VZCZCXRO8663
RR RUEHSK RUEHSL
DE RUCNDT #0991/01 3081301
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041301Z NOV 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7520
INFO RUCNDSC/DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1683
RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 0352
RUEHUP/AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST 0425
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2511
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0407
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 2330
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 0001
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1384
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0957
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0015
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1215
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0642
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 3296
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0294

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000991 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CD CDG KN PARM PREL UNGA
SUBJECT: 64TH UNGA/FIRST COMMITTEE THEMATIC DEBATE: OTHER 
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION 
 
1.(U) Summary: The First Committee (Disarmament and 
International Security) conducted its thematic debate on 
non-nuclear weapons of mass destruction on October 16.  Most 
nations called for the adoption of the Biological and Toxin 
Weapons Convention (BTWC), and called on states to meet the 
2012 deadline of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) for 
destruction of chemical weapons stocks. 
 
¶2. Sweden on Behalf of EU 
 
The EU called the proliferation of WMDs and their means of 
delivery a threat to international peace and security.  It 
expressed hope in the universality of the BTWC, CWC and the 
1925 Geneva Protocol.  It encouraged states to meet the 
deadlines of the CWC to eliminate an entire class of weapons. 
 Sweden said the EU is concerned about the proliferation of 
missiles and Iran and the DPRK's recent missile tests. 
 
¶3. Canada 
 
Canada called for an "action-based plan" to be developed at 
the 2011 BTWC review conference.  It stated that the plan 
needs to incorporate sustainability, and to coordinate 
assistance.  It called for work to identify national and 
regional needs and improvements in the BTWC. 
 
¶4. Australia 
 
Australia said it is working towards CWC and BTWC compliance, 
calling the CWC a cornerstone of the multilateral 
non-proliferation and disarmament architecture.  It cited the 
work of the Australia Group in helping to fight proliferation 
of dual-use chemical and biological materials, equipment and 
technology. 
 
¶5. Norway 
 
Norway called the CWC and BTWC essential instruments for 
achieving the goal of a world free of weapons of mass 
destruction.  It was pleased by the implementation of the 
work program from the 2006 BTWC review conference.  It called 
on all states to meet the destruction deadlines of the CWC. 
 
¶6. Uruguay on behalf of MERCOSUR 
 
MERCOSUR called for the universalization of the BTWC and CWC 
and noted that all of the countries in MERCOSUR are free of 
these types of weapons. 
 
¶7. Switzerland 
 
Switzerland was encouraged by the progress towards the 
universalization of the CWC, citing ratification by Iraq, the 
Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.  It called on all states 
to meet the 2012 destruction deadline and ratify the BTWC. 
 
¶8. Indonesia on Behalf of the NAM 
 
The NAM called for an effective and verifiable BTWC, to be 
implemented in comprehensive manner. They underscored the 
belief that there should be a complete non-use of 
bacteriological (biological) agents and toxins as weapons and 
called on all states to ratify the CWC.  The NAM agreed that 
non-state actors should not obtain access to WMDs and said 
the forum for dealing with this is the General Assembly, not 
the Security Council. 
 
¶9. Turkey 
 
Turkey called for wider adherence to the CWC and the BTWC and 
establishment of a WMD-free zone in the Middle East.  Turkey 
also announced that  Turkish national, Ahmet Uzumcu, had 
recently been elected Director General of the Organization 
for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). 
 
¶10. Cuba 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000991  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
Cuba called for prohibition of all WMDs and urged all states 
to abide by the destruction deadlines of the CWC.  It called 
for the use of biological and toxin agents to be eliminated 
and that disarmament must be both "vertical and horizontal." 
 
¶11. Venezuela 
 
Venezuela stated that it is a pacifist country that is free 
of WMDs.  It called for the universalization of the CWC and 
stated that the Security Council is not the best place to 
deal with WMDs. 
 
¶12. Russia 
 
Russia stated that the CWC is the most effective multilateral 
treaty. It said Russia was working as hard to meet its 
obligations for destruction of chemical weapons but it must 
bear the cost itself.  It called for countries to share 
information about biological weapons as a confidence measure. 
 It stated that acquisition of WMD by non-state actors is the 
biggest threat. 
 
¶13. Iran 
 
Iran stated that no country has suffered more than Iran from 
chemical weapons.  It called for all possessor states to 
destroy their stockpiles within the deadlines provided by the 
CWC.  It stated that in the Middle East one state (Israel) 
has not put its facilities under any type of international 
monitoring. 
 
¶14. Hungary 
 
Hungary presented the yearly draft resolution on "Convention 
on the Prohibition of development, production and stockpiling 
of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on 
their destruction." 
 
¶15. Poland 
 
Poland presented the yearly draft resolution on 
"implementation of the convention on the prohibition of the 
development, production, stockpiling and the use of chemical 
weapons and on their destruction." 
 
¶16. Republic of Korea 
 
Republic of Korea noted the progress has been made on the CWC 
and BTWC and called on all states that have not yet ratified 
these conventions to do so as soon as possible.  It called on 
states to meet the destruction deadlines of the CWC. 
Rice