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advancing the cause of arms agreements to restrict wea- stalemate. For the first time President this summer, we
and
control in a long time the will do everything we can
non-
pons that may cause unne-
proliferation. cessary suffering or have Conference seems to be rea- do to make the Conference
indiscriminate effects. We lizing this. We have seen as substantive and producti-
There are critically impor- have the world's first and serious efforts over the past ve as possible, and keep it
tant issues directly relating most stringent and transpa- two year to get the relevant. We will support all
to disarmament and nonpro- rent laws governing the Conference back to work. the other Presidents in their
liferation at the CD. The one trade in arms and ammuni- We believe it is imperative efforts to achieve the same
the US thinks holds the tion and are prepared to help to maintain that momentum objective.
most likelihood to negotiate interested countries imple- this year. I look forward to
(this is after all a negotiating ment similar effective laws, an active and busy agenda Q: Finally if you had a
forum) is the Fissile the single most important for the Conference on wish what would that
Material Cut-Off Treaty way to keep arms out of the Disarmament in 2008. be?
(FMCT). hands of terrorists.
Q: You will soon be the I am not a person who puts
Other important topics are These are just a few of the President of Confer- a lot of stake in wishing. I
discussed as well disarma- many ways the United ence of Disarmament, would rather work hard to
ment is one of them. The US States is a leader in the field what would you like to accomplish an objective. As
has made enormous strides of arms control and disar- achieve during your the U.S. Ambassador to the
in this area. President Bush mament, and why I am so "mandate"? Conference on Disarma-
has taken unprecedented proud to tell our story. ment, I can only say again
steps not only to reduce our Whether under our that my delegation will do
or
nuclear arsenal, but also to Q: The Conference of Presidency
everything it can to make it
the
work with other countries, Disarmament has been Presidency of another dele- as successful as possible this
especially Russia, to help qualified as being "an gation, the United States has year. Our goal is to start
them reduce theirs. The unsuccessful" confe- and will continue to seek a negotiations on a multilate-
President recently announ- rence. Do you agree in mandate for the negotiation ral treaty to ban the produc-
ced that the United States this perception? of a Fissile Material Cut-Off tion of fissile material (the
has not only reached its Treaty. That has been the material needed to produce
ambitious goal of reducing The Conference on top agenda item for the nuclear weapons), and we
our nuclear arsenal by 50 Disarmament and its prede- Conference for a number of are prepared to enter such
per cent, but we did it seve- cessors have a proud record years, and continues to negotiations without any
ral years ahead of schedule. of achievement, including enjoy the support of almost pre-conditions. That is the
Moreover, the President having negotiated the all members. The role of the single most important and
Weapons
Conference is to negotiate
announced that we will not Chemical logical step the Conference
stop there and will move Convention, the Biological multilateral arms control on Disarma-ment can take
further by reducing our Weapons Convention and treaties, and it is my hope, to advance the cause of non-
nuclear arsenal by another the Treaty for the Non- and the objective of the proliferation and internatio-
15 per cent by 2012. Proliferation of Nuclear United States, to seek nal security. Let's get to
Weapons (NPT). consensus to negotiate such work!
As for helping other a treaty as soon as possible.
countries, let me give you It has proven that it can If that happens under our
one small example. The work. For too long now Presidency, that would be
United States has given however, it has been sty- fine, but if it happens earlier,
billions of dollars in mied by linkages between that would be even better.
assistance to Russia not issues. This is a formula for Ultimately, when we are
only to help it dismantle
its nuclear weapons safe-
ly, but also to provide
meaningful employment Special sales conditions for Diva read
thousands
to :r
of
ion' c
•rfrcri
employees in its nuclear
complex.
In other areas, the United
States is a leader in
destroying land mines
and excess small arms
and light weapons and is
working to achieve
consensus on multilateral www.fiat-center.ch
12008 Diva 17
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