A preliminary work plan brokered on Thursday by the U.N. Disarmament
Commission would establish a panel to formulate proposals aimed at
preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and ultimately eliminating such
armaments, the United Nations announced .
The deal, which also calls for creation of guidance on pragmatic trust-boosting steps pertaining to non-WMD armaments, eliminated a deadlock that persisted over three days and raised concerns that the commission's capacity to achieve its goals might be in danger, according to a U.N. press release. Separate activities in the approved agenda would address the body's procedures as well as the "Fourth Disarmament Decade."
Still, a disagreement lingered over language on nuclear armaments. The commission reused wording adopted in the past as part of a bid to advance the body's activities. The group incorporates all U.N. member states and meets for three weeks each spring.
The United States endorsed the nuclear work plan proposal with significant reservations, “because of the track record of working on an agenda item that had yielded no success,” said Washington's chief delegate to the commission.
The body's chairman undertook “energetic and creative” initiatives over the last several days, and the steps were “virtually rejected out of hand,” the U.S. representative said.
The official said Washington was willing to compromise so the body could pursue activities “the international community expects of us” (United Nations release, April 5).
http://www.nti.org/gsn/
The deal, which also calls for creation of guidance on pragmatic trust-boosting steps pertaining to non-WMD armaments, eliminated a deadlock that persisted over three days and raised concerns that the commission's capacity to achieve its goals might be in danger, according to a U.N. press release. Separate activities in the approved agenda would address the body's procedures as well as the "Fourth Disarmament Decade."
Still, a disagreement lingered over language on nuclear armaments. The commission reused wording adopted in the past as part of a bid to advance the body's activities. The group incorporates all U.N. member states and meets for three weeks each spring.
The United States endorsed the nuclear work plan proposal with significant reservations, “because of the track record of working on an agenda item that had yielded no success,” said Washington's chief delegate to the commission.
The body's chairman undertook “energetic and creative” initiatives over the last several days, and the steps were “virtually rejected out of hand,” the U.S. representative said.
The official said Washington was willing to compromise so the body could pursue activities “the international community expects of us” (United Nations release, April 5).
http://www.nti.org/gsn/
