Tokyo. She, like chris ford, has a tough job. In her case u. N. Member states on the often divisive question of how to Work Together to reduce and eliminate Nuclear Dangers and enforce global trees that prohibit other weapons of mass destruction in a particular right now the chemical weapons convention. In her first few weeks has been very active on a preparatory meeting for the 2020 nonproliferation treaty review conference. Shes been tracking the negotiations on the new Nuclear Weapons prohibition treaty and shes been working to build support for the u. N. And the organization for the prohibition of weapons investigation into the recent and terrible sarin gas attack in syria. So mad at high representative, thank you for joining us here from new york to be with us and to join us for our previous sessions today. We are very honored to have you, and look forward to your prospectus. Thanks. [applause] thank you very much, daryl. And i wanted to start out by saying how nice it is really for me to be back in washington, d. C. If i could share a secret, i am very much a product of washington, d. C. This is where i learned international relations, International Politics at georgetown, and i feel very comfortable at home here in this town. This is also where i learned the importance and the value of highquality open and honest policy discussions like the ones we are having today. Without such discussions, i would say the World Community is not going to be able to tackle challenges that we are confronted with today. So you and your colleagues at the Arms Control Association have already been very generous, very kind in terms of helping me come to grips with some of the, if you will, marketing elements of my new portfolio. Ive been on the post exactly for one month now, and those include introducing me to many of you here in this room. I am obviously feeling very humbled to speak to such a prominent an Imminent Group of people, and i would like to emphasize how much i am looking forward to working very closely with all of you in the months and years to come, especially in this very challenging environment. So we have heard much already today and i already learned a lot about the serious arms control challenges facing the International Community. These are not only some of the most important issues affecting disarmament and nonproliferation, but i should say they are, in fact, International Peace and security more broadly. So this is where i wanted to start off with. The increasingly volatile International Security environment, and these are obviously as a result of regional tensions, emergence of nonstate actors with global reach and now, and resurgence if you will of some of the historical animosity. So you environment is further undermined by the dangers and provocative activities of the dprk, in terms of the repeated use of missile and nuclear tests, use of chemical weapons in the middle east and appeared perhaps backwards towards into cold war positions, including some of the warring red ricks we hear about the utilities of Nuclear Weapons. It is often argued in this kind of environment that disarmament and arms control must be shelves shelled until the climate improves because it they are actually part of a humanitarian diplomacy to try to soften the hard power of real politics. Of course more important including those in International Humanitarian law, but i think this view fails to take into account the historic role disarmament and arms control and nonproliferation has played in the maintenance of International Peace and security. As the Arms Control Association has endeavored to demonstrate, disarmament has always been a critical component in preventing and resolving conflicts, including during the tensions of the cold war. Disarmament is integral to any political solution to conflict. Disarmament and arms control and nonproliferation provides mechanisms for transparency, and to build trust and confidence. They present avenues for dialogue and seeks to find Common Ground, very important. In this way disarmament and arms control nonproliferation instruments enhance security for all of us. In todays complex environment, that is something i think we will do well to remember. And if i may add Come International community benefited from an important leadership role the United States of america demonstrated in this area, critical moment in the past. Which all hope it will continue to play. The u. N. Has obviously long history in disarmament and arms control and nonproliferation. It is one of the pillars upon which the organization rests. From the first General Assembly resolution that called for the elimination of Nuclear Weapons, and all other weapons of mass distraction, to the biological and chemical weapons conventions, the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty, the u. N. Has been a venue for dialogue, a source of technical knowledge, and if you will, and honest broker. Multinational disarmament and nonproliferation is a web of interlocking agreements and instruments. The well functioning of each matters greatly to the maintenance of the overall credibility of the International Disarmament and nonproliferation regime. Each of these instruments is a brick in the wall of our collective security. Allow one to crumble, and it will damage the entire edifice. In this relation we are witnessing some warring trends. Take for example, the organization for the Factfinding Mission in the republic and the joint investigative mechanism. Both have been a pity me of objective independent and technical professionalism. Of the many allegations regarding the use of chemical weapons, the technical experts at the cw and at fsm have been able to independently confirm 30 such instances. That jim has been able to identify three instances of use of chemicals of weapons by the government of syria, and one instance of use of chemical weapons by the Islamic State of iraq in the lamont. This work is crucial in reinforcing that the bill against the use of chemical weapons and bringing to justice the perpetrators of the horrific crime against humanity. It is work that must be safeguarded and vocally supported. It should not be held hostage to any political motivation. In this complex environment we must be able to rely on the advice of scientific and technical professionals. And this is, in fact, a critical part of the overall credibility of the disarmament regime that we