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Conference on Disarmament debates Middle East, North Korean withdrawal from missile treaty, other topics -- Part 1 of 2.

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M2 PRESSWIRE-31 January 2003-UN: Conference on Disarmament debates Middle East, North Korean withdrawal from missile treaty, other topics -- Part 1 of 2(C)1994-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:01302003

GENEVA -- UN Information Service -- A series of national representatives addressed the Conference on Disarmament this morning, as a statement by Israel was followed by a debate on the Middle East conflict and as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and other States sparred over North Korea's announced withdrawal on 10 January from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Other speakers called variously for universal accession to the Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel landmines; for support for a proposal tabled last week to enable to the Conference to agree on a programme of work for the first time since 1999; and for further subscribers to an International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, a code established at an international meeting at The Hague last November.

A pre-scheduled statement by Israel which touched -- among other things -- on the issues of terrorism and the threat of terrorists obtaining weapons of mass destruction drew responses from Iraq, Algeria, and Syria. Iraq and Syria charged that Israel had not taken steps towards nuclear disarmament and contended that those resisting Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories were not "terrorists".

Included in a statement by Argentina on a series of disarmament topics was an appeal to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to reconsider its 10 January announcement to withdraw from the NPT, spurring a give-and-take between North Korea, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Sweden.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea contended that withdrawal from the Treaty had been caused by a "hostile policy" against the country by the United States, and was solely a bilateral issue to be resolved by negotiations with the United States. The United States termed the withdrawal an international issue -- an opinion seconded by the Republic of Korea and Japan -- and said easing tension on the Korean peninsula required a halt by North Korea of its nuclear programme and a return by that country to the non-proliferation regime.

With Sweden, which is chairing the preparatory committee for the next NPT review conference, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea debated whether it was still a party to the Treaty, since its withdrawal was announced on 10 January and NPT rules prescribe a 90-day period between announcement and actual withdrawal. Sweden said North Korea remained bound by the pact; North Korea claimed its withdrawal was effective 11 January....

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