By Holy See Mission
Statement of H.E. Archbishop Celestino MiglioreApostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy
See to the United NationsBefore the First Committee, on item 67:General and Complete DisarmamentNew York, 7 October 2004Mr. Chairman,
I would
like to join the other Delegations in congratulating you and the rest of
the
bureau upon your election.
We are
now on the eve of the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of the United
Nations. The ideals embodied in the Charter – seeking peace through
international organization and cooperation – have been a source of hope
through
the years. These ideals ought to animate us as much now as in 1945.
But
lately, a sense of fear seems to cloud our vision: fear of terrorist
attacks,
fear of new wars, fear of a breakdown in the processes of international
law.
A sign of
this fear is the surge in global military spending which reached $956
billion
last year, an increase of 11 percent from 2002 and 18 percent from 2001.
Military spending, which will exceed $1 trillion this year, will soon
surpass
even the Cold War peaks. Many States are increasing their spending
because they
think that larger arsenals of firepower will provide security.
Increased
reliance on guns – large and small – is leading the world away from, not
towards, security.
A clear result of such
over-spending on the instruments of death is that governments are much
less able
to meet long-term commitments to education, health care and housing. The
Millennium goals are left lagging while military priorities claim scarce
funds.
The United Nations pioneered studies which show the integral
relationship
between disarmament, development and security. Security for all is
enhanced
when disarmament and development steps complement one another. We must
point up
the economic benefits of disarmament measures. Development alternatives
to
militarism must be the constant work of this Committee.
Moreover, it certainly cannot be said that
poverty leads directly to terrorism, but it is true that terrorists
exploit
conditions of poverty in ways that produce heightened conflict and
violence.
The brutality of the terrorist attacks over
the last year is a clear sign of a culture of fear and death. Responding
to the
ideological and supposedly religious nature of international terrorism,
the Holy
See has condemned these blasphemous attacks. My Delegation reiterates
that the
name of God must not be used to justify terrorism in any form and calls
upon all
religious leaders to speak and act against terrorism.
Terrorists use an array of weapons to kill, maim and slaughter.
Their global
reach means that these weapons are being produced and sold
internationally, on
black markets as well as by State-sponsors. In conjunction with the
Counter-Terrorism Committee, States must look for ways to reduce the
easy
availability of these weapons through increased export controls and
added
vigilance over weapon stockpiles.
The world
has also become increasingly aware of the grave threat posed by
terrorists
acquiring weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons. The
fragile
state of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at this moment is very
worrying,
as proliferation of these weapons greatly increases the likelihood of
terrorist
acquisition.
On the
immediate horizon is the 2005 Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation
Treaty. As the three preparatory meetings for the Conference have
shown, the
NPT is in crisis. The inability even to agree on an agenda or the
continuing
relevance of the Final Document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference
indicates the
diverse perspectives among States Parties. The crisis, however, is far
deeper
than procedural disagreements. It has to do with the interplay of
responsibilities between the Nuclear Weapons States and the non-Nuclear
Weapons
States. The non-nuclear members of the NPT have a duty not to engage in
the
proliferation of nuclear weapons, while the Nuclear Weapons States have a
duty
to engage in negotiations leading to the elimination of their nuclear
weapons.
This was the original bargain of the NPT: no proliferation in exchange
for
nuclear disarmament.
Since the
Treaty was signed in 1968, there has been an ongoing struggle between
the
nuclear haves and have-nots. This struggle has divided our attention
between
"vertical" and "horizontal" proliferation, and the best intentions of
this
bargain have not resulted in the desired outcome of a world free of
nuclear
weapons. On the contrary, attempts are being made to modernize nuclear
weapons
and to give them a war-fighting capacity. This situation is becoming
increasingly unsustainable and unacceptable. Progress will be made only
when
strategic choices towards nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and a
reconsideration of nuclear policies are undertaken by all parties.
It is to
be hoped that the gravity of the present crisis will lead States to act
to
ensure that the NPT emerges from the Review Conference next year in
stronger
condition than at present. There should be early agreement to start
negotiations
for a fissile cut-off treaty; placement of surplus fissile materials
under IAEA
control; verification measures for nuclear disarmament; de-alerting
measures; establishment of an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament at
the
Conference on Disarmament; maintenance of the moratorium on nuclear
testing and
early Entry-into-Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty; and
the
universality of the NPT.
As
frightening as the proliferation of WMD and their possible acquisition
by
terrorists are, they do not come close to exhausting our disarmament
concerns.
The spread of conventional weapons, especially in conflict and
post-conflict
situations in Africa, is extremely concerning. The UN and its Member
States must
support all disarmament, demobilization and re-integration efforts in
Africa and
everywhere there is the need of such activities. We should give
particular
attention to addressing the special needs of children
affected by armed conflicts, in
particular the reunification with their family, their reintegration into
society
and their appropriate rehabilitation, as stressed in the UN Programme of
Action
to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and
Light
Weapons in All Its Aspects.
Mr.
Chairman,
In two months, Nairobi
will host the First Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Landmine
Convention,
also known as the Nairobi Summit for a Mine-Free World. From the
beginning, the
Holy See supported the process of the Ottawa Convention which has
yielded a
number of positive results in the fight against anti-personnel mines.
Nonetheless, much still needs to be done if humanity is to be set free
from
these terrible, treacherous devices.
The
Summit will be an important occasion to renew our efforts to promote the
universalization and the implementation of the Convention in order to
realize,
in the not too distant future, the
dream of a world free of anti-personnel mines.
The Holy See calls on the whole international community to accomplish
these
efforts and pledges its own full and active participation.
Mr.
Chairman, over the years, the Holy See has supported UN initiatives for
building
a "culture of peace". The discussion of this agenda item has always
taken place
in the Plenary Assembly, rather than in this Committee, even though its
importance to disarmament is evident. While the technical proficiency
of arms
control negotiators and experts is welcome and necessary, my Delegation
would
like to emphasize the larger aspects of
education and formation, and reiterate its firm commitment to it.
Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
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