Statement by the United Kingdom

Permanent Representative

to the Conference on Disarmament

in Geneva

Ambassdor John S Duncan

Mr President,

I would like to offer my congratulations on your appointment and the way you have conducted the Presidency during Vietnam’s tenure.   I can assure you and your P6 Presidency colleagues of the United Kingdom’s full support in taking forward work in the CD.

Yesterday was a busy day for UK Ministers particularly those in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with the Foreign Secretary David Miliband’s launch of a Policy Information Paper “Lifting the Nuclear Shadow, Creating the Conditions for Abolishing Nuclear Weapons” and the appearance of Minister Bill Rammell before the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee. 

The Policy Information Paper is aimed at the British public.  So it contains straight talking, but there should be no surprises in what it says. Arguably, it is high time to move beyond endless semantic discussions amongst diplomats.

The paper covers the policy waterfront, highlighting the increasing role of the EU, the importance of the IAEA and the UN and the need for reform of international institutions. 

It also sets out the arguments on issues such as Negative Security Assurances,  the priority of beginning negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) as well as the importance of a Middle East Nuclear Weapon Free Zone and other issues such as the role and need for Theatre  Nuclear Forces.  Equally, it covers recent concerns about the increased risk of proliferation of nuclear weapons, where the UK’s views are well known.

The paper underlines the need for countries to engage in a ” Collective Endeavour”, that the issues are not black and white and that there are no simple solutions. The paper also outlines the United Kingdom’s views on some of the key conditions for progress in this important area.

The paper should not be seen as changing any of the formal statements made by myself, or other UK Ambassadors either here in the CD or in other fora.  Rather it is a compendium of the UK’s view on this important issue, expressed in simple language.  Hard copies of the report were circulated to all delegations yesterday and for those who would prefer an electronic version, one can be downloaded from the FCO website[1].

Mr President

As I mentioned earlier, the Foreign Office minister, Bill Rammell also gave evidence yesterday to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) as part of their enquiry into  “Global Security: Non-Proliferation”[2]

Some of you met with members of the FAC during their recent fact finding visit to Geneva.  The Committee’s discussion with Mr Rammell was naturally more detailed than appears in the Policy Information Paper aimed at the public. A full record of the meeting will be available on the House of Commons website in due course.

Mr President, Colleagues,

To sum up, the UK is committed to making progress and moving forwards a Towards a World Free of Nuclear Weapons.  We do not underestimate the difficulties ahead, indeed, the Public Information Paper refers to this as a “Massive Diplomatic Challenge”, but this is we believe a shared and collective ambition. A situation where all those possessing nuclear weapons have the responsibility to respond to the concerns expressed by those that do not, and equally where those whose civil programmes have raised questions over their purpose and intent have the responsibility to respond to the concerns expressed by the International Community. 

Thank you Mr Chairman.

Geneva 5 February 2009