Intervention by the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Argentine Republic, Minister Gabriela Martinic
October 28
Mr. Chair,
Argentina renews its commitment to the Machinery of Disarmament as it has been established by the First Special Session of the General Assembly dedicated to Disarmament in 1978 (SSOD-1) and that in a few months will celebrate its 40th anniversary.
In this regard, Argentina wishes to highlight the achievements obtained by said machinery, reflected in several international instruments that constitute important milestones in international law, such as the Convention for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. The Disarmament Machinery has been able to demonstrate that when there is political will, both in the past and in the current year, it is possible to advance towards shared objectives in terms of disarmament and international security.
Argentina welcomes and considers very timely the adoption by the Open Working Group SSOD IV of recommendations on objectives and agenda for a Fourth Special Session of the General Assembly Dedicated to Disarmament.
Argentina welcomes the efforts to reactivate the work of the Conference on Disarmament, the only multilateral negotiating body on disarmament, and to urgently begin negotiations on new international legal instruments that regulate fundamental issues for disarmament and non-proliferation.
Argentina welcomed the decision of the Conference on Disarmament CD / 2090 through which the Working Group "The Way to Follow" was established. While regretting that the debate was informal and that a final report had not been agreed, he appreciated the opportunity created to discuss in an open and constructive manner issues that should be the subject of substantive work under the agenda of the Conference. Argentina highlights the valuable discussions on Negative Security Assurances, regarding the negotiation of an FMCT, as well as with regard to the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space.
Finally, before addressing the draft resolution on the Report of the United Nations Disarmament Commission, Argentina reiterates its support for the Advisory Board on Disarmament Affairs and UNIDIR, for their valuable contributions in the area of advisory services.
Mr. Chair,
It is an honor to address the First Committee in my capacity as the Chair of the Disarmament Commission and present the report of its 2017 session (A/72/42).
Pursuant to resolution 71/82, the Disarmament Commission met at United Nations Headquarters from 3rd to 21st April and continued to consider the two agenda items adopted at its 2015 session, namely, “Recommendations for achieving the objectives of nuclear disarmament and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons” and “Practical confidence-building measures in the field of conventional weapons”.
Minister Counselor Wilmer Méndez of the Permanent Mission of Venezuela to the United Nations, served as Chair of Working Group I, which was entrusted with the mandate of the item “Recommendations for achieving the objective of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons”.
Deputy Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the United Nations, Counselor Lachezara Stoeva served as Chair of Working Group II, which was entrusted with the mandate of the item “Practical confidence-building measures in the field of conventional weapons”.
The Commission held six plenary meetings in the course of its 2017 substantive session. Working Group I and Working Group II held 12 and 13 meetings respectively, and engaged in extensive discussions on their respective agenda items.
On 21 April, the Commission adopted the reports of the Commission and its Working Groups and agreed to submit the texts of the reports to the General Assembly. Recommendations on Practical confidence-building measures in the field of conventional arms were put forward to the General Assembly by the Commission.
The Commission also held informal discussions mandated in resolution 71/82 on the subject contained in working paper A/CN.10/2016/WP.1 “In accordance with the recommendations contained in the report of the Group of Governmental Experts on Transparency and Confidence-building Measures in Outer Space Activities (A/68/189), preparation of recommendations to promote the practical implementation of transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities with the goal of preventing an arms race in outer space”. Some Member States considered that the issue was of interest to be addressed by the Commission.
I hope that the draft resolution A/C.1/71/L.25 on the Report of the Disarmament Commission will be adopted by consensus.
Before I conclude my briefing, I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate my sincerest appreciation to the Chairs of the Working Groups, Mr. Wilmer Méndez and Ms. Lachezara Stoeva for their outstanding professionalism and diplomatic skills.
Allow me also to thank the Bureau Members and the Secretariat for their support and all Delegations for their constructive engagement during the deliberations that made compromise possible.
This is what multilateralism offers: Compromise: A win-win for All. I encourage all Delegations to follow that path.
“Caminante no hay camino, se hace camino al andar”. “Wayfarer the only way is your footprints and no other”. During the 2017 substantive session of the Disarmament Commission we stamp our footprints. Distinguished Delegates, let´s keep walking to continue building upon the consensus path.
