Disarmament Diplomacy

Issue No. 59, July - August 2001

Documents & Sources

G-8 Meetings

Summit of Heads of State and Government, Genoa

Note: the final communiqué of the meeting of G-8 heads of state and government in Genoa (July 19-22) made no reference to disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control issues. The final communiqué of the 2000 G-8 Summit in Okinawa contained five paragraphs (74-78) dealing with various treaties and negotiations, including the CTBT, BWC and ABM Treaty. With reference to the latter, the leaders stated (paragraph 75): "We look forward to the early entry into force and full implementation of START II and to the conclusion of START III as soon as possible, while preserving and strengthening the ABM Treaty as a cornerstone of strategic stability and as a basis for further reductions of strategic offensive weapons, in accordance with its provisions." See Disarmament Diplomacy No.48, July 2000.

Regional Issues: Korean Peninsular

G-8 Statement on Regional Issues, July 21, 2001.

"Efforts to reduce tension and establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula should be encouraged. We reiterate our support for the ROK's policy of engagement and the continuation of the reconciliation process between the ROK and the DPRK started last year. We look forward to an early Second Inter-Korean Summit and the resumption of ministerial contacts.

We reaffirm our support for the implementation of the Agreed Framework, including KEDO. We expect the DPRK to implement its announced moratorium on missile launches and a constructive response to international concerns over security, non-proliferation, humanitarian and human rights issues that is essential to the reduction of tensions in the region and to further integration of the DPRK into the international community."

Source: Text - Statement of G8 Leaders on FYROM, Korea, Washington File, July 21.

Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Rome

Pre-Summit Conclusions

Conclusions of the meeting of G-8 Foreign Ministers, July 19, 2001.

"Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Arms Control

2. With a view to maintaining and strengthening strategic stability and international security in the face of the challenges of the 21^st century, we place great importance on the existing regimes of multilateral treaties and export control arrangements designed to cope with the threats that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery can pose. In this context we welcome efforts to strengthen [the] international arms control and non-proliferation regime and reaffirm our determination to promote compliance with and the universality of the fundamental treaties related to weapons of mass destruction and to contribute to the implementation of the conclusions of the 2000 NPT Review Conference. We welcome the readiness of Russia and the US to continue deep reductions in their strategic offensive arsenals and to strengthen strategic stability.

We welcome efforts to agree on measures, including potential enforcement and compliance measures to strengthen the BTWC (Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention). We remain fully committed to pursue efforts to ensure that the BTWC is an effective instrument to counter the growing threat of biological weapons. We welcome efforts by members of the MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime) to produce an international code of conduct against missile proliferation and to promote its universalisation. So long as the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty has not entered into force, we urge all states to maintain global existing moratoria on nuclear testing. We reaffirm our commitment to an immediate commencement of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty with a view to their conclusion within five years. We call on all States who have not already done so to conclude appropriate safeguards agreements and Additional Protocols with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

3. We continue to attach the utmost importance to ensuring that weapon-grade plutonium no longer required for defence purposes is never used for nuclear weapons. We invite all donors intending to contribute substantially to the Russian Federation disposition program to join in completing an international financing plan and in initiating negotiations on a multilateral framework for the programme. We will also support the efforts of the Russian Federation to destroy its chemical weapons in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention.

4. As part of the international community's efforts to raise humanitarian standards concerning conventional weapons, including explosive remnants of war, we will work for a successful outcome to this year's Review Conference for the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCWC). We also remain concerned by the scourge of the indiscriminate use of anti-personnel landmines which have caused harm to so many innocent civilians throughout the world and by the continued existence of vast stockpiles of landmines. We are determined to support efforts, including those under the Ottawa Convention, as well as the amended Mines Protocol of the CCWC, in the areas of mine clearance, humanitarian demining, victim assistance and in the development of technologies for mine action. Continued commitment of resources from donors will have a decisive impact on this humanitarian crisis. We commit ourselves to work actively towards achieving the goal of a practical programme at the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons. ...

Iraq

12. We call on Iraq to comply fully with the relevant UNSCRs [UN Security Council resolutions], including the entry of UN and IAEA inspectors with the mandate of verifying the elimination of weapons of mass destruction. The resumption of co-operation with the UN is a necessary step to the suspension and eventual lifting of the sanctions and will allow for a reintegration of Iraq into the international community. To this end, we welcome the dialogue between the UN Secretary General and the Government of Iraq. We underline the responsibility of each member of the international community, in accordance with relevant UNSCRs to ensure that Iraq does not constitute again a threat to regional peace and stability. The territorial integrity and the sovereignty of every country in the region must be safeguarded in order to promote security and stability in the Gulf. We stress our continued concern about the humanitarian situation in Iraq, which calls for more ambitious measures to alleviate the suffering of the people, and we call on the Iraqi government to fully implement the oil for food programme. Underlining UNSCRs 1352 and 1360, we call on the international community and the UN Security Council to build a new approach to Iraq. ...

South Asia

14. We welcome the Agra Summit between India and Pakistan and strongly support their intention to continue high level dialogue in order to make progress on their relationship. We encourage both countries to continue their policy of restraint and call on them to refrain from any action which could adversely affect their relations and regional stability. We reiterate the importance of UNSCR 1172 and urge India and Pakistan to participate fully in international efforts to strengthen the non-proliferation and disarmament regime. We take note of their commitment to the nuclear test moratorium. ..."

Source: Text - G-8 Foreign Ministers' Pre-Summit Meeting Conclusions, Washington File, July 19.