STATEMENT
BY HU XIAODI
HEAD OF
THE CHINESE DELEGATION
ON THE
ISSUE OF CD’s WORK PROGRAM
AT THE PLENARY
MEETING OF
THE CONFERENCE
ON DISARMAMENT
February 10, 2000
Mr. President,
About the CD work program
issue, I would like to make a few points, to be put on the record of this
official CD meeting.
1.China
maintains that CD should answer to the requests by the United Nations General
Assembly and follow the common wish and aspirations of the international
community by conducting negotiations on PAROS and nuclear disarmament,
and in this context, also do negotiation on FMCT.
2.We
deeply regret that because some delegations refuse to conduct negotiations
on PAROS and on nuclear disarmament, we cannot reach an agreement on the
CD work program. Mr. President, if we have to resort to appointing“special
coordinators”,
then after carefully studying the “draft
declaration”
proposed by you, Mr. President, on the morning of 9 Feb. and the text and
formula offered to us by the Group of 21 on the afternoon of 9 Feb., we
believe that the latter is more reasonable, therefore my delegation supports
the Feb. 9 text and formula of the Group of 21.But
this does not mean that the Chinese delegation has changed its fundamental
position as contained in point 1.
3.Thirdly,
Mr. President, let me make this very clear to avoid any misunderstanding:
it is the view of the Chinese delegation that as different sides respectively
take PAROS, nuclear disarmament and FMCT as the top priority item of the
work of the CD, the only way to find a solution is to treat the three items
in a comprehensive and balanced way. Even though we could agree to appoint
two special coordinators to work on the organizational and mandate part
of the issues of PAROS and nuclear disarmament, the FMCT issue must remain
part and parcel of the overall picture.Based
on this principle, the Chinese delegation will continue to cooperate with
you, Mr. President, with your successors, and with the two special coordinators
to seek a comprehensive and balanced, and therefore just and reasonable
solution to the three issues of PAROS, nuclear disarmament and FMCT.