CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Explanation of vote by Cuba on thematic cluster no. 1 relating to draft resolution l.45: The Hague code of conduct against ballistic missile proliferation. First committee, New York, 29 October 2010.

Mr. Chairman,

As in previous occasions, Cuba will abstain from voting on draft resolution entitled: The Hague Code of Conduct on Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation.

Our country raised in due course objections to the less than transparent and selective manner in which the Code of Conduct was negotiated. The Code was drafted and adopted through a process outside the United Nations framework and did not include the interested countries.  

Cuba considers the issue of missiles in all its aspects can and should be reviewed in the United Nations framework, in an inclusive and transparent manner, with no selective and discriminatory approaches. All interested Member States have the legitimate right to participate openly during the whole consideration of the issue and in the adoption of practical measures in that regard.  

The Code of Conduct has significant deficiencies and limitations, and does not properly reflect the major interests of a considerable number of countries. Some of these problems are the following:

-           The Code does not address the peaceful use of missile technology, or the need for cooperation in this field so as to meet particular interests of developing countries. 

-           Its approach is limited to horizontal proliferation and overlooks vertical proliferation. We believe the comprehensive, balanced, and non-discriminatory treatment of the issue of missiles requires going beyond horizontal proliferation in order to include other no less important aspects of vertical proliferation, such as design, development, testing and deployment.

-           The Codes overlooks the most serious matter: the constant presence and development of nuclear weapons, of which ballistic weapons are only a delivery vehicle.

-           The Code refers to ballistic missiles, but not other types of missiles, despite their relevance, and

-           The Code obviates questions relating to assistance and cooperation, which must be necessarily taken into account when addressing the problem of missiles.

On this occasion, the draft resolution is even further from a consensus as it includes certain selective references to Security Council resolutions.

Mr. Chairman,

Cuba is fully committed to non-proliferation, in all its aspects, of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery vehicles, including ballistic missiles.

We are convinced that legally-binding instruments that are multilaterally negotiated constitute the best mechanisms and, ultimately, the only actually effective ones to address disarmament and non-proliferation, including ballistic missiles proliferation.

Thank you

(Cubaminrex-Misión ONU)