Latin America and Caribbean regional seminar on HCoC

25 April 2017

On 25 April 2017, the FRS organised, on behalf of the European Union, a regional outreach seminar in Santiago (Chile) to raise awareness of ballistic missile proliferation and encourage discussions on perspectives to better address the ballistic missile proliferation threat at a regional level.

AGENDA

WELCOMING REMARKS 

  • Alexandre HOUDAYER, Secretary General, Foundation for Strategic Research
  • Dr. Xavier PASCO, Director, Foundation for Strategic Research
  • H.E. Ambassador Stella ZERVOUDAKI, Head of the European Union Delegation in Chile
  • H.E. Ambassador Alfredo LABBÉ, Especial Envoy for Nuclear and International Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chile

 

I/ THE HCoC AGAINST THE PROLIFERATION OF BALLISTIC MISSILES: CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURE & PART OF THE NON-PROLIFERATION REGIME

PRESENTERS:

  • Zhangeldy SYRYMBET, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Vienna (Chair of the HCoC)
  • H.E. Ambassador Joachim ÖPPINGER, Austrian Ambassador to Chile
  • Michael PENNY, Senior Foreign Service Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Alexandre HOUNDAYER, Secretary General, Foundation for Strategic Research

KEY ISSUES:

  • Presentation of the Code: its main provisions
  • The concrete meaning of implementing the HCoC
  • The HCoC in the region: positions and evolution
  • Relevance of joining the HCoC in relation to regional non-proliferation policies
  • Successes and challenges of the HCoC in today’s environment

II/ PROMOTING DISARMAMENT & NON-PROLIFERATION IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: TRENDS, EVOLUTIONS & THE SPECIFIC ISSUE OF BALLISTIC PROLIFERATION

PRENSENTERS:

  • Mônica HERZ, Associate Professor, Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro Institute of International Relations
  • Dr. Rodrigo ÁLVAREZ VALDÉS, Research Fellow, Universidad de Santiago de Chile
  • Fernando GARCIA ROBLES, Expert, Mexico (in his own personal capacity)
  • Raúl BENÍTEZ MANAUT, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

 

KEY ISSUES:

  • The steps taken in the region to fight the proliferation of WMDs and their means of delivery
  • Confidence-building measures as a way to improve international security, non-proliferation and disarmament
  • Issues arising from dual-use technologies and related strategies: the specific case of ballistic missiles

 

III/ CURRENT TRENDS CONCERNING SPACE LAUNCH TECHNOLOGIES & CAPABILITIES: DYNAMICS OF SPACE LAUNCH & FUTURE USES OF SPACE APPLICATIONS

  • Dr. Xavier PASCO, Director, Foundation for Strategic Research
  • Dr. Luis ZEA, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala
  • Major Daniel MORAGA, Ministry of Defence of Chile

 

KEY ISSUES:

  • Space development in the region
  • The characteristics of the development of space launch technologies
  • The evolution of the satellite industry and its impact upon the space launch sector

 

CONCLUDING REMARKS 

  • Dr. Xavier PASCO, Director, Foundation for Strategic Research
  • H.E. Ambassador Alfredo LABBÉ, Especial Envoy for Nuclear and International Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chile
Research Papers

Origins and Development of the Hague Code of Conduct  

This paper recalls the state of ballistic missile proliferation at the time of the adoption of the Code, before delving into the genesis of the Code and especially the various reports and meetings that promoted the adoption of a supply-side multilateral instrument. It describes the conferences and diplomatic efforts that led to the Code in 2002. It also explains why the Code ended up the way it is today with modest ambitions but concrete outcomes.

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Research Papers

Limiting the proliferation of WMD means of delivery: a low-profile approach to bypass diplomatic deadlocks

Since the creation of the HCoC in 2002, the need for more collective commitment and action to fight the proliferation of ballistic missiles has certainly not decreased. The destabilizing nature of these weapons has not changed. Non-proliferation is just less about keeping the world stable and more about not adding a risk factor to an uncertain future. The HCoC was and remains a response to that need, but certainly not the end of the quest for improvement.

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Research Papers

Opening HCoC to cruise missiles: A proposal to overcome political hurdles

The issue of extending the scope of the Hague Code of Conduct to cruise missiles is regularly raised in academic and political discussions about the Code. Some non-subscribing States justify their refusal to join the instrument because of this exclusion, perceived as a major flaw. Indeed, cruise missiles have characteristics that can make them very effective in carrying weapons of mass destruction. It is therefore clearly of interest to consider extending the HCoC scope to these weapons.

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