U.S. Ambassador Bruce Turner’s Remarks to the Conference on Disarmament at the Final Day of the 2023 CD Session
Madame President,
Thank you for giving me the floor.
I believe I can speak for everyone in this room in commending you for the manner in which you have led us through the negotiation of this year’s annual report. Your transparency, judiciousness, and astute use of your prerogatives are a model for future presidencies. I also want to commend the other delegations in this room for their cooperative efforts.
Madame President,
I also want to offer my delegation’s support for the latest draft that you have put on the table. We understand that it represents a compromise for most delegations, as well as for ours.
Of course, mention of some topics we would have preferred to see included, such as the FMCT which is clearly within the agenda of this Conference, have been dropped. We also would have liked to have seen a report in which the CD more fully showed its determination to improve its working methods.
At the same time, because this draft clearly represents a compromise for all of us, we believe it is important to approve it today as it stands. We understand that any substantive amendment we might propose would likely lead to a different amendment from another delegation. The risk is that the delicate consensus we believe you have forged over the past few days could quickly unravel.
Madame President,
That would not be a desirable outcome and would send the wrong message about the improvement of overall atmosphere with which this year’s meetings have been conducted. It is important to maintain that trend, so that next year we can do even better.
We believe your report, notwithstanding any shortcomings, makes an important step in that direction.
I thank you, Madam President.
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