Disarmament Conference agrees on space arms committee.The Conference on Disarmament Conference on Disarmament (CD) is a multilateral disarmament negotiating forum. Established in 1979, the Conference succeeded the Ten-Nation Committee on Disarmament (1960), the Eighteen-Nation Committee on Disarmament (1962-68) and the Conference of the Committee on on 29 March decided to establish for the first an Ad Hoc Committee ad hoc committee A committee formed with the purpose of addressing a specific issue or issues, which theoretically is disbanded once its raison d'etre is finished on the prevention of an arms race in outer space, thus breaking a deadlock See deadly embrace. (parallel, programming) deadlock - A situation where two or more processes are unable to proceed because each is waiting for one of the others to do something. on the matter that had existed for two years. The 40-member Conference last year had been unable to reach consensus on proposals for such a committee, and on other subsidiary bodies on a nuclear test ban, cessation cessation Vox populi The stopping of a thing. See Smoking cessation. of the nuclear arms race The nuclear arms race was a competition for supremacy in nuclear weapons between the United States and Soviet Union and their respective allies during the Cold War. During the Cold War, in addition to the American and Soviet nuclear stockpiles, other countries also developed and nuclear disarmament nuclear disarmament: see disarmament, nuclear. , and prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters. The mandate for the new Conference committee on outer space stated that the body should examine, "as a first step at this stage, through substantive and general consideration, issues relavant to the prevention of an arms race in outer space" and take into account all existing agreements and proposals and future initiatives. Conference President for the month of March, Adolfo R. Taylhardat (Venezuela) proposed the mandate, on the basis of intensive consultations under his guidance. The outer space item was first inscribed in·scribe tr.v. in·scribed, in·scrib·ing, in·scribes 1. a. To write, print, carve, or engrave (words or letters) on or in a surface. b. To mark or engrave (a surface) with words or letters. on the Conference, agenda in 1982. The Group of 21 had proposed that the outer space subsidiary body have a mandate calling for "negotiations for the conclusion of an agreement or agreements, as appropriate, to prevent an arms race in all its aspects in outer space." The socialist countries This is a list of countries, past and present, that declared themselves socialist either in their names or their constitutions. No other criteria are used; thus, some or all of these countries may not fit any specific definition of socialism. had proposed in 1984 that the ad hoc committee have a mandate to conduct negotiations on the conclusion of an agreement or agreements as appropriate to prevent an arms race in outer space in all its aspects, taking account of all relevant proposals, including the proposal concerning a treaty on the prohibition of the use of force in outer space and from space against the earth. A Western proposal had called for identification "in the first instance, through substantive examination, of issues relevant to the prevention of an arms race in outer space". President Taylhardat said the committee's establishment augured well for the future work of the Conference. He hoped that meaningful, substantive work would be undertaken in that Committee. On 14 March, the Conference reestablished the Ad Hoc Committee on Radiological Weapons radiological weapon: see radiation weapon. , a body that has been deliberating since 1980 on aspects of an international convention on prohibiting the development, production, stockpiling stock·pile n. A supply stored for future use, usually carefully accrued and maintained. tr.v. stock·piled, stock·pil·ing, stock·piles To accumulate and maintain a supply of for future use. , and use of radiological weapons. On 21 March, proposals by the Group of 21 (CD/520) and by a group of socialist countries (CD/522) concerning a mandate for the nuclear test ban subsidiary body were put before the Conference for decision, at the request of those groups. The Group of 21 had proposed that the Conference decide to establish a committee on a test ban "to initiate the multilteral negotiation of a treaty for the prohibition of all nuclear-weapon tests". A group of socialist States The term socialist state (or socialist republic, or workers' state) can carry one of several different (but related) meanings:
The representative of the United Kingdom, speaking on behalf of a group of Western countries, said there was no consensus on either proposal. The President said it was the wish of the Conference for consultations on a nuclear test ban group to remain open in case any new initiative was made. Basic differences will existed, he said, regarding a mandate for such a body. Also opposing views still existed with regard to establishing subsidiary bodies on cessation of the nuclear arms race and on prevention of nuclear war, with differences "less marked" on the latter subject. The President said he regretted that the Conference could not reach agreement on those bodies or find an appropriate organization framework which would ensure adequate consideration for those items on the agenda. Efforts should continue and even be intensified to overcome existing difficulties. The Conference, he felt, should look again at the need to review its procedures so that substantive work could be undertaken without delay and it could proceed to concrete results. |
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