UNITED NATIONS, Oct 26 (APP): Reaffirming that international peace and security depended on stability at the regional levels, Pakistan has called for the preservation of balance in the defence capabilities of states at the lowest level of armaments and military forces.
Speaking in a thematic debate in the General Assembly’s First Committee, which deals with disarmament and international security issues, Ambassador Aamir Khan, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, also underscored the special responsibility of states with larger military capabilities in promoting agreements for regional security and pursuit of disarmament measures in an equitable and balanced manner.
“Several regions of the world have benefited from the application of these principles and guidelines in the areas of conventional arms control, risk reduction measures, confidence-building measures (CBMs), particularly at the regional and sub-regional levels,” he said in the debate on ‘Regional Disarmament and Security’.
The ultimate aim of regional approaches should be to enhance regional and global peace and security, particularly in regions mired in tensions. Preventing the possibility of military attack launched by surprise and avoiding aggression remained important goals of conventional arms control.
Confidence-building measures could lead to favourable measures for the peaceful settlement of disputes, as well as facilitate solutions to situations which might cause international friction, Aamir Khan said.
“Without progress towards eliminating underlying disputes and causes of mistrust between states, the utility of confidence-building measures diminishes,” he said, adding that they alone cannot act as a substitute nor a precondition for steps towards the peaceful settlement of disputes.
However, he added, confidence-building measures were not a goal in themselves and should be pursued in conjunction with earnest efforts for peaceful dispute settlement in line with the Charter.
A stable balance of conventional forces and weapons was necessary to ensure strategic stability, the Pakistani envoy said.
For several years, he said, Pakistan has led initiatives at the United Nations to promote the goals of regional disarmament, conventional arms control, and CBMs.
In this regard, he told the committee that the Pakistan delegation will present three resolutions on regional disarmament; confidence-building measures in the regional and sub-regional context; and conventional arms control at regional and sub-regional levels.
“These draft resolutions recognize the significance of and complementarity between regional and global approaches to arms control, disarmament and confidence building to promote international peace, security and stability,” Aamir Khan said, as he called for their adoption.