New Agreement Signals Major Shift in International Arms Control and Disarmament Efforts

Newswise — For the first time in twelve years, the international body dedicated to discussing arms control and disarmament unanimously agreed on a program of work on May 29, opening the door to negotiations on nuclear weapons, fissile materials, and space security.

The Conference on Disarmament (CD), located in Geneva, Switzerland, was established in 1979 as the single, international body where multilateral disarmament negotiations take place. It is here, in the grand Palais des Nations on the shores of Lake Geneva that diplomats have hammered out previous treaties banning chemical and biological weapons as well as the comprehensive ban on nuclear testing.

The May 29 consensus resolution was the culmination of a long process aimed at returning the Conference to work, a process championed by Ambassador Jazaïry from Algeria during his Presidency of the CD.

Secure World Foundation (SWF) Executive Director, Dr. Ray Williamson, commented: "The return to substantive work is a huge step forward for international diplomacy on arms control and disarmament."

Revitalized international cooperation

Another initiative by Ambassador Jazaïry was the session on May 28 in which four non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were invited to address the CD. Facilitated by the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), the event marked the first time an NGO panel has been invited to speak at an informal plenary session of the CD, according to SWF Legal and Policy Advisor, Ben Baseley-Walker.

Secure World Foundation was one of the four NGO's invited to address the CD. Ben Baseley-Walker's presentation can be found here at:

http://www.secureworldfoundation.org/siteadmin/images/files/file_315.pdf

The program of work -- document CD 1863 -- establishes four Working Groups on the topics of nuclear disarmament, control on production of fissile material, prevention of an arms race in outer space and assuring non-nuclear weapon States against the threat or risk of nuclear weapons. Three Special Coordinators were also established, tasked with making recommendations on how the CD should tackle the issues of new types of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), comprehensive disarmament, and transparency.

SWF's Baseley-Walker noted that the mood at the conference was one of revitalized international cooperation and commitment to move forward. He added: "Should the Committee choose to invite us, I hope that Secure World Foundation and others can continue to contribute to the thinking of the CD in the spirit of this session, and that the expertise of elements of civil society can help to support the renewed vitality of the Conference."

For more information on space security and international diplomacy, contact the Secure World Foundation:

About Secure World Foundation

Secure World Foundation is headquartered in Superior, Colorado, with offices in Washington, D.C. and Vienna, Austria.

The Secure World Foundation is a fully-funded, private operating foundation dedicated to the secure and sustainable use of space for the benefit of Earth and all its peoples.

The Foundation engages with academics, policy makers, scientists and advocates in the space and international affairs communities to support steps that help achieve the secure, sustainable and peaceful uses of outer space with efficient and effective global systems of governance.