Permanent Mission of India

Conference on Disarmament

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Statement by Ambassador Anupam Ray, Conference on Disarmament Plenary Meeting, Geneva, June 13, 2024

Mr. President,

Let me begin by congratulating you and your team for successfully guiding the Conference to agreement on a decision on the work of the Conference in 2024.

The last mile is often the most difficult. You and your time completed that last and most difficult mile on behalf of the Conference and deserve our collective gratitude.

My delegation also appreciates the efforts that you and your team are making the towards agreement on a decision on implementation. Please be assured of our fullest support for your work in that direction.

Mr President,

This decision is all the more noteworthy because agreement was reached in the midst of geopolitical stress and conflict. It reflects the importance that is accorded to the work of this Conference by its Members.

Mr President,

I would like to thank other members of the P6+2, and in particular the Presidencies of Indonesia and Iraq, Ambassador Rudyard and Ambassador Bahreini, for the persistence and skill with which they pursued consensus.

We derive an element of satisfaction arising from the unity of purpose displayed by the first four Presidencies of the year – all of whom are members of G21.

We thank all delegations who have contributed to this consensus decision and have made compromises.

Mr. President,

This decision on the work of the Conference is less than ideal. It does not meet our expectations. We have gone along with it in the spirit of compromise that is the basis of multilateralism.

My delegation believes that the CD which is the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, should commence negotiations on issues on its agenda and advance its work of negotiating legally binding instruments.

In this context, India calls for the immediate commencement of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) on the basis of CD/1299, and the mandate contained therein. Preambular paragraph 5 of the decision acknowledges the previous efforts of the Conference. In this context my delegation notes that document CD/1299 is a significant past effort of this Conference.