Chair,

The disarmament machinery, and the agreements it has helped bring about, are remarkable achievements. But even the finest machinery requires maintenance – and no machine can fulfil its purpose if its operating procedures prevent it from working.

Germany continues to attach great importance to working for consensus on matters of substance. Arms control and disarmament affect the most fundamental interests of States, outcomes must command broad support.

But we must distinguish between consensus on substance and paralysis on procedure. The Consensus rule should not be – as some seem to interpret it - an unlimited licence for procedural obstruction. The ability to prevent progress cannot become the measure of success in multilateral diplomacy.

This brings me to the Conference on Disarmament. The CD has an important role to play in arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation negotiations, its mandate remains as important as ever.

Yet we must acknowledge that, for three decades now, the Conference has been unable to fulfil its mandate. It even fails to begin substantive discussions, let alone negotiations. The way consensus is interpreted by some has certainly contributed to this situation.

The Conference also falls short of the expectations of the General Assembly in terms of inclusivity. Year after year, the General Assembly calls for broader participation in the CD. Yet year after year, more than a dozen UN Member States are being blocked from merely participating as observers – most of them by Russia. The CD’s membership has not been enlarged since almost 30 years. This exclusion of countries further erodes the trust in this body.

The substantial as well as procedural obstructions within the CD weaken the role and mandate of the CD as the “single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community”. It raises doubts on its future and its relevance in the multilateral disarmament machinery. But the relevance of the CD must be maintained. Its value – even though currently not being able to negotiate specific treaties – lies in its potential for substantive debates, thorough exchanges of positions and perceptions, and preparatory work for the day that the CD can assume its original mandate.

In 2023, Germany and France spearheaded a campaign to revitalize the CD. We need further initiatives to bring the CD back to the forefront of international disarmament diplomacy.

Thank you.