Middle East outreach seminar on HCoC 2014

16 April 2014

On 16 April 2014, the FRS organised, on behalf of the European Union, a regional outreach seminar to raise awareness of ballistic missile proliferation and encourage discussions on perspectives to better address the ballistic missile proliferation threat at a regional level. This event was held in collaboration with the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) in Abu Dhabi. 

AGENDA

WELCOMING REMARKS

  • Camille GRAND, Director, Foundation for Strategic Research
  • Thomas PEYKER, Chargé d’Affaires, Delegation of the E.U. to the U.A.E.
  • H.E. Dr. Jamal Sanad AL-SUWAIDI, Director General, Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research

 

I/ ASSESSING THE CURRENT & FUTURE TECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS IN BALLISTIC-MISSILE PROLIFERATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

  • Camille GRAND, Director, Foundation for Strategic Research
    • Developments in ballistic-missile technology
    • The relationship between space-launch and ballistic-missile technologies
    • Missile-defence systems and their impact on the regional strategic environment

 

II/ REGIONAL PROLIFERATION ISSUES 

  • Dr. Samir AL-FARAJ, Director, Kuwait Centre for Strategic Studies
  • Dr. Abdullah TOUKAN, President and Chief Executive Officer, Strategic and International Risk Assessment Centre

 

KEY ISSUES:

  • The current regional state of play in the ballistic-missile field
  • Issues and challenges arising from this context
  • Proliferation rationales in the Middle East

 

 

III/ THE HCoC AGAINST THE PROLIFERATION OF BALLISTIC MISSILE: UNIVERSALITY, VISIBILITY & IMPLEMENTATION

  • Hidehiko HAMADA, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organisations in Vienna; Representative of the HCoC Chair
  • Jérémie HAMMEDI, Expert, Missile and Space Issues, European External Action Service
  • Dr. Rajeswari RAJAGOPALAN, Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation

 

KEY ISSUES:

  • Presentation by current HCoC Chair of progress and challenges relating to HCoC universality and visibility
  • The EU Strategy to combat the proliferation of WMD delivery systems; EU support for HCoC
  • The role of the Code in regional dynamics
  • Possible means of developing the Code

 

CONCLUDING REMARKS

  • Camille GRAND, Director, Foundation for Strategic Research
Research Papers

The HCoC and China

China is currently the main ballistic missile possessor and spacefaring nation which remains outside the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCoC). This can be explained by China’s traditional opacity regarding its deployment of strategic missiles, but also its exports of ballistic systems or technologies abroad. This absence is nonetheless problematic for a regime based on voluntary transparency and confidence-building which aims at universality.

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Research Papers

Ballistic missiles and conventional strike weapons: Adapting the HCoC to address the dissemination of conventional ballistic missiles

The Hague Code of Conduct aims at curbing the proliferation of missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction. Today, with an important increase in ranges, these weapons are more and more used for a conventional mission, by a variety of states. This dissemination illustrates the fact that many stakeholders master the technologies necessary to build and sustain these weapons. But it also raises questions on the possible destabilising effects of these arsenals, even when they are not linked to WMDs.

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Issue Briefs

The HCoC and African States

While both ballistic programmes and the risk posed by these systems remain very limited on the African continent, ballistic missiles inherently constitute a global risk – due to their range and destructive potential. Instruments such as the HCoC, which seek to limit the proliferation of such systems, are therefore relevant for African countries.

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