Disarmament Diplomacy

Issue No. 67, October - November 2002

News Review

MTCR Plenary Meeting

The 33 member states of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) held their 17th annual Plenary Meeting in Warsaw from September 24-27. The members of the Regime, established in 1987, are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The Warsaw Plenary - marking the start of the Polish Presidency of the organisation, and opened by Foreign Minister Wodzimierz Cimoszewicz - was naturally preoccupied with the threat of terrorist acquisition of ballistic missile technology. A 'Joint Action' text on the issue was unanimously adopted, noting: "In view of growing concern over the continuing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, and of the fact that not only states but also terrorist groups and individuals may acquire such weapons, and remembering the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the Partner countries of the MTCR stress the need to give the necessary impetus to actions to combat terrorism. The MTCR will continue to contribute to the fight against terrorism by limiting the risk of controlled items and their technology falling into the hands of terrorist groups and individuals and calls upon all states to take similar action. Partner countries will further study how possible changes to the MTCR guidelines may contribute to this objective".

Long criticised for being exclusionary and elitist, in recent years the MTCR has been emphasising outreach and consultation, notably with respect to a draft International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, prepared by Regime members between 1999-2001 and agreed in draft form by over 80 countries at a meeting in Paris in February 2002. As confirmed in an MTCR press release, issued at the close of the Plenary, the confidence-building measure is now set for adoption: "Partners noted with appreciation the invitation by the government of the Netherlands to the international conference in The Hague on 25-26 November 2002 to launch the International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation."

The press release continued: "The Plenary recognized that further action against missile proliferation was essential at the national, regional and international level. In this context it re-emphasized the important role played by export controls, the need for their strict implementation and enforcement, and the need for continued adaptation and strengthening of such controls to respond to technological development and the evolving security environment. To this end the Plenary agreed to a number of changes to the Regime's...Control List. The Polish Chair was mandated to pursue a range of contacts with non-Partners, including MTCR-sponsored workshops and seminars, and intensified dialogue concerning MTCR goals and activities, with the focus on such topics as export controls, related legislation, transshipment and enforcement."

Note: for background and analysis on the International Code of Conduct, see Mark Smith, 'Rules for the Road? The International Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation', Disarmament Diplomacy No. 63, March/April 2002, pp. 10-15.

Report: Plenary meeting of the Missile Technology Control, Regime, Warsaw, Poland, MTCR Press Release (http://www.mtcr.info), September 27.

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