VZCZCXRO9378
RR RUEHSK RUEHSL
DE RUCNDT #1037/01 3201644
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161644Z NOV 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7622
INFO RUCNDSC/DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 001037 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CD CDG PARM PREL UNGA
SUBJECT: 64TH UNGA/FIRST COMMITTEE THEMATIC DEBATE: 
REGIONAL DISARMAMENT 
 
¶1. (U) The UN First Committee (Disarmament and International 
Security) conducted its thematic debate on regional 
disarmament and security on October 21 and 22.  Thirteen 
countries spoke about issues of regional disputes over 
territory, military build-ups and regional disarmament plans. 
 
¶2. Malta 
 
(U) Malta declared that there could be no peace and security 
in Europe unless it was first achieved in the Mediterranean. 
It stressed the need to enhance dialogue and strengthen 
various Mediterranean and Euro-Mediterranean forums.  It 
noted the difficulties presented by the situation in the 
Middle East and the phenomenon of irregular migration.  Malta 
called on the international community to work towards 
addressing the Middle East problem in a holistic way and 
reiterated its support for a two-state solution. 
 
¶3. Peru 
 
(U) Peru highlighted the importance of confidence-building 
measures and heightened transparency among the international 
community in achieving peace and security.  It urged 
individual states to adhere to their respective international 
arms commitments.  Peru urged the international community, 
including Latin American countries, to shift military 
expenditures towards humanitarian efforts.  It stated that 
the confidence-building and security that come with 
disarmament are essential to promoting development. 
 
¶4. Algeria 
 
(U) Algeria introduced a draft resolution on strengthening 
peace and security in the Mediterranean, which among other 
things recognized the entry into force of the African 
Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty.  It also called for 
countries to consider confidence-building measures, and to 
fight transnational crime and terrorism. 
 
¶5. Nepal 
 
(U) Nepal introduced a draft resolution on the UN Regional 
Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific. 
Nepal reiterated its commitment to consolidating the 
Kathmandu Process, and thanked Member States for their 
continued support.  It stated that regional initiatives and 
instruments on disarmament and non-proliferation were crucial 
to attaining global disarmament and non-proliferation. 
 
¶6. UAE 
 
(U) The UAE declared that Israel's possession of nuclear 
weapons and weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) only served to 
encourage other states to acquire nuclear weapons.  It called 
on the international community to adopt firm measures to 
address the situation.  The UAE reiterated its support for 
measures designed to put political, economic, and diplomatic 
pressure on Israel to adhere to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation 
Treaty (NPT).  It called on Israel to put its nuclear 
facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 
safeguards and also called for Iran to comply with decisions 
of the IAEA. 
 
¶7. Egypt 
 
(U) Egypt introduced two draft resolutions, the first 
concerning the establishment of a nuclear weapon-free zone in 
the Middle East, and the second on the risk of nuclear 
proliferation in the Middle East.  Both were virtually 
identical to resolutions Egypt has introduced for many years. 
 Egypt stated that when Israel joined the NPT the treaty 
would achieve universality in the Middle East. 
 
¶8. Iraq 
 
(U) Iraq echoed other delegations' calls for Israel to adhere 
to the NPT and put its nuclear facilities under IAEA 
safeguards, stating that a nuclear weapon-free zone in the 
Middle East is not possible without Israel.  It underlined 
the importance of such a zone in the Middle East, a strategic 
region of economic importance.  Iraq expressed hope with the 
outcome of the 2009 Security Council summit on nuclear 
disarmament and nonproliferation, and at the efforts of the 
United States and the Russian Federation to negotiate a 
successor to the START treaty. 
 
¶9. Armenia 
 
(U) Armenia called the strengthening of existing disarmament 
agreements and verification systems a priority. It praised 
the efforts of the UN and regional players to stop the 
uncontrolled spread of SA/LW, and supported the UN Program of 
 
USUN NEW Y 00001037  002 OF 002 
 
 
Action on SA/LW.  It warned that restrictions on conventional 
weapons had been flouted, which was leading to an arms race 
in the Caucasus.  It asserted that Azerbaijan had violated 
the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty. 
 
¶10. Russia 
 
(U) Russia pointed out that the conflict in Abkhazia-South 
Ossetia in August of last year was attributable to the 
presence of large quantities of uncontrolled arms in the 
region.  It stated the CFE Treaty had become out dated and 
expressed Russia's willingness to engage in dialogue to 
revise it.  Russia highlighted the importance of a concrete 
commitment from its CFE Treaty partners on this issue.   It 
pointed to Russian President Medvedev's initiative on a 
proposed security treaty that would cover the Euro-Atlantic 
area. 
 
¶11. Pakistan 
 
(U) Pakistan highlighted the importance of bilateral efforts, 
confidence-building measures, dispute resolution, and arms 
limitation at the global level in promoting arms control and 
disarmament.  It stated that arms control efforts must be 
tailored to the particular requirements of different regions, 
noting that a one-size-fits-all approach does not work. 
Pakistan stated that it was pursuing a composite dialogue 
process in South Asia. 
 
¶12. Cuba 
 
(U) Cuba criticized US military bases in Latin America, 
claiming that they did not promote regional security, but 
rather threatened it by committing acts of harassment and 
aggression, and promoting wars and confrontation between 
neighboring countries.  It highlighted the bases in Colombia 
and the reassignment of the U.S. Fourth Fleet to the region, 
stating that they were used as a front to pursue U.S. 
political and economic interests in Latin America.  Cuba 
called for their withdrawal, including the base in Guantanamo. 
 
¶13. Azerbaijan 
 
(U) Azerbaijan called for joint efforts to address terrorism, 
non-proliferation, and ensuring energy security, and 
advocated a region in the Caucasus free of WMDs.  It stated 
that civilian populations around the world are suffering due 
to the unlawful use of force exercised by certain states. 
Azerbaijan cited the conflicts in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and 
Nagorno-Karabakh as examples of a threat to regional and 
international peace and security.  It stated that Armenia is 
currently occupying one-fifth of Azeri territory, and that 
war crimes and genocide have occurred in the region.  It 
mentioned the alarming number of uncontrolled Armenian arms 
in the area and closed by stating that Azerbaijan aims to 
liberate all occupied territories. 
 
¶14. Venezuela 
 
(U) Venezuela stated that the creation of the Rio Group had 
been a step forward in creating a platform for dialogue and 
helped to promote Venezuelan ideals of peace, respect for 
sovereignty, and non-interference.  It stated that the 
presence of US military bases, especially those in Colombia, 
were a threat to sovereignty; it supported 
confidence-building meetings to address those issues. 
 
¶15. (U) Rights of Reply: Georgia responded to the Russian 
statement, saying that it agreed with the assessment that the 
events of August last year in Georgia were definitely an 
aggression, but that the Russian statement did not correspond 
to reality.  It said that the report of the independent 
fact-finding commission, which had already looked into the 
matter, confirmed that the site of the conflict had endured 
long-term provocations by Russia. A new European security 
architecture was needed, as some countries were failing to 
abide by their earlier obligations and commitments.  In 
response, Russia agreed that there had been an aggression and 
said that readers would be able to reach their own 
conclusions about the commission report, but they would not 
have the same opinion as Georgia. 
Wolff