The Eig ighth Review Conference: : Practical guidance for delegates Introductory Workshop on the Eighth BWC Review Conference BWC ISU, ILPI, GCSP 19 September 2016 Daniel Feakes Chief BWC Implementation Support Unit United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (Geneva Branch)
Date and venue • 7-25 November 2016 (3 weeks) • Held in Room XVIII of the Palais des Nations in Geneva • Will begin at 10:00 on Monday 7 November 2016
2016 PrepCom • Record participation: – 114 States Parties – 2 Signatory States – 3 States not party – UNODA, UNICRI – EU, ICRC – 22 NGOs and research institutes • 39 Working Papers • All necessary procedural decisions • Comprehensive exchange and interactive discussions among SPs • BWC/CONF.VIII/PC/9: Final Report of the PrepCom Chairman’s Summary Report under his own authority
Rules of procedure • Modelled on the Rules of Procedure of the NPT • Adopted at the First Review Conference in 1980 I Representation and VII Other appropriate bodies of credentials the Conference II Officers VIII Officers and procedure III General Committee IX Language and records IV Conference secretariat X Public and private meetings V Conduct of business XI Participation and attendance VI Voting and elections
NO LATER THAN Registration for States 21 OCTOBER 2016 • States Parties and Signatory States - a letter or note verbale to the ISU requesting participation and listing the full names and titles of the members of the delegation. The head of delegation should be clearly indicated. • States which are neither parties nor signatories to the Convention may apply to participate in the Review Conference as observers - a letter or note verbale to the ISU applying for observer status and listing the full names and titles of the members of the delegation. The head of delegation should be clearly indicated. Observer status is granted by the decision of the Conference.
Credentials • Rule 2 of the Rules of Procedure: “ The credentials of representatives and the names of alternate representatives and advisers shall be submitted to the Secretary- General of the Conference, if possible not less than one week before the date fixed for the opening of the Conference. Credentials shall be issued either by the Head of the State or Government or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs .” • Rule 3 of the Rules of Procedure: “The Conference shall establish a Credentials Committee […]. The Committee shall examine the credentials of representatives and report to the Conference without delay.”
NO LATER THAN Registration for others 21 OCTOBER 2016 • International organizations may apply to participate in the Review Conference as observer agencies – a letter or note verbale addressed to the ISU applying for observer agency status, listing the full names and titles of the members of the delegation. The name of the head of delegation should be clearly indicated. Observer agency status is granted by the decision of the Conference. • NGOs and academic institutions may register to attend public sessions of the Review Conference. An official letter or note verbale addressed to the ISU applying for attendance of the public sessions of the Conference and listing the full names and titles of the representatives who will attend. NGOs and academic institutions that have not previously attended a BWC meeting should indicate previous interactions between the organization and the United Nations in relation to disarmament and non-proliferation issues.
UNOG grounds passes • Delegations from States and international organisations can collect their passes as from 14:00 on Friday, 4 November 2016. • NGO representatives can collect their passes in person from 08:00 on Monday, 7 November 2016. A valid passport or national identification card will have to be produced in order to collect a grounds pass.
BWC Review Conference 2016 – György Molnár (EEG) 2011 – Paul van den IJssel (WG) 2006 – Masood Khan (NAM) PRESIDENT 2016 – Boudjemâa Delmi 2016 – Michael Biontino (WG) 2016 – Tudor Ulianovschi (EEG) (NAM) 2011 – Desra Percaya (NAM) 2011 – Mário Duarte (WG) 2011 – Judit Körömi (EEG) 2006 – Doru Costea (EEG) 2006 – Philip R Owade (NAM) 2006 – Knut Langeland (WG) DRAFTING COMMITTEE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE
General Committee EEG (X4) Vice-presidents NAM (X10) WG (X6) Committee of the PRESIDENT CHAIR & 2 VICE-CHAIRS Whole Drafting Committee CHAIR & 2 VICE-CHAIRS CHAIR & 1 VICE-CHAIR Credential Committee EEG Regional Coordinators NAM WG RUSSIA Depositaries UK USA
Background documents (by ISU) • The ISU has prepared five background documents on: 1. BWC/CONF.VIII/PC/3: History and operation of the confidence building measures 2. BWC/CONF.VIII/PC/6: Financial implications of proposals for follow-on action after the Eighth Review Conference 3. BWC/CONF.VIII/PC/4: Additional understandings and agreements reached by previous Review Conferences relating to each article of the Convention 4. BWC/CONF.VIII/PC/5: Common understandings reached by the MSPs during the intersessional programme 2012-15 5. BWC/CONF.VIII/PC/8: Status of universalization of the Convention BWC/CONF.VIII/PC7 Report of the ISU on its activities to implement its mandate, 2012-2016
Background documents (by SPs) • The PrepCom decided that the ISU would compile, from national inputs, three background documents on: 1. Compliance by States Parties with all their obligations under the Convention 2. Implementation of Article VII 3. Implementation of Article X • The ISU wrote to States Parties on 23 May requesting inputs to be submitted by 19 August 2016
Working Papers by States Parties 10 9 9 8 8 7 6 5 5 5 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 0
Speakers’ list • Monday and Tuesday 7 and 8 November 2016 • List of speakers open from Monday 10 October 2016 • Send an e-mail request to bwc@unog.ch also providing name and title of the speaker • Speaking slots will be allocated in the order that requests are received • Priority will be given to speakers of ministerial or similar rank and those speaking on behalf of regional groups • Duration – 5-7 minutes, but longer for statements on behalf of regional groups
Programme of work • Will be circulated in the coming weeks • Indicative and illustrative, will be subject to change during the course of the RevCon • Week 1 – Monday and Tuesday (opening, general debate, NGO statements etc), Wednesday – Friday (Committee of the Whole, informal plenaries?) • Week 2 – Committee of the Whole, Credentials Committee, Drafting Committee, informal plenaries? • Week 3 – drafting of final report, closure of RevCon etc.
Outcome of the RevCon • Every Review Conference except 2001 has resulted in a final document reviewing the operation of the BWC • Since 2006, final documents have also included a “decisions and recommendations” section • Three-part final document: • Part I – organization of the Review Conference • Part II – final declaration • Part III – decisions and recommendations • Part II is retrospective article-by-article review, Part III is future- oriented roadmap for next five years
For more information … ww www. w.un unog og.ch/b .ch/bwc wc Or contact: BWC Implementation Support Unit United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Palais des Nations Geneva fax: +41 (0)22 917 0483 e-mail: bwc@unog.ch @BWCISU www.facebook.com/1972BWC
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