STATEMENT BY SOUTH AFRICA AT THE FIRST COMMITTEE OF THE UNITED NATIONS, OCTOBER 1998

Mr Chairperson,

Please accept my delegation's congratulations on your assumption of the chair of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly during its fifty-third session. I wish to assure you of my delegation's full support and cooperation as you and your bureau lead the work of this Committee to a successful conclusion.p

Mr Chairperson,

At last year's First Committee, South Africa categorised 1997 as a year in which the international community, while being able to demonstrate several accomplishments in the field of non-proliferation and disarmament, was unable to grasp the opportunities which were available. It was our stated hope that 1998 would prove to be more productive, and that at this session of the General Assembly we would all be in a position to look back over a year during which we would not only have continued to develop the work in our areas of accomplishment, but when we would also be in a position to look forward to the prospect of building on new foundations addressing issues of importance.

Mr Chairperson,

Despite the positive work being done in the context of the BTWC; the agreement in the Conference on Disarmament to negotiate a fissile materials treaty; the outcome of the Summit between the Presidents of the United States and the Russian Federation; the Strategic Defence Review undertaken by the United Kingdom and the indications of transparency which that contains; the imminent entry into force of both the Treaty on the total ban of anti-personnel mines as well as of Amended Protocol II of the CCW -- 1998 has, however, also been a year of disturbing developments, especially in the area of nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. Developments, which will have a significant impact as we attempt to chart a course into the next millennium which will ensure that the peoples of the world will be able to live in a safer and more secure environment without the threat of weapons of mass destruction and excessive accumulations of conventional arms and light weapons clouding their existence.

The nuclear test explosions conducted in South Asia and their potential impact on nuclear disarmament were of considerable concern to my Government. We have expressed ourselves on this issue and I would here reiterate the statements which have been made by the South African Government. South Africa has also joined in a number of initiatives, including at the Conference in Disarmament and at the recently held General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to express our concern. We would continue to call on India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint and to continue in their dialogue to promote mutual confidence. My Government is also on record as welcoming the General Assembly statements by the distinguished Prime Ministers of Pakistan and India in which they indicated progress in their becoming parties to the CTBT. Our opposition to nuclear tests is not only a reflection of the views of the South African Government, but is a long sought after goal of the international community as a whole, which had hoped that the conclusion of the CTBT would remove this phenomena from within our midst. It should also be noted that as a country which has itself stepped away from the nuclear weapons abyss, and as a States party to the NPT, we are firmly committed to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and to their complete elimination. As long as a single nuclear weapon remains in existence, it spells great danger and it is our belief that these weapons constitute a threat to humanity.

Mr Chairperson,

A source of concern for South Africa this year has also been the continuing refusal to recognise that the entire international community has an interest and a concern in nuclear disarmament. A refusal which has, inter alia, led to an inability to have this interest and concern accommodated in such fora as the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva and the Strengthened Review Process of the NPT. This is also despite the fact South Africa, and many other participants in these meetings, have made it clear that these proposals are being made and would be undertaken without undermining or threatening the nuclear disarmament negotiations between the Russian Federation and the United States -- which would continue to be of paramount importance to the reduction of nuclear weapons, and for their eventual elimination; as would future negotiations involving the other three Nuclear Weapon States. What is being sought is for the international community, as represented by the CD and the NPT, to have focused deliberations on the practical steps for systematic and progressive efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons. The concern which I have outlined here was further exacerbated by the unsuccessful conclusion of the second meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the NPT Review Conference. South Africa will continue to pursue the proposals which it made at the 1998 PrepCom when the Committee again meets next year. It is also our hope that the 1999 PrepCom will recoup the ground which has been lost and successfully conclude its work. We will work together with all of our NPT partners to achieve this objective, especially in view of the new challenge which has confronted us.

Mr Chairperson,

President Nelson Mandela when addressing this session of the General Assembly gave a clear exposition of South African position on nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. He recalled the fact that the very first resolution of the General Assembly sought to address the challenge of "the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction"; but he went on to note the fact that after countless initiatives and resolutions, the international community still does not have concrete and generally accepted proposals, supported by a clear commitment by the Nuclear Weapon States, for the speedy, final and total elimination of nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons capabilities. President Mandela saluted -- as we also do today -- Brazil 's decision to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and urged all others that have not done so to follow this excellent example. He asked the question, while admitting that it might sound naive to those who have elaborated sophisticated arguments to justify their refusal to eliminate these terrible and terrifying weapons of mass destruction, "why do they need them anyway?" President Mandela stated that in reality, no rational answer can be advanced to explain in a satisfactory manner what, in the end, is the consequence of Cold War inertia and an attachment to the use of the threat of brute force to assert the primacy of some States over others.

