Roundup: UN Disarmament Commission has "considerable potential" to produce solid results: senior official

The UN Disarmament Commission (UNDC) has "considerable potential" to demonstrate that the existing disarmament machinery can produce results, despite a "deepening paralysis and divisions within multilateral disarmament bodies," and the fact that many are looking outside traditional United Nations forums for progress, a senior UN official said here Monday.

The statement came as Kim Won-soo, the UN high representative for disarmament affairs, was speaking at the opening of the 2016 session of the Disarmament Commission at UN Headquarters in New York

The Disarmament Commission is entering the middle phase of its current cycle at a time of uncertainty, Kim said, citing "well-known disappointments" -- the 2015 NPT Review Conference, the inability to bring the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty into force and the lack of any further negotiations within the Conference on Disarmament, which, based in Geneva, was established in 1979 as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community.

The UNDC, which meets for three weeks in the spring, operates in plenary meetings and working groups, the number of working groups depends on the number of substantive items on its agenda. The five geographical groups take turns assuming the chairmanship of the UNDC, while the chairmen of the working groups are selected in accordance

In January 1952, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to create the UNDC under the UN Security Council with a general mandate on disarmament questions. However, it met only occasionally after 1959.

In 1978, the first special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament established a successor Disarmament Commission (UNDC) as a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly, composed of all member states of the United Nations. It was created as a deliberative body, with the function of considering and making recommendations on various issues in the field of disarmament and of following up on the relevant decisions and recommendations of the special session. It reports annually to the General Assembly.

Over the years, the UNDC has formulated consensus principles, guidelines and recommendations on a number of subjects, which have been endorsed by the General Assembly. However, over the past decade, it has not been able to agree on a substantial outcome.

Yet against this backdrop "in recent cycles, the Commission has made important progress toward consensus on its conventional weapons item," Kim said. "This has come as the international community has made important strides forward on this part of the disarmament agenda."

He highlighted such steps as the first ever legally-binding regulations governing the international arms trade, greater success at combatting the illicit trade in small arms, dealing with the problems posed by excess and poorly maintained stocks of ammunition as well as in agreeing to tackle new challenges like the threat posed by improvised explosive devices.

Meanwhile, he also touched upon continuous progress in the improvement of its confidence-building mechanisms in the field of conventional arms control.

"I hope the continued deliberations by the Commission on its conventional arms item builds upon and consolidates these gains. The time has come for the Commission to start finally bringing its consideration of this item to a successful conclusion," said Kim.

At the same time, he noted that on the matter of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, the gap remains wide. Over the past 11 months, views on the way forward have grown increasingly polarized and entrenched.

"Work will resume next month in Geneva on the elaboration of effective legal measures for nuclear disarmament. Even as that process continues, the Disarmament Commission still maintains a unique and distinct role, especially in light of its history of consensus-building," he said, encouraging delegations to make use of the UN Commission's unique nature as a deliberative and consensus-based body that continues to enjoy universal participation.

Kim also stressed that the need for simultaneous progress on multiple questions of disarmament has never been more apparent.

"We are faced by the rapid emergence of new trends and technologies that are complicating strategic relationships and stability," he said. "This includes the development of advanced new types of strategic weapons. It also includes a growing nexus between terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and cyber threats."

The Disarmament Commission has clear authority to adopt a third agenda item at any point during its cycle, provided there is consensus. Furthermore, it has a mandate to consider such an item during its present cycle, and he appreciated the efforts made by the Commission's Chair to explore common ground so that agreement on a third agenda item, possibly addressing outer space, can be achieved. Deliberations by the Commission on this issue may help to consolidate and carrying forward various proposals to ensure space remains free from conflict and unsustainable practices.

Taking up a third agenda item would not detract from the Disarmament Commission's work on its two existing items, he said. "Rather, it would bring the Commission back to greater productivity, thus restoring its credibility as an essential component of the United Nations disarmament machinery." Enditem