EU Presidency Statement - General debate [2/2]

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union considers the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) the result of the determination of the international community to rid itself once and for all of one of the most abhorrent categories of weapons. This Convention is a unique disarmament and non-proliferation instrument. It is therefore imperative that its integrity and strict application be fully guaranteed.

143 States are today party to the Convention. A considerable number of States, however, have yet to sign. We must work to ensure that they accede to this instrument to strengthen the total ban on chemical weapons and to make an effective contribution to international and regional peace and security, particularly in areas of tension. The European Union has for its part made representations to promote universal adherence to the Convention.

The European Union would emphasize the importance of the destruction obligations laid down in the Convention. In this connection, it takes the opportunity to make explicit reference to some of the Convention's Articles, notably Article 1(2) which stipulates that "Each State Party undertakes to destroy chemical weapons it owns or possesses". Article 4(6) stipulates that "Each State Party shall destroy all chemical weapons specified in paragraph 1" and that "destruction shall begin not later than two years after this Convention enters into force for it and shall finish not later than 10 years after entry into force of this Convention". These are key articles. Each State concerned is therefore under an obligation to submit detailed plans for the destruction of chemical weapons. The EU thanks the Russian Federation for presenting its revised plan for the destruction of chemical weapons at the last OPCW Executive Council meeting. The EU expresses the hope that this plan will now be effectively implemented at the earliest opportunity.

In this connection the European Union would also emphasize the importance of Article V of the Convention, obliging all States Parties to destroy all chemical weapons production facilities on their territory not later than ten years after the Convention's entry into force. The European Union welcomes the progress made in this crucial area of the Convention and calls on all the States Parties concerned to do everything in their power to ensure compliance with the prescribed deadlines.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union gives priority to reinforcement of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. The Member States of the European Union have taken an active part in the negotiations of the ad hoc Group on a legally binding Protocol establishing a verification and compliance regime. According to the statement by the Foreign Ministers of the European Union of 11 June 2001, a Protocol including the essential principles set out in the EU's Common Position of 17 May 1999 would strike the right balance between compliance requirements and the national security interests and the economic interests of the States Parties. Such a Protocol would thus effectively strengthen the Convention and increase confidence in its strict application. We regret the fact that the ad hoc Group was unable to finalize the work on a Protocol strengthening the Convention, or even to adopt a procedural report. In the light of this failure, the EU reiterates the fundamental importance it attaches to the preservation and reinforcement of multilateral disarmament and non-proliferation regimes and to compliance with the ad hoc Group's terms of reference. Convinced that the biological weapons threat calls for an appropriate multilateral response, the European Union will retain and build on the experience it has acquired over many years of negotiations, including the composite text. It points to the importance it attaches to the process of strengthening the Convention, for which the next focal date will be the November Conference in Geneva.

Mr. Chairman,

On the question of the fight against proliferation and implementation of the international ban on certain categories of weapons, the European Union would emphasize the importance of effective export control measures. It is essential that all exporting States assume their responsibilities and take measures to ensure that exports of sensitive materials, equipment and technologies are subject to appropriate surveillance and control measures. An effective export control regime guarantees the peaceful use of goods, technologies and materials and can thus facilitate cooperation in areas destined for technological development.

The European Union supports the efforts of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Australia Group and the Missile Technology Control Regime to provide transparency. These efforts promote dialogue and cooperation in an area in which decisions are otherwise based on national sovereignty.

Mr. Chairman,

The United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects held in New York from 9 to 20 July 2001, provided an opportunity to consider effective ways of combating the destabilizing accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons. The Conference discussed both prevention and reduction aspects, including measures in the framework of post-conflict situations and supply and demand aspects. It also looked at the social and economic implications of this scourge and its development-related aspects.

In the context of the Joint Action of 17 December 1998 on the European Union's contribution to combating the destabilizing accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons, the European Union played an active part in the preparation of the Conference and in the negotiations on the Protocol against the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. The European Union has also endeavored to reach a consensus in preparation of the OSCE document on small arms and light weapons.

The European Union welcomes the adoption by the Conference of an Action Plan that includes measures at national, regional and global level to combat illicit trade in small arms and light weapons with particular reference to export controls, traceability of weapons, stockpile and surplus management, the triple aspect of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, and cooperation and assistance. Although the European Union had hoped that the Conference would succeed in going further on certain points of the Action Plan, it particularly welcomes the follow-up process that has been put in place, which demonstrates that the Conference is the starting point of a process in which it will play an active part.

In June 2001, the European Union published the first annual report on implementation of both the Joint Action of 17 December 1998 on its contribution to combating the destabilizing accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons and the European Union programme of June 1997 for preventing and combating illicit trafficking in conventional arms. This report was published as a document of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (A/CONF.192/4).

Mr. Chairman,

Responsibility in arms transfer policies is essential in addressing the small arms problem. The Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, approved by the EU Council on 8 June 1998, establishes criteria for conventional arms transfers and provides for consultation procedures to promote convergence of national arms export policies.

