a positive contribution to evolving a fair and equitable text which all countries can support."

Palestine (Ambassador Nasser Al-Kidwa, Permanent Observer to the UN), September 19: "[W]ith regard to Arab national security and the principle of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, we reaffirm the necessity for Israel to accede to the NPT and to put all its nuclear facilities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. We also support the attempts aimed at establishing a region free from weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, and believe this is an essential condition for establishing a new situation in the region, which we all seek to achieve. In the wider Arab region, the suffering of the Iraqi people is still a source of real concern for us and we call for a speedy end to their suffering."

Papua New Guinea (Foreign Minister Sir John Kaputin), September 15: "Certain security issues, such as climate change, require a global approach. So do efforts to limit the proliferation - and bring about the complete elimination - of nuclear weapons. … The road to success can require complementary national, regional and global efforts. Thus, Papua New Guinea is addressing the unwelcome spread of small arms and light weapons by imposing a complete ban on the issuing of new gun licences. We support efforts to deal with the spread of illegally obtained or held arms through the pacific islands forum. We look to the forthcoming united nations conference on illicit trade in small arms and light weapons to provide a global framework - and global support - for the efforts that individual states and regional organisations are taking to deal with the problem within their respective jurisdictions."

Philippines (Foreign Minister Domingo L. Siazon), September 18: "More than ever, the UN must now gather together the political will of all nations to bring about the final stage of disarmament and the much-awaited arrival of a nuclear-weapon-free world. Toward this end, we must support the Secretary General's call to convene the conference on nuclear dangers, actively participate in the 2001 small arms conference, negotiate a comprehensive convention against terrorism, and progressively improve weapons and arms budget transparency measures."

Russia (Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov), September 18: "Strategic stability means further progress in the disarmament process, reliable prevention of the spread of weapons of mass destruction. Today nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation are no longer the subject of exclusive interaction between Russia, the USA and other nuclear powers. What is needed is effective involvement of multilateral UN mechanisms and the entire world community in those processes. The outcome of the Millennium Summit provides additional opportunities for the achievement of a major breakthrough in disarmament in the 21st century. This would require consistent joint efforts aimed at strict compliance with the agreements concluded; step-by-step reduction and eventual elimination of weapons of mass destruction under effective international control and limitation of other types of armaments; and prevention of the arms race in new spheres. Time has come to give a new impetus to the work of the Conference on Disarmament, which has proved in practice the effectiveness of multilateral diplomacy under the auspices of the United Nations. Russia advocates the resumption of substantive work at that forum on major issues on the disarmament agenda.

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons provides an indispensable international legal basis for nuclear disarmament. This has been reaffirmed in full by the 2000 Review Conference. Russia will work to ensure that the decisions of the Millennium Assembly promote practical implementation of the agreements reached in the course of that Conference. It is precisely for that purpose that the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir V. Putin, put forward an initiative on the development and implementation, under the IAEA auspices, of an international project to phase out the use of enriched uranium and pure plutonium in the civilian nuclear energy sector.

We are satisfied to note the increasing number of states to accede to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Its speedy entry into force is in the interests of the entire international community. Having ratified the Treaty we call on those who have not done so yet to follow suit. We expect that the United States will follow Russia in completing the ratification of the START II Treaty, which will help make it operational. We are ready to actively continue the process of nuclear disarmament and to move towards the conclusion of a START III Treaty with an even lower threshold of nuclear warheads - down to 1,500 units. But this will only be feasible if the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty remains intact. It is universally acknowledged that this major Treaty concerns vital security interests of the international community as a whole. Its preservation is a key element of global stability and a strong barrier to the race of nuclear and missile arms as well as other weapons of mass destruction. Russia will introduce a draft General Assembly resolution in support of the ABM Treaty. We hope that, like last year, our initiative will receive broad support within the United Nations. … [A] peaceful Earth needs [a] peaceful outer space. At the Millennium Summit President Putin proposed to convene an international conference on the prevention of weaponization of outer space in Moscow in the spring of 2001 when the 40th anniversary of the first manned flight to outer space is to be commemorated. We hope that this proposal will be actively supported."

