US Mission Geneva

As this is the first time I am taking the floor this year, allow me to begin by congratulating you on assuming the post as the first President of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) during the 2010 session, and to thank you for your extensive efforts already this year. I wish to assure you and all members of the P6 of my Delegation’s full support for your collective efforts throughout this year.

A useful reference list of leading nonproliferation institutions, web sites and publications.

The U.S. delegation led by Assistant Secretary Rose Gottemoeller has returned for a recess from the START negotiations in Geneva. The team has gone through an intensive period of negotiations with their Russian counterparts over more than two months. Our goal remains to conclude a solid treaty for the President’s signature as soon as possible, and we expect that the teams will resume their negotiations in Geneva in mid-January.

The United States will send an interagency delegation of humanitarian mine action experts to observe the Second Review Conference of the 1997 “Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction,” also known as the Ottawa Convention

The United States is pleased to participate in this 11th conference of High Contracting Parties to Protocol II on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-traps, and Other Devices, as amended in 1996. The United States landmine policy, as announced in 2004, meets or exceeds all of the provisions of Amended Protocol II. Our national report, provided to the Secretariat today, provides updates to our previous reports, primarily related to assistance activities. In addition to our national implementation of the Protocol, we provide a range of humanitarian mine action assistance to countries around the world.

On behalf of the members of my delegation, I would like to join with other delegations in congratulating you on the assumption of your post as President of the Meeting of States Parties. You have our full support.

IAN KELLY: “I know that there was a telephone conversation today with the political directors from the six countries. Of course, Under Secretary William Burns participated from our end. They discussed the need for unity of the P-5+1 in our approach to the issue of Iran’s nuclear program. They also discussed the way forward on arranging a follow-on meeting to the Geneva meeting, but that’s very much now still in the works. It’s a matter of discussion between Mr. Solana and the Iranian authorities, but nothing’s been set in terms of follow-on –”

State Department October 23 Daily Briefing: U.S., France, and Russia indicate positive response to talks / Iran wants to wait until next week to respond – The international community’s been waiting a long time for Iran to address some real concerns about their intentions – Inspection of Qom on Sunday – Want to see concrete Steps from Iran / International patience is not limitless

We now face a different kind of threat, a threat that is more diffuse and perhaps even more dangerous. The range and intensity of current nuclear proliferation challenges is alarming. The international community failed to prevent North Korea from developing nuclear weapons. We are now engaged in diplomatic efforts to roll back this development. Iran continues to ignore resolutions from the United Nations Security Council demanding that it suspend its enrichment activities and live up to those international obligations.