Statement by Ambassador D. B Venkatesh Varma
Permanent Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament
at the Plenary of the Conference on Disarmament

Madam President,

We would like to convey our appreciation for the manner in which you have been taking forward the work of this Conference, including efforts to bring to a successful conclusion consultations on its  Annual Report. We would  like to thank the CD Secretariat for all their support for the work of the Conference during the year. We thank Ambassador Van Oosterom of The Netherlands, the chair-designate of the First Committee,  for his important statement today.

Madam President,

2.   As this year's annual session to comes to an end, we share the disappointment that this Conference was prevented once again from commencing negotiations and in fulfilling its mandate as the world's single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum.

3.   However, the adoption by the Conference of the Report of the Co-chair on the IWG and valuable work under the coordinators on four key agenda items, as part of structured informal discussions, were noteworthy developments, reinforcing the vital role that this Conference can play in the negotiation and conclusion of legal instruments of global acceptance and application. The Annual Report of the Conference to the UNGA should  reinforce this important message.

4.   We would like to take this opportunity to convey our appreciation to the four coordinators for their diligent efforts and for their reports which have been prepared in their personal capacity, and thus without prejudice to the national positions of delegations. 

5.   Our compliments to Ambassador Amr Ramadan of Egypt for his comprehensive report on nuclear disarmament, which remains a priority for a number of member states in the Conference- a priority that India fully supports and thus has called for global, non-discriminatory, verifiable nuclear disarmament in a time bound framework. We regret that the Conference was not able to take forward India's proposal, supported by the UNGA, for the negotiation of a Convention on the Prohibition of Use of Nuclear Weapons nor the NAM proposal, supported by the G21, for a Comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention.  

6.   We would like to commend Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha of Sri Lanka for his report which has captured important dimensions of the debate on Negative Security Assurances.

7.   Ambassador Michael Biontino of Germany conducted in depth discussions on FMCT. In our view the highlight this year was the consensus report of the GGE on FMCT contained in CD/2023. The GGE Report underlined that the FMCT and its negotiation in the CD remains a priority enjoying broad international support and CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein remains the most suitable basis on which future negotiations should commence. We hope that the CD will be able to move in this direction in the next Annual session.

8.    Discussions on PAROS under Ambassador Mathew Roland of UK broke new ground on pertinent issues, though a comprehensive legally binding approach to prevent the weaponization of Outer Space still does not enjoy support of some major space faring nations. We will give consideration to the written clarifications provided today by Russia and China on certain questions relating to the PPWT.

9.   On the whole, the structured informal discussions served an useful purpose and the Indian delegation actively contributed to the in-depth discussions in the hope that these would lay the basis for the launch of  future negotiations in this Conference. 

Madam President,

10.   As countries across the world mark the centenary of the First World War, we cannot but pause to reflect on the immense and horrific loss of life and impact of that war on subsequent world history, including the establishment of institutions that were located in the very premises that we use today.  We recall that nearly one and half million soldiers from India and our region fought in this war, with unparalleled  bravery, on distant shores far from their homelands, in alien climates and conditions As many as 74,000 never returned home.

11.   As homage to and in remembrance of their ultimate sacrifice, the Indian Mission to the Conference on Disarmament donated earlier this month a set of books  on the subject, written by Indian authors, to the UN library. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Secretary General of the Conference and the Director General of UNOG Mr. Michael Moller for his support and the chief librarian Ms. Charlotte Warakaulle and her staff for making available to all of us the invaluable resource and treasure that is the UN library.