Saint Lucia (Foreign Minister Geiorg W. Odlum), September 14: "On a discordant note the United States of America is now concentrating its attention on a National Missile Defense System aimed at protecting the United States from missile attacks. At this strategic juncture in the new millennium when world leaders are gingerly massaging a Culture of Peace and Disarmament this action runs counter to the mood for reconciliation, and universal nuclear disarmament. This unfortunate and myopic emphasis on the protection of one nation and one people might well trigger off a rash of self-protective nuclear explosions effectively eroding the fragile trust which underpins the hope of global human security."

Saint Vincent & The Grenadines (Foreign Minister Allan Cruickshank), September 20: "Our survival as a region is intimately interwoven with our environment. Our physical and economic limitations should not be further burdened by the trans-shipment of hazardous waste through our waterways. Such actions are a flagrant violation of our human rights and an affront to our sovereign dignity. We therefore reiterate the call for the Caribbean Sea to be a nuclear-free zone in the context of sustainable development."

Saudi Arabia (Assistant Foreign Minister Nizar Obaid Madani), September 14: "We remain at pain for the sufferings of the brotherly Iraqi people as a result of the continuing refusal of their government to abide by the full implementation of UN resolutions in order to allow for the lifting of sanctions. In reiterating its concern with the suffering of the Iraqi people, the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia proposed an initiative that would allow Iraq to import all its needs of materials and goods, except those that fall within the context of military items that threatens Iraq's neighbors. Accepting such an initiative would have provided the Iraqi people with their needs and hence alleviating their suffering. However, the Iraq government was swift in rejecting this gesture which prolonged the suffering of the Iraqi people. We hope once again that the Iraqi government would act quickly to comply with Security Council Resolution 1284 and the mandate of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission and other international committees concerned with the release and repatriation of all Kuwaiti and Saudi prisoners, as well as the return of all Kuwaiti properties. We once again reiterate the need to respect Iraq's independence, unity and territorial integrity. …

The issue of disarmament is of great concern to my country and we call for greater efforts in this area, especially weapons of mass destruction. The presence of these weapons represents a great danger to international peace and security. We hope that the nuclear states fulfill the pledges they made during 2000 Review Conference of Parties to Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and adhere to the total eradication of their nuclear arsenal. In this context, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is very concerned about Israel's refusal to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and keeping its nuclear program outside the scope of international control. Israel's refusal to adhere to international will and join this treaty has aborted all efforts exerted by the peoples and countries of the Middle East to live in a region free from all weapons of mass destruction. … It is imperative to stress the need to increase the effectiveness of the Non-Proliferation Treaty by making it universal and mandatory."

Slovakia (Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan), September 20: "[W]e welcome a consensus achieved at the Sixth [NPT] Review Conference…in the form of confirming commitments to the provisions of the Treaty and its strengthened review process. This positive impulse needs to be efficiently utilized in the process of the further implementation of the Treaty. We also welcome the ongoing preparatory process for the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms… The outcome of the Conference should provide us with clear strategies on how to cope with the issue in its complexity."

Slovenia (Foreign Minister Alojz Peterle), September 16: "The area of illicit arms flow of small arms and light weapons is such as to require our additional efforts. We hope that the upcoming international conference on the small arms and light weapons will pave the ways for regulating and controlling the proliferation of unimpeded access to small arms and light weapons, the weapons most used in today's armed conflicts. Member States should also continue to improve efficiency and effectiveness of [the] mine action programme, as well as to strengthen all steps and activities in mine action and mine victims assistance. Slovenia on its part will continue to support the efforts of its International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance to extend its activities on the whole region of southeast Europe."

Spain (Foreign Minister Josep Pique), September 16: "The situation in Iraq is…proving to be frustrating. The interruption of weapons inspections, the absence of any foreseeable date for lifting the sanctions, the continuation of armed action, and the difficult humanitarian situation in the country all cast a situation that is far from encouraging. It is imperative that consensus within the Security Council on this matter be strengthened and that Iraq should collaborate with the United Nations with a view to the full implementation of Resolution 1284 and other pertinent resolutions. … Disarmament and non proliferation are…essential elements of conflict-prevention. It is necessary to overcome the setbacks suffered in recent months by the nuclear non-proliferation process and to promote the signing and ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. It is likewise a matter of concern that it has not yet been possible to start negotiations on a protocol on fissile material: it is urgent to achieve the necessary consensus to that end. The conclusion of the negotiations on the Verification Protocol to the Convention on Biological Weapons must signify an achievement in this field as important as the entry into force of the Convention on Chemical Weapons. In the same way, the 2001 Conference on Small and Light Arms must constitute a milestone comparable to the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines."

