Conference seeks pragmatic solutions to create a safer world.

• Position: 1995 Conference on Disarmament

Disarmament, an "instrument of collective security" and an essential factor in efforts to "promote a safer world", should accompany UN measures to achieve peace and economic and social development, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali told the Conference on Disarmament on 6 July, as it concluded the second part of its 1995 session (1 June-6 July, Geneva).

Reaffirming the UN commitment to disarmament, he declared: "Only a common determination and unshakable conviction can enable us to build together, a safer world - a world we will not be ashamed to bequeath to the future generations to whom we committed ourselves, 50 years ago, in the preamble of the Charter of the United Nations."

The 38-member Conference - the world's sole multilateral disarmament body - continued discussions on a future comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty. However, no progress was made on its other agenda items: transparency in armaments; negative security assurances; peaceful uses of outer space; and expansion of membership.

In a closing statement, Conference President Antonio de Icaza of Mexico said the forum had been unable to "surmount a series of linkages" between questions obliging it to undertake an "ambitious global debate", despite the "good will of all delegations".

The annual organization of the Conference's work, he suggested, should be decided upon at the beginning of the year. For as time passed, the sense of urgency and the need to "transform national agendas into pragmatic solutions" faded.

Also, Mr. de Icaza went on, arms-related decisions taken outside of the Conference had "influenced the way in which delegations were disposed to arrive at a consensus here. When those decisions were particularly important, a period of reflection and assimilation was needed", he observed.

In debate, many speakers, while praising the results of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, expressed concern that the Conference on Disarmament was still far from achieving its goal of having a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty ready for signature by autumn 1996.

Noting proposals that the ban should allow some...