Nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East – First Cttee debate – Verbatim record (excerpts)

Official Records

General Assembly

Fifty-first session

First Committee

21st meeting

Wednesday, 13 November 1996, 10 a.m.

New York

President:  Mr. Sychou ……………………. (Belarus)

The meeting was called to order at 10.15 a.m.

/…

The Chairman: The Committee will now proceed to take action on draft resolution A/C.1/51/L.40.

I call on the Secretary of the Committee.

Mr. Lin Kuo-Chung (Secretary of the Committee): Draft resolution A/C.1/51/L.40, on the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects, was introduced by the representative of Sweden at the 15th meeting of the Committee on 6 November 1996. In addition to those sponsors listed in the draft resolution and those appearing in document A/C.1/51/INF.3, it was sponsored by the following countries: El Salvador, Guatemala and Brazil.

The Chairman: The sponsors of the draft resolution have expressed the wish that it be adopted by the Committee without a vote. If I hear no objection, I will take it that the Committee wishes to act accordingly.

Draft resolution A/C.1/51/L.40 was adopted.

The Chairman: I now call on those representatives wishing to explain their position on the draft resolution just adopted.

Mr. Yativ (Israel): I should like to explain Israel's position on draft resolution A/C.1/51/L.40. Israel ratified the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (CWC) in March 1995. We participated in the Review Conference that amended Protocol II of the Convention, and are currently reviewing that amended landmine Protocol. Israel supports the efforts being made to extend accession to the CWC to as many States as possible, particularly in the Middle East region.

Israel's policy stems from a deep and sincere concern for the need to reduce and prevent suffering and to restrict the use of weapons that have indiscriminate effects. However, we believe that it is necessary to keep a balance between vital humanitarian concerns on the one hand and legitimate security concerns on the other, with the aim of preventing further suffering. Joint action by the international community to prevent suffering from the indiscriminate use of mines will in itself contribute to mutual trust and confidence between nations and peoples. In this context, Israel reiterates its call to regional States to accede to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons as a regional confidence-building step towards further enhancement of security in our region.

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Mr. Lin Kuo-Chung (Secretary of the Committee): Draft resolution A/C.1/51/L.46, entitled “An international agreement to ban anti-personnel landmines”, was introduced by the representative of the United States of America at the 14th meeting of the Committee on 4 November 1996. In addition to the sponsors listed in the draft resolution and those appearing in document A/C.1/51/INF.3, it was also sponsored by the following countries: Belize, Cape Verde, Congo, Ecuador, France and San Marino.

A recorded vote was taken.

In favour:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Against:

None

Abstaining:

Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Israel, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey

Draft resolution A/C.1/51/L.46 was adopted by 141 votes to none, with 10 abstentions.

The Chairman: I shall now call on those representatives wishing to explain their vote.

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Mr. Yativ (Israel): I wish to explain Israel's vote on draft  resolution A/C.1/51/L.46.

Israel supports the international efforts being made to resolve the problem of the indiscriminate and irresponsible use of anti-personnel landmines, whose casualties are mostly innocent and defenceless civilians, United Nations peacekeeping forces and humanitarian aid personnel.

In March 1995, Israel ratified the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects. It participated in the Review Conference that amended Protocol II of the Convention, and is currently reviewing that revised landmines Protocol.

Israel supports the efforts being made to extend accession to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons to as many States as possible, particularly in the Middle East region.

Israel opposes the proliferation of anti-personnel landmines. Accordingly, in 1994 it adopted a unilateral moratorium prohibiting their export. This moratorium was recently extended for an additional period of three years, until 1999.

However, due to Israel's unique situation in the Middle East — which involves an ongoing threat of hostilities as well as terrorist activities along the border — Israel is obliged to maintain its capability to use anti-personnel landmines for self-defence in general and in particular along the borders. Such a use of anti-personnel landmines is in accordance with the requisites of the Convention.

Israel is therefore unable, at this juncture, to commit itself to a complete ban on the use of anti-personnel landmines. It will not be able to do so until alternative and effective measures are available to ensure the protection of its security forces, which operate in regions that still face armed conflicts, and of its civilians, who face a daily threat to their lives.

At the same time, Israel supports a gradual process in which each State will undertake to cease the proliferation of anti-personnel landmines; accept restrictions on their possible use; and ban their production once circumstances permit.

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Mr. Lin Kuo-Chung (Secretary of the Committee): Draft resolution A/C.1/51/L.4/Rev.1, entitled “The nuclear-weapon-free Southern Hemisphere and adjacent areas”, was introduced by the representative of Brazil at the 17th meeting of the Committee on 7 November 1996. In addition to those sponsors listed in the draft resolution and in document A/C.1/51/INF.3, it is sponsored by Belize.

A separate vote has been requested on paragraph 3.

A recorded vote was taken.

In favour:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Russian Federation, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Against:

India

Abstaining:

Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Eritrea, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Myanmar, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Viet Nam

Paragraph 3 was retained by 100 votes to 1, with 43 abstentions.

The Chairman: The Committee will now take a decision on draft resolution A/C.1/51/L.4/Rev.1, as a whole, as amended.

A recorded vote has been requested.

I call on the Secretary of the Committee to conduct the voting.

Mr. Lin Kuo-Chung (Secretary of the Committee): The Committee will now proceed to take action on draft resolution A/C.1/51/L.4/Rev.1, as a whole, as amended.

A recorded vote was taken

In favour:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Against:

Canada, France, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America

Abstaining:

Andorra, Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey

Draft resolution A/C.1/51/L.4/Rev.1, as a whole, as amended, was adopted by 111 votes to 4, with 36 abstentions.

The Chairman: I now call on those representatives who wish to explain their vote or position on draft resolution A/C.1/51/L.4/Rev.1.

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Mr. Yativ (Israel): Israel abstained in the voting on draft resolution A/C.1/51/L.4/Rev.1. Israel's position on nuclear-weapon-free zones is well known. Each region, by agreement among all its States and in accordance with its own political and security situation, should freely negotiate the establishment of a zone when all members of the region find it appropriate. Therefore, Israel would like to register its reservation on the fourth preambular paragraph of the draft resolution, which singles out the region of the Middle East as a region of tension.

/…

The meeting rose at 1.20 p.m.

This record contains the original texts of speeches delivered in English and interpretations of speeches delivered in the other languages.  Corrections should be submitted to original speeches only.  They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and be sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, Room C-178.  Corrections will be issued after the end of the session in a consolidated corrigendum.