Pacific Island Forum Group of Countries at the UN (SOPAC - Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu), Speech by Ambassador Masao Nakayama, Permanent Representative of the Federated States of Micronesia to the UN, September 21: "The threat associated with the uncontrolled access to even a small number of weapons was brought into stark relief in the region recently, adding weight to the Forum Leaders decision in 1997 to put in place regional cooperation and a legal framework to control the spread of weapons in the region. This approach has synergies with the international efforts to combat the illicit trade in small arms, particularly in the lead-up to the 2001 United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects. Work on a legal framework has progressed to a point where we expect draft legislation to be circulated among Forum island countries before the end of this year. …"

South Africa (Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma), September 13: "Nuclear weapons still constitute a threat to our planet. We have to pursue the path of universal disarmament and the destruction of all weapons of mass destruction."

Sudan (Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail), September 20: "Two years have elapsed since the American military aggression on the Al-Shifa Pharmaceutical factory in the Sudan which resulted in the total destruction of this important medical establishment that used to produce more than half of Sudan's needs of basic and life saving medicines. The debris of Al Shifa Factory stand as yet another example of what could result when the might of a superpower is used in an irresponsible manner. It is ironic that the same superpower presents itself as a pioneer in protecting and safeguarding international peace and security and the principles of international law. This august gathering may recall that immediately after this aggression, Sudan asked the Security Council to send a factfinding mission to verify the US allegations concerning the nature of the factory and its financing. Yet, despite the fact that the whole world, and indeed several media organs inside the US, have expressed their doubts on the American allegations about the Al-Shifa Factory, the US Administration continuously refuses to admit its mistake or to concede to logic. … We will continue to urge the world's conscience and the international community, represented by the Security Council and this august Assembly, to send a factfinding mission to verify the US allegations and we trust that our just cause is supported by all peace loving nations."

Suriname (Foreign Minister Maria E. Levens), September 16: "At the dawn of the new millennium the Government of Suriname considers it of crucial importance that member states achieve tangible results in the areas of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons in maintaining peace and reinforcing international security for all states. Our common goal therefore must remain in the complete eradication of all nuclear weapons and the curbing of the illicit trafficking in small arms, mostly used in today's deadly internal conflicts such as in Africa and other parts of the world. My Government, although not completely satisfied, has embraced the consensus reached at the meeting of States Parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty as a step in the right direction and expresses its hope that the upcoming international event which will take up the fight against the illicit trafficking in small arms, will yield to the expectations of establishing effective rules and regulations dealing with this scourge."

Swaziland (Ambassador Clifford S. Mamba, Permanent Representative to the UN), September 16: "The theme for the Millennium Summit reflects the common demand and interests of the international community at this juncture. The Cold War is over and yet international relations have not made a full turn from confrontation to cooperation. In itself, the post-Cold War period has brought about growing disputes and conflicts, devastating diseases never seen before such as HIV/AIDS, all with a heavy price for peace, development, security and stability. At the same time, the big powers do not manifest enthusiasm for disarmament and remain opposed to small countries equipping themselves with self-defence power."

Sweden (Foreign Minister Anna Lindh), September 14: "To promote disarmament and prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass-destruction remains a major challenge for the UN and its member states. The result of this year's review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty gives certain hope in this regard. For the first time in many years, a consensus document on the agenda for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament was adopted. For the first time ever, the nuclear-weapons states unconditionally pledged to totally eliminate their nuclear arsenals. For the first time, a number of practical steps were identified for how to work towards this goal. A world free from nuclear weapons will not be achieved overnight. Nor are these steps to be taken in a distant future or held hostage to states' perception of the appropriate strategic balance. The momentum achieved at the NPT conference has to be sustained. All states ought to immediately cease production of nuclear weapons and fissile material for weapons purposes. The Conference on Disarmament should now start its work on a ban on such material. The world community's efforts to prevent the further production of nuclear weapons must not be blocked by China, India, Pakistan or any other state. It is high time to bring the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty into force. We expect all states to live up to their commitments.

The United States plans for a national missile defence system causes concern. In today's globalized world, we must always take account of the global effects of our decisions. It is hard to see how a possible threat, from a few states, would best be countered by a missile shield that may or may no