The European Union published its second annual report on the Code's application on 3 January 2001. The report noted that the second year of implementation of the Code of Conduct was marked by further progress, in particular by a considerable increase in the number of denials of arms exports notified by Member States, which is evidence of Member States' resolve to act in greater concert in this area. The report also emphasizes that Member States have agreed to further clarify notified denials and that the Council of the European Union has been able to finalize a Common List of Military Equipment covered by the Code. This is an evolving list.

The report also indicates priority guidelines for the near future, singling out the following issues in particular: finalization of a common list of non-military security and police equipment, development of exchanges of information on national control policies for the export of arms to certain countries or regions regarded as requiring special vigilance, harmonization of national annual reports on the application of the Code, coordination of the Member States' national positions in multilateral bodies and promotion of the principles of the Code of Conduct in third countries.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union underlines the importance of the UN Register of Conventional Arms, not only as a global confidence-building measure to support stability and security, but also as a measure encouraging regional efforts aimed at greater transparency. The value of the Register will of course be increased by as wide a participation as possible. The Union calls on all States to submit timely returns of their imports and exports to the Register, including, to further increase transparency and strengthen the value of the Register, information on military holdings and procurement through national production. The inclusion of such data will render the UN Register more complete and useful. The EU reiterates its support for an expanded Register, for its scope to be extended as quickly as possible and for its universalisation.

Mr. Chairman,

The Convention on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines has currently [XXX] Signatories and [XXX] Parties. It is clear that an international standard has been created which cannot now be ignored. However, we must do even better and reach the entire international community. The success of the Ottawa Convention should not just be measured by the number of States, which have acceded to it. Since it entered into force, trade in anti-personnel mines has virtually ceased and the number of such mines produced has considerably decreased. Similarly, the number of victims in the countries most affected is constantly falling and, worldwide, more financial aid is being granted year on year for mine clearance, assistance to victims and mine awareness programmes. It is also essential to implement the Convention and to rid the world of this weapon. The EU deplores any act contrary to the letter and the spirit of the Convention and is deeply concerned by the allegations in the last report from the Landmine Monitor that certain States Parties and non-State actors are continuing to use anti-personnel mines.

We have no time to lose. The Convention lays down strict time limits for the destruction of stocks and the clearance of mined areas. Let us marshal all our efforts to achieve the objectives of the Convention by the deadlines set. The countries, which are the victims, must not be abandoned to their fate. The international community as a whole must help realize the Convention's aims.

The EU thanks the Government of Nicaragua for organizing the Third Conference of States Parties and welcomes the conclusions reached at that Conference and in particular the adoption of a guide on transparency measures in implementation of Article 7 of the Convention. This instrument will allow us to draw up better national reports on the implementation of the Ottawa Convention. The Conference also approved the information dossier produced by the ICRC aimed at promoting the implementation of Article 9 of the Convention.

The Member States of the Union demonstrate the importance they attach to the Convention by playing and active role in its intersessional work as co-chairs and co-rapporteurs. The EU welcomes the decision taken to strengthen the intersessional process by setting up a support service for the implementation of the Convention.

The EU also expresses its gratitude to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and to the other non-governmental organisations concerned, to the regional and international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, for their hugely important contribution to the intersessional work and, overall, to the implementation and consolidation of the Convention. The EU would also like to thank all the agencies involved in mine clearance, mine awareness, assistance to victims, the destruction of stocks and other efforts towards our common goal.

The European Union has responded generously to the challenge of anti-personnel mines. In recent years, it has called upon its development aid, rehabilitation and reconstruction, humanitarian aid and research policies in particular, while setting up policies specifically designed to meet this problem. It continues to offer aid to initiatives and research to alleviate the suffering of the victims of these mines. In the year 2000, a total of EUR 125 million was earmarked by the European Community and the Member States for implementation of the Convention, making the European Union the world's major donor in this area. The European Union would stress that this sum constitutes a 10% increase on its contributions in 1999. The Union has recently adopted two Regulations aimed at strengthening our efforts to eliminate landmines.

We are convinced that it is essential to continue to strengthen the coordination of international assistance in our efforts to eliminate anti-personnel mines so as to achieve a better allocation of resources. In that context we would stress the importance of the review of the United Nations' Mine Action Strategy for the period 2001-2005, to which the European Union makes both a formal and a substantive contribution. For its part, the European Commission has sent the European Parliament and the European Council a communication detailing a policy, which will place the European Union in the vanguard of the struggle to abolish anti-personnel mines.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union attaches considerable importance to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects. To date four Protocols have supplemented this Convention in addition to Protocol II as amended on 3 May 1996. They are all of fundamental humanitarian importance. The Convention and its Protocols constitute an essential instrument to help the international community control certain particularly inhumane conventional weapons.

The EU accordingly welcomes the fact that a considerable number of States have acceded to the Convention and its Protocols. It appeals to all States, which have not yet done so to take all the necessary steps to become Parties to the arrangement as soon as possible, thus giving both civilians and combatants the protection they deserve.