Mr Chairperson,

It is also a pleasure for me to bring to your attention, as the distinguished Ambassador of Mexico has done earlier today, that South Africa together with its partners to the 9 June 1998 "Joint Ministerial Declaration on the need for a New Agenda for a Nuclear Weapon Free World" (Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia, and Sweden) will be presenting a resolution for consideration by the First Committee. The Declaration and the resolution is intended to put forward a realistic and achievable agenda for the achievement of nuclear disarmament. It is intended to identify the middle ground and to avoid the trap of inaction created by the two poles which have for too long dominated the nuclear disarmament debate and which have only delivered further polarization and demonstrated a paucity of results. The time has come to look at a new approach which would unite the middle ground trapped between maximalist and minimalist positions. This approach would need to squarely recognise the challenges facing us; would not deny the steps which have been, and which are continuing to be, taken; would not avoid difficult issues, while also not seeking confrontation; and would seek to form the basis for a common approach for the achievement of the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons through existing unilateral and bilateral processes and through complementary and mutually reinforcing steps at the plurilateral and multilateral levels.

President Nelson Mandela, when announcing South Africa's participation in this initiative, stated forthrightly that the resolution, which is appropriately entitled "Towards a Nuclear Weapon Free World : The Need for a New Agenda", is an honest attempt to contribute to the definition of the systematic and progressive steps required to eliminate nuclear weapons and the threat of annihilation which they pose. He called on all members of the United Nations seriously to consider this important resolution and to give it their support.

Mr Chairperson,

I would now like to turn to a number of other important issues which South Africa wishes to highlight and which will be dealt with during the course of our deliberations.

Mr Chairperson,

South Africa welcomed the decision which was taken in the Conference on Disarmament (CD) to establish the Ad Hoc Committee under Item I of the Agenda entitled "Cessation of the Nuclear Arms Race and Nuclear Disarmament" which will be negotiating the fissile materials treaty (FMT) on the basis of the Shannon Report (CD/1299) and the mandate contained therein. The commencement and early conclusion of the FMT negotiations in the CD has long been an objective of the South African Government. The FMT, as the next major multilateral negotiation following the conclusion of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), is an integral part of the nuclear disarmament section of the "Principles and Objectives for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament" adopted at the 1995 Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review and Extension Conference. South Africa sees the negotiations on an FMT as being of particular importance given the key nature of fissile material as a component of nuclear weapons. From our perspective the negotiations which the CD is about to commence lie at the heart of the nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation issue. By achieving control over fissile material for weapons purposes we will not only be in a position to prevent the production of further nuclear weapons, but we would also be in a position to lay the groundwork for their eventual elimination. South Africa 's approach to the negotiations for an FMT will be based on the objective that the Treaty to be negotiated must be an integral measure of both nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. While recognising the difficulties which surround the issues relating to existing military stockpiles of fissile material, it is our intention to raise the stockpiles issue, as is provided for in the Shannon Report, and will, together with the other members of the Conference on Disarmament, seek the most appropriate ways of dealing with the matter.

Mr Chairperson,

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Preparatory Commission and its Provisional Technical Secretariat continue to make significant strides in the implementation of the Treaty's verification regime. South Africa lends its voice to those of other States in calling for all States to sign the Treaty and to work constructively for its earliest entry into force. As I have already said, South Africa welcomes the recent statement by Pakistan about its readiness to sign the CTBT and the statement by India about its willingness to continue its discussions on the signing of that Treaty.

South Africa will also continue to use its participation in the First Committee to further reinforce its support for initiatives to increase the area of the world covered by nuclear-weapon-free zones. We will also continue to give our support to the initiative to promote the Southern Hemisphere as a zone free from nuclear weapons.

Mr Chairperson,

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) serves as an example of the work which can be achieved by the international community within disarmament context. My delegation has noted with satisfaction the success of the OPCW in implementing the Convention by conducting successful inspections amongst member States and the cooperation which has been extended by the States Parties in this regard. South Africa also welcomes the increasing number of ratifications of the CWC and further calls on all States which have not done so to ratify or accede to the CWC in order broaden its universal application.

The intensification of the work of the Ad Hoc Group of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), which has clearly been demonstrated by the negotiators this year, and by their agreement on an intensive work programme for 1999, is also to be welcomed. South Africa is fully committed to these negotiations and to achieving a Protocol which will be effective in strengthening the implementation of the BTWC. The conclusion of the work of the Ad Hoc Group will, however, be dependant upon the continued commitment and substantive, as well as flexible, participation of all State Parties to the Treaty. We are convinced that the Ad Hoc Group will be able to complete its work within the time frame which was agreed to at the Treaty's last Review Conference.

