U.S. Statement to the Conference on Disarmament
Remarks for the Plenary on Subsidiary Body Progress
As Delivered by Acting Permanent Representative Aud-Frances McKernan
Thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the floor. I would like to commend you for your leadership of the Conference on Disarmament as we endeavor to conclude and record the proceedings of the five Subsidiary Bodies during the CD’s first and second sessions this year. I would also like to highlight the good work of our Subsidiary Body Chairpersons, who have facilitated our work, and I would like to thank them for their efforts to ensure the final reports reflect the views of those members states who offered their perspectives on the agenda items. I appreciate the updates shared today.
The United States has actively engaged in all five Subsidiary Bodies and has sought to be a pragmatic and reasonable interlocutor as we address very complex disarmament related issues during a time of global tensions, with one of our member states, the Russian Federation, engaging in an illegal and unprovoked further invasion of another CD member state, Ukraine.
While we began the year on a hopeful note, with the release of the P5 leaders statement on January 3, that affirmed the principle that a nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought, we are now entering our six month of Ukrainian citizens, its children, young and old civilians, being killed by Russian shelling and missile strikes, as well as the continued destruction of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages by the Russian military.
As Secretary Blinken said on August 1st: “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is a brazen violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter, and
it’s also contrary to the rules-based international order that we all seek to uphold.” The Conference on Disarmament was created as part of the effort to advance the rules-based international order and has helped build that order. The United States values the Conference on Disarmament as the principal multilateral forum for the negotiation of instruments related to international security issues, including arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament. We will continue with our efforts to uphold the rules-based order and continue to build support from all corners of the world to help Ukraine. It is the right thing to do. I also remain hopeful that more countries will join the United States and many others to isolate Russia and hold it accountable for its destructive behavior and unacceptable nuclear saber rattling, as well as in supporting Ukraine in its hour of need. Our efforts are having an impact, and our support to Ukraine is steadfast.
As the Subsidiary Bodies wrap up their work and share their final reports, I would like to note that the United States has kept an open mind to substantive suggestions and constructive efforts by member states to clearly articulate and reflect their views on the SB topics. Efforts by the Subsidiary Body chairs to accurately reflect the views of member states will help us further identify and pinpoint our areas of agreement and disagreement; a process that will enable any future negotiations. The United States looks forward to reviewing the final drafts of the SB reports and seeks the adoption of the reports in a timely manner.
Thank you again Mr. President. You have my delegation’s full support.
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