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Interview with Sergio de Queiroz Duarte,

High Representative for Disarmament Affairs

On 2 July 2007, United Nations ces that take place in Geneva. The
Secretary General Ban Ki- Conference on Disarmament has faced
moon announced the appoint- many difficulties in reaching a consen-
ment of Sergio de Queiroz sus on several issues that have been on
Duarte of Brazil as the High its agenda for many years, including a
for
Representative treaty prohibiting the production of fis-
Disarmament at the Under- sile material for use in weapons or other
Secretary-General level. nuclear explosive devices, nuclear dis-
armament, negative security assurances
Mr. Duarte is not a newcomer (to assure non-nuclear-weapon states
to diplomacy for he served for against nuclear attacks or threats of
48 years in the Brazilian attack), and the prevention of an arms
Foreign Service before taking race in outer space. I am confident that
up his new position in the the Conference will continue its efforts
United Nations. He has a solid to reach such a consensus in the year
experience of disarmament ahead.
issues to his credit, and we
might mention in passing that Q: We hear a lot about the non
he was a member of the proliferation of Nuclear weapons.
Brazilian delegation to the 18- What exactly are you doing in
Disarmament
nation this context?
Committee, has been Brazils
Special Representative for the U.N. Charter and the mandates given The proliferation of nuclear weapons is
Disarmament Affairs in Geneva by the General Assembly, the Security one of the greatest concerns of the inter-
(1979-1986), and has served on Council and other organs of the U.N. in national community. My office follows
the Board of Governors of the the field of disarmament and related closely the review process of the Treaty
International Atomic Energy security matters, as well as in dischar- on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Agency (IAEA). ging the specific responsibilities entrus- Weapons (NPT), whose States Parties
ted to him by multilateral disarmament hold one major conference every five
Q: Sir, you were appointed High agreements. Besides, to identify emer- years and three preparatory conferences
Representative for Disarmament ging issues and challenges in this field in the intervening period. My office
Affairs in July 2007. How has it and make appropriate recommendations provides substantive and administrative
been going from national diplo- to the Secretary-General, to provide sub- services at these meetings - we do all we
macy to the United Nations? stantive organizational support to the can to assist the States Parties to the
disarmament machinery, to promote NPT in strengthening and consolidating
There is of course a difference in being a multilateral efforts both in the field of the relevant norms.
representative of a Member State and weapons of mass destruction and
working as a U.N. official. In the latter conventional weapons, to support regio- Q: What is in your opinion the big-
case there is a different kind of allegian- nal approaches to disarmament and gest obstacle regarding an effec-
ce and accountability and one must look security, and to advance the ideals and tive observation of multilateral
at the issues from a wider angle than in objectives of the U.N. in this field treaties and reducing the threat
the case of a national diplomat. As for through an educational and outreach and numbers of existing nuclear
the substance of the issues at hand. I program and interact with permanent weapons?
spent most of my diplomatic career dea- missions, non-governmental organiza-
ling with multilateral disarmament tions and civil society in general. The rule of law must be better unders-
issues, and this background is of course tood and complied with by the interna-
very useful in my present capacity. Q: With all existing disarmament tional community in general regarding
bodies of the UN, how is your offi- multilateral treaties on disarmament.
Q: I wonder if you could tell us a ce coordinate the work of the The reduction of the numbers of exis-
little about what you office is Conference on Disarmament in ting nuclear weapons has been so far
doing, and what you would you Geneva, and what are the major dealt with between the two major pos-
like to achieve while being in offi- issues in question for this year? sessors of such weapons and some mea-
ce? sures have been taken by others. More
My office has a branch in Geneva, which work needs to be done to reduce the
My office's functions, as set by the coordinates not only the work of the reliance on nuclear weapons in military
Secretary-General, include assisting him Conference on Disarmament but also doctrines of the nuclear-weapon States,
in discharging his responsibilities under that of several other important conferen- and efforts must be made to increase

6 1 2008 Diva

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