have built over many years, in fact. As an important example of warring trends, integral parts of the multinational regime includes the near two decades stalemate and the comforts of disarmament, the financial precariousness of important disarmament instruments, and perhaps more important, erosion of consensus of the past two World Without nuclear u. S. Weapons, all of which are damaging the multinational disarmament and nonproliferation regime. So i guess this broader context, let me touch on negotiations on the convention on the prohibition of Nuclear Weapons or more simply the bond treaty. I appreciate they are definite positions on this matter but the negotiations to reflect the overwhelming interest of International Community, more than 130 countries. In facilitating progress towards nuclear disarmament. It is a Historic Development as it represents the most significant multinational nuclear this armament negotiations in over 20 years. The ban treaty is also a project of a frustration many states feel at the slow pace of nuclear disarmament. It is a frustration that has been simmering for years as physicians have widened over how best to achieve the elimination of what Nuclear Weapons. Redbrick, accusations of arms control treaty noncompliance and expensive modernization campaigns combined with an absence of progress on long overdue measures such as fissile material and a perceived lack of urgency in implementing successive npd outcome documents has all fueled this frustration. A world free of Nuclear Weapons is a vision that has been subscribed to by the United States for seven decades. It is also by some most prominent american statesmen and women in order to enhance international and u. S. Security. If you support everyones responsibility, however, if we are to fight our way back to Common Grounds, the Nuclear Weapons state must show the way. The sustained commitment to this universally shared goal has undergirded much of the success over the last seven decades. The net estate as holders of the two Largest Nuclear arsenals have a special responsibility. Strategic dialogue we heard quite a lot about that today on further bilateral reductions involving all types of Nuclear Weapons could be a stabilizing factor between the two countries. It would also have positive impact on the overall International Peace and security. This is particularly important for the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty. The npt is the cornerstone of international Nuclear Nonproliferation regime, and a foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. It must remain so. It represents near universal Common Ground, and continues to rein force our collective security. I am pleased to see that draft ban treaty explicitly recognizes these facts, and i really hope that this will be maintained through the forthcoming. But if a ban treaty is to become a reality, the future health of the npt and of the overall Nuclear Nonproliferation and disarmament regime will require urgent steps towards the implementation of article six commitments. It is also critical to keep constructive dialogue between those who decided not to be part of negotiations and those who decided to be part of negotiations of the ban treaty. At the 50th anniversary of npt entry into forcing 2020 approaches, States Parties have the opportunity to find Common Ground on ways forward and make this an anniversary to celebrate. Ladies and gentlemen, earlier i mentioned the uns role of avenue for dialogue, a sort of technical knowledge, and an honest broker in the fields of disarmament, arms control and nonproliferation. Let me just briefly explain how the human is critical in these fields. First of all the u. N. Is a forum for united action. The role of the u. N. Security council in unanimously condemning and sanctioning in fact, the illegal missile and Nuclear Programs of the dprk is prime example. Differences persist, of course over specific measures to pursue, but unequivocal condemnation of these brazen acts as a clear signal of the unanimity in the belief that weapons of mass destruction pose a threat to regional and global security. Second, the u. N. Is a forum for inclusive negotiations engaging all stakeholders. This is not to say that other fora did not play a role, regional negotiations produce the valuable Nuclear Weapon free zones and bilateral negotiations reduce Nuclear Arsenals by around 85 in some cases, but only universal forums create universally binding rules and norms. With this in mind the u. N. Should be the venue for efforts to bring about other measures to achieve and maintain Nuclear Weapon free world. This includes negotiations from the, bringing the conference of Nuclear Test Ban treaty into force. The u. N. Is a useful forum for dialogue on new issues of critical importance to us all. The enduring concerns related to wmd and conventional weapons have been exacerbated by Rapid Advances in technology. A suit of new eq has emerged that threatens to undermine international stability. Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity will be vital to humanas future prosperity, but they can also be used for malicious purposes produce global problems that require global solutions. Likewise, conversations among all stakeholders are required if we are to grapple with Game Changing dual use technologies such as three d printing, in ways that minimize risk while not impeding development. My final point relates to the u. N. As an honest broker and custodian to protect, safeguard, and implement the most fundamental values of which the u. N. Was founded. In the field of disarmament, arms control and nonproliferation, this in fact, reminding ourselves of the norms. Norms. We have played the Critical Role of impartial referee on the implementation of treaties such as the npt or chemical weapons convention. This role that we play i believe is a critical one in actually making the world a safer place, and a role that is always enjoyed a full support of the United States. Ladies and gentlemen, to conclude let me go back to where i started. Disarmament breached security. It is not a vague hope or aspiration, but must be a complete contribution to a safer and more secure world. We must remember a core component of the mechanisms established at the creation of United Nations for the maintenance of collective security. It is of course to which we must rededicate all of our efforts. The United