The EU trusts that the follow-up conference to be held in Geneva from 11 to 21 December will be successful and provide a forum for an exchange of ideas on the implementation of the Convention and an opportunity to enter into new commitments in order to strengthen the humanitarian standards we share.

On the substance, a number of proposals and ideas have already been formulated and will heave to be examined at the Conference. The EU supports the idea of giving a mandate for the negotiation of a Protocol on the "explosive remnants of war". These negotiations could start after the follow-up Conference. The EU is particularly concerned by the serious problems caused by the "explosive remnants of war" and the humanitarian and social consequences of the presence of unexploded ordnance. We cannot turn a blind eye to the human and social cost of these remnants of war; furthermore, Protocol II as amended gives us a precedent which could be extended to the entire Convention, namely the applicability of these international standards to non-international armed conflicts. The amended second Protocol was a significant stage in the strengthening of the CCW arrangements, particularly since the Parties managed to agree on the extension of these international standards to non-international armed conflicts. Since most conflicts nowadays are internal ones, the EU hopes that the review conference in December will be able to decide to extend the scope of the entire CCW arrangement to cover non-international conflicts. The EU also attaches great importance to the possibility of including in the Convention a simple, effective mechanism for strengthening its enforcement. The EU's aim is for the arrangements applicable to landmines other than anti-personnel mines to be stepped up. The EU welcomes the proposals on the detectability of these mines and on the possibility of equipping remotely laid mines, other than anti-personnel mines, with self-destruct or self-neutralizing mechanisms, together with back-up self-deactivation devices. The EU is prepared to discuss other ways of strengthening humanitarian law in connection with this Convention.

Mr. Chairman,

The common European security and defense policy aims to give the Union the means to play its role fully on the international stage and to assume its responsibilities in a crisis situation. The EU is determined to establish an autonomous capacity which will allow it to take decisions and, where NATO as a whole is not engaged, to launch and then to conduct EU-led military operations in response to international crises. The development of the ESDP will increase the Union's ability to contribute to international peace and security, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter.

The development of European crisis-management capabilities is an additional asset, which will allow us to respond to existing or emerging conflicts. As the ESDP develops, the Europeans will inter alia be able to respond more effectively and more coherently to requests from leading organisations such as the UN or the OSCE. Detailed procedures for cooperation between the EU and the United Nations as well as between the EU and the OSCE have been laid down and certain topics selected for cooperation with the United Nations.

The scope of the ESDP is defined in the Treaty on European Union. The Union's objective is to have the capability to carry out the full range of Petersberg tasks: humanitarian and rescue tasks, peacekeeping tasks and tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking. This does not involve the establishment of a European army. The commitment of national resources by Member States to such operations will be based on their sovereign decisions.

At Nice it was decided that the EU should quickly be made operational and that a decision to that end would be taken by the European Council no later than at it's meeting in Laeken at the end of the current Presidency. To achieve this objective, the Union has set up permanent structures (PSC, Military Committee, EU Military Staff, a Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management, police unit), it is developing and testing crisis-management procedures and continuing the work already in progress on capabilities. It is also continuing negotiations with NATO to reach an early agreement on arrangements whereby the EU can have access to NATO capabilities and resources. The Member States have set themselves the headline goal of being able, by 2003, to deploy within 60 days and to sustain for at least one year forces of up to 60 000 persons. The Conference on capability improvement to be held in November will be an important step towards the achievement of our goal.

Mr. Chairman,

The ESDP amounts to much more than just the military aspects of crisis management. The added value of the EU, its particular characteristic, is its capacity to mobilize a vast range of both civilian and military means and instruments, thus giving it an overall crisis-management capability. The development of means in the civilian sphere is also a significant component of the EU's efforts. Four priority areas were pinpointed: a police force, strengthening the rule of law, strengthening civil administration, and civil protection. Work on the police is progressing well. A ministerial Pledging Conference on police is to be held under the Belgian Presidency. Specific goals were also defined at Göteborg for the other areas identified.

Finally, the Union is not just intent on managing crises. It is also determined to develop conflict-prevention, to alleviate the causes of potential conflicts. The Programme it adopted in Göteborg for the Prevention of Violent Conflicts demonstrates its determination to act in this area using in a consistent manner the various instruments at its disposal, including arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation.

Mr. Chairman,

During 2000, the EU declared its readiness to take a major part in all efforts aiming at improving the capabilities, coherence and effectiveness of the OSCE. These should also encompass the recognition of the legal personality of the OSCE, as well as a homogeneous regime of privileges and immunities.

The European Union stressed the need for closer and more operational cooperation with the OSCE in civilian crisis management and conflict-prevention. This follows from the Istanbul Charter and its Platform for Cooperative Security as well as from the decisions by the European Councils in Helsinki, Feira and Nice.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union urges the Nations not to relax their efforts to achieve the fundamental objectives of disarmament and non-proliferation. The multilateral efforts must continue, indeed they must be stepped up. The European Union trusts that this session of the First Committee will contribute to that goal in accordance with the Organization's mission: the consolidation of peace and security through international cooperation.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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