Eighth Session

(26 - 30 September 1994)

STATEMENTS BY THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA ON BEHALF OF THE ASIAN GROUP WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO DELEGATIONS, THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA IN A NATIONAL CAPACITY AND JAPAN

The following statements were made during the Eighth Plenary Session of the Preparatory Commission by the Republic of Korea on behalf of the Asian Group with the exception of two delegations, the Republic of Korea in a national capacity, and Japan, and are circulated at the request of the delegations concerned.

STATEMENT BY THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA ON BEHALF OF THE ASIAN GROUP WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO DELEGATIONS

" On behalf of the Asian Group, I will make the following statement, but before doing so, I would like to add that two delegations do not agree with the following statement.

1. The Asian Group has noted with deep satisfaction the progress in the work of the Commission during the last intersessional period and congratulates the six Member States, who have completed their processes of ratification during this period. The Group strongly urges other Member States to follow the example of these states. The Group also notes with satisfaction the increasingly active participation of Member States in the work of this Commission.

2. The Asian Group reiterates its abiding commitment to the Convention and encourages its early and comprehensive success, which will depend upon a common understanding of all its provisions as well as the procedures for their implementation. The Asian Group is convinced that States Parties can achieve the objectives and purposes of the Convention only by the enforcement of standard, transparent, non-discriminatory and equitable procedures for implementation of all its provisions. Such procedures must be devised by the Commission on the basis of open and frank discussions in the spirit of goodwill and flexibility that exists among its Member States and pervades the Commission's functioning.

3. The Asian Group noted with satisfaction that based on serious endeavours of Member States, steady progress has been achieved in the Expert Groups. It is the firm belief of this Group that, for successful implementation of the CWC, all the outstanding issues should be resolved expeditiously and satisfactorily prior to the EIF. In this regard the Group calls for intensified efforts by all the relevant Expert Groups.

4. The Asian Group cautions against any efforts to modify the defined and agreed terms upon which the Convention is based. The Asian Group insists that the Experts Groups must be careful not to exceed their mandates by attempting to undertake any alteration, addition or subtraction to the already defined terms of the Convention.

5. The Asian Group believes that the purpose of verification is to determine the validity of the assumption that States Parties are in compliance with the CWC. It understands that for the purpose of implementing the Convention, verification measures must be applied only to substances listed in the Schedules contained in the Annex on Chemicals. The process of verification must be based upon objective information provided by National Authorities and not on extraneous sources. Breaches of confidentiality shall be traced to the persons causing them, who should be held liable for such violations of the Convention.

6. The verification mechanism of challenge inspection must be used judiciously, as the ultimate measure for verifying non-compliance. Any request for challenge inspection shall be based on objective and adequate information. A common understanding is necessary on unambiguous criteria for avoiding frivolous requests as well as for determination of abuse.

7. The Asian Group believes that the agreement between the USA and the Russian Federation on Chemical Weapons is a cornerstone of the structure of the planned verification regime and encourages both parties to reach the understandings necessary for its implementation at an early date. The State Parties should fulfil the financial obligations of verification and destruction of chemical weapons imposed upon them by the Convention.

8. The Asian Group believes that only by the proper, systematic and efficient implementation of the Convention in a fashion complementary to the Geneva Protocol of 1925 can the international community prevent the possibility of the use of chemical weapons. Being fully committed to the Convention, the Asian Group is against any export control regimes which attempt to restrict access to technology and free trade in the chemical field. The Group believes that such measures are arbitrary, unequal and patently discriminatory.

9. In the belief that the credibility essential to the success of the Organisation will depend, inter alia, upon the extent to which its Secretariat reflects the universality of its membership, the Asian Group continues to urge the PTS to achieve the widest possible geographical distribution of posts by enhancing the transparency and efficiency of the recruitment process through proper circulation of authorised vacancies and particulars of the employment of successful candidates. The Asian Group regrets that despite its repeated requests it does not find any adequate redress of the prevailing imbalance in this regard."

STATEMENT BY THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA IN A NATIONAL CAPACITY

"Now in a national capacity of the Republic of Korea, I would like to express our position regarding the Asian Group Statement.

The Republic of Korea is of the view that in the absence of the established rules of procedure, the Asian Group within the framework of this Preparatory Commission should respect the general practice of other Asian Groups at various international organisations with regard to the decision making process based on consensus.

During the course of our debate in the Group, however, decision on whether to issue a Group statement failed to secure consents of all member states.

Such being the case, the Republic of Korea could not support the issuance of a statement in the name of the Asian Group.

Furthermore, the Republic of Korea would like to make it clear that any controversial and substantive issues without consensus should not be included in the statement of the Asian Group.

Any Member States which wish to express their own views on specific matters could do so at fora of the Plenary as well as other subsidiary bodies of the Commission."

STATEMENT BY JAPAN

"The delegation of Japan has heard the "so-called Asian Group statement" very reluctantly. It has been issued again in this Plenary without consensus.

This delegation would like to draw the attention of the Commission to the statement which this delegation issued at the beginning of this Plenary on Monday, and emphasise now once again that Japan would neither join in such a statement nor take any responsibility for its contents."

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