Mr Chairperson,

While arms control has traditionally focused on conventional arms and weapons of mass destruction, the devastation wrought by the proliferation of light weapons and small arms on socio-economic development generally, and specifically in the reconstruction of post-conflict societies, can no longer be ignored. Unimpeded access to and the use of light weapons and small arms within States has increased the lethality of crime, violence, banditry and civil disobedience. The demobilisation of ex-combatants, disarmament programmes and other initiatives in regions which have suffered through conflict situations are constrained by the existence of large amounts of these weapons which are poorly regulated and indiscriminately used. The diffusion of existing stocks and the flow of new weapons endanger the democratic transformations which are being sought and have a negative influence on the ability of governments to govern effectively.

The challenge in addressing the proliferation of light weapons and small arms is to marshal the necessary human and financial resources, encouraging the sharing of reliable data among national departments and regional partners, coordinating action, and by raising the profile of the issue to gain the support of governments, politicians and nongovernmental organisations. Furthermore, the illicit proliferation of small arms is closely linked to other criminal activities and therefore must be addressed within the context of initiatives aimed at reducing crime. The close link between licit and illicit weapons must also be recognised and approaches to addressing the one must relate to the other both within countries and in regional initiatives.

South Africa therefore believes that a holistic approach is necessary to address this problem. Concurrent action must be taken at national, regional and international levels focusing both on licit and illicit small arms and light weapons. To reinforce national action, it is imperative that a regional approach, addressing the concerns of individual regions and adopting an incremental approach, should be formulated to address the problem of the uncontrolled proliferation of these weapons. This will ensure that as each region of the world develops an indigenous approach and the building blocks will be put in place to effectively deal with this issue globally.

The focus areas in all instances should therefore be placed on illicit and licit small arms and light weapons. National and regional approaches must be developed for both short-term and long-term gains. At the national level efforts should be focused on enhancing legislation and regulation to prevent legal small arms from becoming illegal through criminal activity; improving, as necessary, the regulation of the importation, export and transfer of light weapons and small arms; and by increasing the control over stocks of light weapons belonging to security forces. Steps should also be taken to reduce the number of existing weapons through voluntary methods and increasing the capacity of security forces to identify, seize and destroy illicit weapons.

Regionally, an important confidence-building measure that would lead to long-term gains for regional cooperation and trust is greater transparency by countries in their transfers of small arms and light weapons. In affected regions, States and regional organisations should also take immediate steps to stop the inflow of these weapons through increased cooperation, harmonisation of transfer procedures, tighter border control and intelligence sharing. Attention should also be focused on the recirculation of existing stocks throughout the region and appropriate control measures should be devised, including increased cooperation among governments, joint operations and harmonisation of priorities.

A cooperatives partnership should be established between governments, international and regional organisations and the nongovernmental community to mobilise public and political support. The role of the nongovernmental community in assisting governments in achieving this support and aiding in the compilation of reliable data regarding small arms and light weapons proliferation in all its aspects should be explored fully. It is South Africa 's view that an international conference on small arms and light weapons should be held after 1999 to enable governments and regional organisations to share their experiences, and facilitate dialogue. The aim of the conference should be to increase cooperation and avoid duplication of initiatives to ensure that scarce resources are utilised effectively. The conference should formulate an action plan to combat this proliferation problem based upon the experiences of indigenous regional approaches in this regard. Such regional approaches will have put in place measures which would allow us to effectively deal with this issue globally.

During this session of the First Committee, my delegation will continue to support resolutions dealing with the conventional arms, small arms and light weapons issues, using as a basis for our participation the views which have been outlined above. In this context it is also important for me to note that South Africa continues to encourage all Member States of the United Nations to support and regularly participate in the UN Register of Conventional Arms. The Register remains a very important tool in building transparency and confidence.

Mr Chairperson,

South Africa was delighted when Burkino Faso deposited the fortieth Ratification of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction triggering the Ottawa Treaty's entry into force mechanism. The next significant milestone in the fulfilment and implementation of all of the objectives of the Treaty will be the First Meeting of States Parties. South Africa would here like to take the opportunity of welcoming and giving its support to the offer which was made by the distinguished Foreign Minister of Mozambique during the General Assembly debate for his country to be the venue of the First Meeting of States Parties. We give this support not only because Mozambique is a close neighbour and friend, but also because by holding the meeting in one of the countries which has been the most afflicted by the scourge of anti-personnel landmines the meeting will serve as a further reminder to all members of the international community of how these weapons are devastating the lives of innocent civilians around the world. South Africa will work closely and actively with Mozambique and with the other members of the Treaty to encourage those States which have not yet done so to sign and ratify it in order that they would be in a position to join us in Maputo as full members of the international norm against the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti personnel mines and on their destruction.

Mr Chairperson,

As the delegations participating in the First Committee debate, formulate and adopt resolutions which will guide us and our work during 1999, South Africa remains committed to working in this Committee, and in all other disarmament and non-proliferation fora, so as to achieve our common goal of eliminating all weapons of mass destruction, and to limiting the numbers of conventional weapons, small arms and light weapons to those required for self-defence and other legitimate uses.

Mr Chairperson, I thank you.