Nations looks forward to the continued u. S. Leadership, and a working very closely with all of you towards our shared goal. Thank you very much. [applause] thank you very much for those remarks, and i think we have ample time for questions from the audience. Again, raise your hand, identify yourself and ask your question. Yes. Larry weiler. Thank you. I would like to raise a peripheral issue. And i appreciate what the u. N. Has done, and i have spent many years in new york, and i, particularly on the nonproliferation treaty whether it was helpful. But there is now a contrast that goes to geneva, the u. N. Conference, which i think is an eyesore. Im referring to the conference that cannot succeed because it has a voting arrangement that prevents dealing with the one subject that they are sent there to deal with. And i know that i shouldve asked this of the new america representative that were here earlier, but he would just tell me well, we havent decided what to do about that. But coming on board now. I would hope that you will use your exercise, it is a sort of a snide way to put this, but will you use your exercise, your influence, to have some change made in the system we have there . Its a travesty that there is no possibility because of the rules of what we put on the cut off. I know that theres nice scenery and the wine is pretty good in judea but thats about all they do and its a waste of everybodys taxes to send people there. I would like to comment on that. Well, actually i would like to ask your advice and what to do. I havent been to geneva. Im going to next week, and i will be talking to many of the conference and ambassadors. I have already been asking for advice but i dont think ill be very easy to change. I mean, some people suggest that yes, we need to come out of the box and think, you know, interesting ways forward. Some even suggest that open it up to everyone. There seems to be no quick fixes. Fixes. We need to really put our Heads Together and think very creatively what we can, in fact, a deal. But the forum, it is true that it is been stuck for more than two decades if they cannot even agree on the agenda, but in the sidelines they are still continuing with dialogs and informal discussions. Now, do we find that useful . Probably. In my message actually to the nato conference i put a tiny bit of a very positive, in our view, development that just happened a couple of weeks ago, if you much ago, which is breaking the deadlock in the disarmament commission, i think it was in march. We dont think it is of insignificant achievement. It demonstrated that perhaps, because there are problems in other parts of disarmament instruments, perhaps, i hope the Member States felt that they will have to be extra efforts to demonstrate that they are willing to compromise on substantive issues. So maybe there is hope. I dont know, but again i would very much like to hear from you one of the things that we could potentially think about doing picked because im a newcomer. I newcomer in this community. I could potentially think very creatively without the fear that some of the more sort of experts might have. So please help us think through what we might be able to do. Being the new kid in town can be liberating in some ways. I mean, one of the things i would just note i need one of the mics, please. Todays the day of the microphone. All right, is a better . Thank you. Yes, being the new kid on the block can be liberating and i just want to note to larrys question that there have been creative initiatives that have been taken by likeminded government on important issues over the last couple of decades, especially because of the conference has been unable to agree on an agenda. One such example was president obamas initiative to host a Nuclear Security summit in 2010. There were three more. That kind of Initiative Takes a great deal of courage, diplomatic energy. There has to be enough countries are interested in that but that might be another option. I mean, negotiation on the prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, treaty is yet another example of states taking the initiative using u. N. General assembly to launch a negotiation on something of common interest. There are some creative approaches that might be applied to some of the issues that have been behind the beautiful bars locked away in that body for the last 20 years. So other questions from the floor . We have a jonathan. Thank youthank you, jonathan. Thank you so much for your comments. One of the things that your background in actually getting with human catastrophe. One of the key agendas for the next several decades of the u. N. Will be the Sustainable Development goals, 1 17 goals, f addressing what appears to me to be real human security, addressing poverty, protecting the climate, protecting the ocean, the very lungs of the planet. And to a large extent the disarmament nonproliferation armscontrol agenda is siloed from the dynamic of Sustainable Development. But it appears to me that the standup of Nuclear Weapon is an impediment to achieving [inaudible] can you comment on the relationship between Sustainable Development and disarmament . If we can bring the two together, if we can bring the two together, there will be a lot more momentum in the field of arms control and disarmament. Im not sure if i would link directly with the Nuclear Weapons issues, but in fact, we have been already working on linkage between disarmament in general and sd geez. There is sdg 16. 4 i think. When i left just exactly one month ago there was a reception at a sort of joke, i thought i would never have to do with sdg is anymore but no, no, there was 16. 