DC/2983
21 July 2005
Disarmament Commission Reaches Accord on Main Elements of Provisional Agenda for 2006 Substantive Session
Members also Agree to Discuss Measures to Improve Working Methods
NEW YORK, 20 July (UN Headquarters) -- After three days of intensive discussions in a resumed organizational meeting, the Disarmament Commission reached agreement today on the main elements of a provisional agenda for its 2006 substantive session and decided to adjourn the current session after adopting its draft report tomorrow.
Having opened the session this week without an agenda or a fully constituted Bureau, Chairman Sylvester Rowe (Sierra Leone) said today that the “yawning gaps” in the Commission’s draft report could now be closed. Delicate negotiations over three days had led to a “welcome surprise” -- agreement on two substantive items for the next cycle of deliberations, including one on nuclear disarmament and another on confidence-building measures in the conventional weapons sphere. (For details of the agreements on the two agenda items, see Press Releases DC/2982 of 19 July and DC/2981 of 18 July.)
Today’s discussions also culminated in an agreement to discuss the revitalization of the Commission. Specifically, members agreed that “the issue of measures for improving the effectiveness of the methods of work of the Disarmament Commission will be considered in plenary meetings at its 2006 substantive session, with equitable time allocated to it”.
In order to allow time for members to consult their capitals on the package of agreements reached this week, the Commission would meet again tomorrow afternoon to consider the adoption of its draft report for 2005 (document A/CN.10/2005/CRP.2/Rev.1). It also accepted the Chairman’s suggestion to convene an organizational meeting for its 2006 session later this year, following the conclusion of the work of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security).
The Disarmament Commission will meet again at 3 p.m. tomorrow to consider its draft report and adjourn its session.
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