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Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) - Meetings of States Parties

General debate statement on the CCW

by HE Ms Caroline Millar, Ambassador for Disarmament and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations (Geneva)

12 November 2009

Mr President

The Australian delegation congratulates you on your appointment and assures you of our full cooperation as you guide this meeting to a successful conclusion. I should also like to thank the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs for the strong and compelling message from the United Nations Secretary-General.

Australia has had a long-standing commitment to the CCW and its aims and is a party to all five Protocols.

As the CCW enters its 27th year, States Parties to the CCW need to ensure the Convention is able to prohibit or restrict the use of those weapons which are excessively injurious or have indiscriminate effects. The CCW needs to remain responsive to, and lead developments in, international humanitarian law.

Mr President

Since the last Meeting of States Parties, Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates have acceded to the Convention and accepted a number of its protocols. Australia is pleased to welcome them to the CCW. Apart from the new parties to Amended Protocol II and Protocol V which we mentioned earlier this week, we also welcome the United States’ acceptance of Protocol III and Protocol IV and Paraguay’s acceptance of Protocol IV since the last Meeting.

We urge those States not yet Party to the CCW to consider ratifying or acceding to it in the near future. We also encourage those States Parties that have not yet accepted all of the Convention’s Protocols to do so in the earliest time frame possible, for it is the Protocols themselves that provide the substance to the Convention’s aspirations.

While we recognise the significant achievement in having 110 States Parties to the Convention, there is still considerable scope for greater universalisation.

As part of our outreach on arms control and disarmament issues, Australia has taken opportunities to promote the universalisation of the CCW and its Protocols, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. In our role as Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum this year, Australia has continued to encourage the universalisation of a range of arms control measures, including the CCW, to the States of the Pacific.

Australia continues to be a key financial contributor to the sponsorship fund. The fund allows mine and ERW-affected developing countries and experts to attend key international meetings related to the CCW. The fund is a valuable tool to promote further the goals of the CCW, enhancing its universalisation and in assisting its effective implementation.

Mr President

Since our last meeting, international concern about cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians led directly to a significant achievement in December of last year – the signing of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Oslo. Australia was pleased to be amongst the first nations to sign the Convention.

All States involved in this process are rightly proud of their achievement. We must now turn our common purpose towards encouraging rapid entry into force, universalisation and full implementation of the Convention. Australia is working hard towards its own ratification of the Convention.

While Australia is a strong supporter of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, we accept the fact that some states, including major producers, are not yet in a position to join and Australia therefore considers the CCW has a role to play in restricting the use and prohibiting certain types of cluster munitions.

We continue to support efforts in the CCW – an instrument with broad membership and a high level of technical expertise – to achieve meaningful prohibitions on the use of cluster munitions by those who have not yet signed or ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

If the CCW is “to address urgently the humanitarian impact of cluster munitions”, as the mandate of the GGE has stated, it must provide for a strong humanitarian outcome and progress – not hinder – the development of international humanitarian law. The minimum elements that we consider a CCW Protocol on cluster munitions should include are:

We do not underestimate the difficulties involved, but we are prepared to work with others to achieve this outcome should the mandate of the Group of Governmental Experts be renewed.

Mr President

Australia supports efforts to strengthen the CCW. One significant area outstanding from the Convention’s coverage is mines other than anti-personnel mines (MOTAPM).

The work undertaken before and at the CCW Third Review Conference demonstrated conclusively that undetectable and persistent MOTAPM pose a humanitarian risk. Moreover, this work showed that this risk could be countered effectively through the conclusion of a protocol governing the use of such weapons.

Australia is pleased to recall its support for the declaration on anti-vehicle mines issued by 23 states at the conclusion of the Third Review Conference. We would encourage others to consider affirming their support for this declaration as a practical means of addressing the humanitarian concerns of MOTAPM.

Mr President

The establishment of an Implementation Support Unit is another means by which we, as States Parties, can strengthen the CCW. While Mr Peter Kolarov and Mr Bantan Nugroyo have provided excellent support, their capacity is understandably limited and already severely stretched. The Convention deserves greater administrative and strategic support.

We consider that an ISU would be a useful mechanism through which to enhance consistent meeting support, promote universalisation of the CCW and improve effective implementation of the Convention and its Protocols.

We would welcome the opportunity to discuss the draft decision for an ISU with other States Parties, including on the proposed size and composition of the Unit and its budget.

Thank you.

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