Statement by Ambassador D.B. Venkatesh Varma,
Permanent Representative of India to the CD

CD Plenary 7 July 2015

Mr. President,
    
It gives us great pleasure to convey congratulations on your assumption of the Presidency and pledge to you our full support. We would like to convey our appreciation for the excellent work undertaken by Ambassador Maung Wai of Myanmar as CD President to take forward the work of the Conference.  We extend our warm congratulations to HE Mr. Michael Moller on his appointment as Secretary General of the Conference and appreciate his strong interest and support for our work. We would like thank the Acting High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, HE Mr. Kim Won-Soo for his important address.

2.    India has been unwavering in its commitment to universal, non-discriminatory, verifiable nuclear disarmament. Pursuant to UNGA resolution 68/32, India has supported the commencement of negotiations on a Comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention on the basis of CD/1999 submitted by the G-21 in 2014 and reiterated by the Group in its plenary statement on 30 June 2015.

3.    Without prejudice to the priority we attach to nuclear disarmament, India supports the negotiation in the CD of an FMCT that meets India’s national security interests. We hope that the report of the GGE on FMCT established under UNGA resolution 67/53 will strengthen international resolve for the early commencement of treaty negotiations in the CD on the basis of the agreed mandate contained in CD/1299. We appreciate the fact that the UNSG has commended the GGE’s Report to the Conference, noting that the GGE had identified the CD as the venue of negotiations, and urged the Conference to adopt without further delay a balanced programme of work that would allow early commencement of negotiations in light of the useful conclusions of the Group.

4.    India attaches high importance to the UN disarmament machinery established by SSOD-I. The triad of disarmament machinery comprising of the First Committee, UN Disarmament Commission and the Conference on Disarmament is the hard won mechanism by which the international community gives expression and coherence to its efforts in the area of disarmament and international security. In recent years the disarmament machinery has faced several challenges. We believe that there is a need to recommit ourselves to the machinery even while considering ways to improve its work efficiency.

5.    As the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, the CD continues to bear a heavy responsibility to make progress in the international disarmament agenda. We believe that the CD continues to have the mandate, the membership, the credibility and the rules of procedure to discharge its responsibility. Since the decisions of the CD impact national security, it is logical that it conducts its work and adopts its decisions by consensus. We do not favor efforts to undermine the disarmament machinery or bypass the CD.

6.    While sharing the disappointment that the CD has been prevented from adopting a Programme of Work, India remains committed to efforts, consistent with CD’s rules of procedure, aimed at commencing early substantive work. We are actively participating in the structured informal discussions – on Nuclear Disarmament and on FMCT, held thus far. These discussions –under the able coordinator ships of Ambassador Ramadan of Egypt and Ambassador Biontino of Germany have been in-depth and productive. Discussions under the Co-chair on the IWG on a Programme of Work, Ambassador Paivi Kairamo of Finland have commenced in right earnest. There is strong support for the appointment of a Special Coordinator, Ambassador Urs Schmid of Switzerland, to look into Work Methods for the improved and effective functioning of the Conference. These are encouraging signs and every effort must be made to consolidate them.

7.    The UN Secretariat, in particular the UN ODA, has an important responsibility in assisting States in pursuing the multilateral disarmament agenda. We believe that the ODA should be strengthened to facilitate the implementation of permanent treaty bodies under the UN such as the BWC and CCW. There is also need to ensure greater coherence between disarmament work in New York and Geneva, It is equally important that the integrity of the CD Secretariat in Geneva is maintained and strengthened.  We also support efforts to strengthen the support base for UNIDIR to make its work sustainable and relevant to current and future needs of the international disarmament agenda.

8.     Before I conclude and in anticipation of the statement by Ambassador Jean-Hughes Simon- Michel of France on his departure from Geneva, I would like to say a few words on behalf of the Indian delegation. Ambassador Simon- Michel represented his country with distinction; his professional and personal qualities were a huge asset to this Conference and in all other forums where we had the privilege to work together. We will miss his profound knowledge of issues, his wide experience and wise counsel.  In bidding farewell we thank him for all his contributions and wish him all the best for the future.

Thank you.