4 which they were responsible for. So we have to work plan. Have a strategy, how to in fact, make progress in that. In fact, since hiroshima and nagasaki that a Single Person has died from Nuclear Weapons. But in fact, have been lots of casualties a as a result of smal arms and light weapons. So this is conventional weapons disarmament aspect is something that we would definitely like to highlight much more. Its also an area where we have been also making progress. And we need to actually advertise, if we put our Heads Together and Work Together, we are able to make progress and achieve wonderful things. And i think that sort of positive message in the disarmament will be very important. And i can be very much linked to the agenda 2020 and svgs. Fact sdg is in my view are critical component of a concept also as human security. There are other questions here. Yes. Period i had a small arms saws would ask a question that a think jonathan and larry trained will be your extensive background in other areas actually think i think are beneficial. I want to ask the question of how you think you might bring the work done to push the disarmament agenda. I very much agree having worked at the u. N. On the arms treaty that the u. N. Is seen as a very siloed place and do some way [inaudible] i would say used to do with remind us that some people take a break from disarmament because the times are tough. I would say can we think of it the other way around . Can we use the other issues to make progress on disarmament . Iwould say that humanitarian consequences is what drove the nuclear ban treaty. Very different outside the box human side. So if you have experience which you can bring to that. I do want as more specifically about syria, when you talk to a chemical weapons. I see the country, the sticking points for people who criticize the Security Council of not being able to do anything people have criticized also making it somewhat impossible for even russia to potentially cooperate. It you have something to that, again the idea of the refugees they came out of syria i think its time some countries could get to a solution. Other outside the box. Let me start with syria that is clearly one of that if you will more immediate acute priority agenda my office has at the moment. And in you what i have been emphasizing already is that this is actually, corsets about syria, but its not about just about syria. If this file continues to be politicized and seen from different positions that different note of Security Council have on syria conflict, the we might in fact, start to lose part of very important disarmament regimes called opcw. There is a reason why the International Community created a Technical Agency such as opcw. That if those entities are, in fact, politicized, then we were really start to lose the capacities of the nonproliferation regime that have worked so well over the years, will start to crumble. We want to prevent that. So i have been already messaging this with all the relevant parties. And i wont share the details in public session, but i think this is a line that we must really continue together with the head of j. I. M. As well. We fully respect their independence, but the head of j. I. M. And i fully coordinate. We see the situation in very much in the same way, but we play different role but we try to maintain a nonproliferation regime as it was created and designed intentionally. So this is something that for us will be very important. And it actually, it goes beyond syria. And i hope that our countrys, sufficient number of countries, i think there are sufficient number of countries who understand this point, which is a meeting to longer term. , not just about syria conflict. On your first question, i want to emphasize the point that i made in my remarks, which is that disarmament really is an integral part of any solution to political conflict. If you look at, if you study all peace agreements, and i worked in many different parts of the world in peacekeeping, in particular. There is always some element of disarmament involved in the sort of peace treaty package. Perhaps it is not been seen so linked, so clearly linked in the u. N. , but this issue or important priority of coming out of a silo within the u. N. Systm is, in fact, a priority of the secretarygeneral. He sees the u. N. As the organization which will be able to in fact, tackle those problems much more holistically with necessary linkages made, and so i would like to make sue that disarmament will much more actually part of those peaceful resolution of conflict. Very good. Ambassador kennedy. If i might, i wanted to ask about biological weapon can fidgeted to talk about the strange on the opcw, but here you have a very Important Convention, and implementation support unit of three people, a disastrous review conference that despite the effort of many to find Common Ground was stymied to a degree, larger ironic though i wasnt there, but they could not even agree the schedule which are vitally valued by many site is, government officials, folks around the world. So any thoughts about this Important Convention forward. Thank you. When i was going to the sort of initial briefing, this is the area that really scared me a lot. Im a born optimist but ever since i took this position, but optimism is gradually going down. [inaudible] perhaps, i mean, i understand that the u. N. Has always been trying to argue that they will have to be some sort of implementation capacity that is created, that has to be created. But we just dont have the support, including the Financial Support but also the political support, to create such an independent capacity. The convention itself is a very old one, but perhaps this is something, because its so scary to think about the actual scenario, you know, International Community is sort of trying to choose or trying to ignore the serious sort of possibilities. We are doing what we can do the three people implementation support units which is housed within oda in geneva. What we are doing is to create a network of professionals in the event something happens, then those network of professionals could be called on to investigate with very short timeframe, et cetera. So are, in fact, trying to create a capacity which is outstanding capacity but standby capacity. So we would like to be supported much more in some of those endeavors, and i will see what we can do in terms of really mobilizing lyrical and Financial Support from Member States or the state parties. Well, thank you very much. We have run out of time. I just wanted to express our appreciation for your work and the work of your team and all the people at the United Nations who provide a vehicle for state and Civil Society to work on these issues. What you described to us is a reminder that the u. N. Helps provide tools and fora for discussion, but weve got to use them. It needs to be leadership to take advantage of those opportunities. Weve got to resource the u. N. So that he can do its job, particularly the technical organizations like the support unit, the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons, the International Atomic energy, and others