DYB2011-Part-II-web

United Nations Disarmament Yearbook 2011: Part II
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special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament had yet to
be convened. At the same time, the Movement reaffirmed the sovereign right
of States to acquire, manufacture, export, import and retain conventional arms
for their self-defence and security needs.
The United States underscored continued progress towards the
challenging tasks of strengthening the global nuclear non-proliferation regime,
reducing nuclear warheads, preventing access to nuclear materials by terrorists
and expanding peaceful nuclear cooperation. It highlighted the urgency of
the entry into force of the CTBT and commencement of negotiations on a
verifiable fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT). The United States favoured
a flexible approach in the UNDC in order to resolve procedural matters and
facilitate substantive outcomes. It advocated extracting from previous efforts
only those broadly agreed elements that had the best chance of commanding
consensus.
China stressed that global interdependence called for States to
embrace a new security concept featuring “mutual trust, mutual benefit,
equality and coordination”. It advocated political and diplomatic means
to resolve hot-spot issues confronting the international community in
the “complicated and volatile” area of nuclear non-proliferation. It also
advocated enhancing the universality, authority and effectiveness of the
NPT, and the functioning of IAEA, while also acknowledging the legitimate
rights of each State to the peaceful use of nuclear energy; and ensuring
impartiality and non-discrimination in international efforts to promote nuclear
non-proliferation.
Japan advocated a concise and well-balanced approach to a draft
declaration of the 2010s as the fourth disarmament decade, stressing
the importance of early entry into force of the CTBT and believing that
negotiations on an FMCT was the next logical and critical step. On
conventional weapons issues, it highlighted the confidence-building role of
the arms transparency instruments of the United Nations, the importance of
further strengthening the implementation of the United Nations Programme of
Action on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, and accelerating
efforts towards an arms trade treaty.
Chile, on behalf of the Rio Group, advocated the total elimination of
nuclear weapons within a specified time frame and the full implementation
of the NPT on a non-selective basis as well as the right to the development of
nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination. It also supported
nuclear-weapon-free zones, including the establishment of such a zone in the
Middle East, and the early entry into force of the CTBT. In addition, it wanted
a road map to nuclear disarmament to be a key element in the proposed
declaration of the fourth disarmament decade.