Mr. Chair,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.
The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina*, Iceland, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.
As regards the crisis in the Middle East, allow me at the outset to emphasise that the EU’s position as set out by EU leaders on the current crisis in the ME is well known. At this time, our thoughts are with all the innocent victims, Israelis, Palestinians and citizens from many other countries.
The EU reiterates its firm commitment to the humanitarian imperatives that underscore many international conventions aimed at addressing the issue of conventional weapons. However, this architecture is under unprecedented strain due to ongoing armed conflicts, in particular Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, which is not only a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, but also a humanitarian catastrophe for Ukraine and its people brought about by the Russian Federation in flagrant disrespect for international humanitarian law and human rights law, and backed by Russia’s massive disinformation campaign. The EU actively supports the work of the International Criminal Court and measures to ensure accountability for the most serious international crimes including war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of genocide. There can be no impunity for these crimes.
The EU recalls that the CCW and its Protocols are an essential and integral part of IHL and reiterates the commitment of the EU and its Member States to respect and comply fully with IHL. The EU strongly encourages all States that have not yet done so to join these important instruments without further delay. The EU and its Member States will continue fully implementing the EU Guidelines on the promotion of compliance with IHL. We encourage further international dialogue and cooperation to address the opportunities and challenges presented by AI in the military domain, and support efforts to exchange best practices and foster a common understanding of the legal and ethical implications. The EU welcomes the work over the past years by the Group of Governmental Experts on emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) and acknowledges the substantial contribution it has made to our common understanding of this complex topic and to finding common ground. The EU emphasises that it is important that the GGE continues its efforts based on a solid mandate, to allow for progress. The EU underlines that the CCW is the relevant international forum in this regard and that we expect it to deliver results. The EU remains committed to pursue its efforts in the GGE with a view to ensuring that the outcome reflects the necessity of compliance with International Law, in particular International Humanitarian Law, taking into account relevant ethical considerations. The EU emphasises that human beings must exert control over lethal autonomous weapons systems that they use and remain accountable for decisions over the use of force in order to ensure compliance with International Law, in particular International Humanitarian Law. The EU supports the so called “two-tier” approach to weapons systems in the area of LAWS and will remain committed to strengthen the GGE LAWS mandate in this regard.
The EU remains deeply concerned about the continued severe global impact of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and their indiscriminate use and effects, in particular in the perpetration of terrorist acts and the use of IEDs by non-state actors. Furthermore, the EU highlights the humanitarian impact and the heavy consequences on social and economic development caused by the indiscriminate and disproportionate use of Mines Other Than Anti-Personnel Mines (MOTAPM). While acknowledging that MOTAPM are legitimate weapons, Parties are obliged to ensure that they are used in accordance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL), including by taking all feasible precautions to protect civilians from the effects of these weapons. We welcome as an important achievement of the international community, the adoption of the Ireland led Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences arising from the use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA), with its aim to reduce harm and strengthen the protection of civilians, and the opportunity to continue these efforts at the Oslo Conference next year. The Declaration, so far endorsed by 83 States from across the globe, endeavours to improve the protection of civilians during armed conflict. These States commit to implement and, where necessary, review, develop or improve national policy and practice with regard to the protection of civilians during armed conflict involving the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
Mr. Chair,
The EU stands united in its support for the universal ban on anti-personnel mines. The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention is a success story of multilateral diplomacy, with a total of 164 countries bound. We consider the Treaty to be a key disarmament instrument, which combines a strong global norm against the use of these weapons with a comprehensive response to end the suffering and casualties caused by these weapons. We are deeply concerned by the ongoing use of these weapons, including in Ukraine. The EU calls on all actors to refrain from the production, stockpiling, trade and transfer of anti-personnel mines and strongly condemns their use anywhere, anytime, and by any actor, whether States or non-State actors. We call on all States that have not yet done so to join the Convention without further delay and we encourage all parties to accelerate progress towards achieving a world free of anti-personnel mines by 2025.
The EU and its Member States have a long history of support for mine action, including the Oslo Action Plan that benefits heavily mine-affected countries and regions of the world. The assistance provided by the EU in 2022 amounted up to 90 million EUR for 20 mine-affected countries, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Colombia, Libya, Somalia, Ukraine and Yemen. An additional programme of up to 25 million EUR was adopted to support Ukraine’s demining of the territories liberated from Russian occupation. We will continue to support States as they revise or develop inclusive national action plans. The EU hopes that the collective European commitment will promote accession of the supported States not yet Party to the Ottawa Convention. Only by universal renounce of the use, stockpile, production and transfer of anti-personnel landmines we can achieve a mine-free world.
Mr. Chair,
The EU and its Member Statesalso reaffirm their strong support for the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which establishes the highest possible common international standards for regulating the international trade in conventional arms and for preventing and eradicating the illicit trade in these weapons and prevent their diversion. We call on all States, to ratify or accede to the Treaty without further delay, and on the Parties – to comply with their obligations, including in reporting. We welcome the successful outcome of the Ninth Conference of States Parties to the ATT under the Republic of Korea’s Presidency. Given many blatant breaches by Russia of the Geneva Conventions, we wish to highlight that arms transfers to Russia are not permitted under the ATT. The EU has an arms embargo in place against Russia, following the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014. On the contrary, military assistance to Ukraine, including transfers of conventional weapons from some EU Member States and other States, is a legitimate means to support Ukraine in exercising its inherent right to self-defence under the UN Charter against the aggression of Russia.
In line with its 2018 Strategy on illicit firearms, small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition “Securing arms, protecting citizens”, the EU remains fully committed to preventing and curbing the illicit trade in SALW and their ammunition worldwide. The EU sees the upcoming Fourth Review Conference of the PoA as an opportunity to continue the successes of the eighth Biennial Meeting of States and welcomes the final report of the Open-Ended Working Group, by following up on the OEWG’s recommendations on a set of political commitments as a new global framework that will address existing gaps in through-life ammunition management.
Furthermore, ineffective conventional ammunition management continues to be of growing concern to the international community. Therefore, the EU welcomes the Global Framework and outcome document resulting from the Open-Ended Working Group on Conventional Ammunition Management, and attaches great importance to a meaningful and substantive follow-up process, given the ambition of the Framework to improve management practice on the ground. The EU is supportive of a follow-up process that focuses on implementation challenges, exchange of good practice and international cooperation and assistance.
The EU recognizes the UNROCA as an instrument to support transparency, build trust and promote dialogue in military matters. The Register should remain a central tool for United Nations efforts to promote and facilitate confidence-building among Member States to enhance international peace and security, thus enabling sustainable development. The EU encourages all States to report to UNROCA in a timely, complete and transparent manner.
As we commemorate the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the CCM this year, we support the humanitarian goals of this treaty. The Convention substantially contributes to end the suffering of civilians affected by cluster munitions and to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the core objectives of human security, promoting peace and international security.We are deeply concerned by the impact on civilian populations by the indiscriminate use of cluster munitions, including the extensive use of cluster munitions in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Libya and in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The EU calls upon all actors to refrain from such use and to fully comply with International Humanitarian Law.
I thank you, Mr. Chair.
*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
Source: Press and information team of the Delegation to the UN in New York