Topic: 2024-Indiscriminate Weapons
Country: Belarus
Delegate Name: Wilson McEvoy
The Republic of Belarus
Wilson McEvoy
DISEC
Indiscriminate Weapons
The Republic of Belarus supports restrictions on indiscriminate weapons and strongly condemns the use of any cluster or anti-personnel mines. Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, Belarus had the seventh largest stockpile of anti-personnel mines. Belarus became a party member of the Convention on certain Conventional Weapons, and destroyed the entire stockpile by 2017. Belarus fully believes that putting an end to the use of these weapons is a necessary step to a more peaceful world.
Belarus was able to successfully destroy its entire stockpile with the aid of the European and international community. Disposing of explosive weapons is costly to do in a safe and environmentally healthy way, but Belarus was able to do so. Belarus believes that more investments into nations to dispose of their arsenal is the correct way to encourage disarmament, like was done earlier this century in its own country. International support and investment is vital for destruction of indiscriminate weapons.
References
The Republic of Belarus, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Conventional Arms Control and Confidence- Security-Building Measures.” Conventional Arms Control and Confidence- Security-Building Measures – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Republic of Belarus, mfa.gov.by/en/mulateral/global_issues/global_security/armament_control/. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
“Belarus Destroys over Three Million Hazardous Landmines Fulfilling Its Ottawa Convention Obligations; over 50 Million Landmines Have Now Been Destroyed – Belarus.” ReliefWeb, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 7 Apr. 2017, reliefweb.int/report/belarus/belarus-destroys-over-three-million-hazardous-landmines-fulfilling-its-ottawa.
Casey-Maslen, Stuart. “Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction – Main Page.” United Nations, United Nations, 13 Nov. 2009, legal.un.org/avl/ha/cpusptam/cpusptam.html.
