DOI: 10.5564/mjia.v0i14.25Mongolian Journal of International Affairs No.14 2007 pp.64-6

Nemov, Alexander

English

Mongolia Journals Online

64The Mongolian Journal of International AffairsNumber 14, 2007Confidence building measures – necessary component establishing  Nuclear WeaponFree Zone in the regionBy Alexander Nemov (Russia)Maintenance of security in the North-East Asia is a problem,the solution of which is still significantly influenced by theconsequences of the Cold War confrontation period. Theevidence of that, for instance, is the presence of considerable militarycontingents in the countries of the region. Such army presence is viewedby the states of North-East Asia as a basic guarantee of stability andsecurity. Nevertheless, the array of problems in the region, first of allconcerning the Korean Peninsula, requires a search for political solutionto solve them on the international level.As admitted by many experts, including those from the region, Asia,unlike Europe, is lacking strong multilateral political institutions. Indeed,the formation of the European Union and all the European multilateralinstitutions were preceded by a long, painstaking work. As a result, thecountries of the region abandoned many of their ambitions in order toset up collegial structures taking into account collective interests.Here, on the contrary, we witness a high level of mistrust amongthe North East Asian states. This situation is aggravated by their historicalexperience, political and economic divergence, and claims on leadershipin the Asian Pacific region.It should be also recognized that for the moment none of thecountries of the region has enough opportunities (meaning power) toturn the situation to their benefit through unilateral activities. In theirpolitics the North East Asian states have to take into consideration eachother’s positions on various issues.From this point of view, the words of the Russian Foreign MinisterS. Lavrov have particular relevance: “The experience of the last six65Number 14, 2007The Mongolian Journal of International Affairsyears convincingly shows that any attempts to ignore the reality of amultipolar world ultimately end in failure. Whatever examples we maytake, the conclusion remains the same: modern international problemscannot be solved by force. Attempts to do so only aggravate and throwthe situation into a stalemate. The deficit of security, or a sense of deficit,also stems from stagnation in the disarmament sphere, which increasesthe threat of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”Thus, the most important political task of the present time is creatingan effective system of cooperative international security in the region -meaning security built upon the basis of multilateral cooperation and abalance of interests, not upon bloc-based confrontation with unavoidableelements of deterrence and containment. This way of ensuring securityis the only acceptable one. Otherwise, even without large-scale wars,the humanity would be in a constant state of “cold peace” or a breakbetween recurrent local conflicts.In this context, Mongolia’s consistent and constructive line towardscreation of Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (NWFZ) may become the firstlegal precedent in the case of a real denuclearization of the region andreduction of the conflict level.At the same time, it is quite evident that consideration of questionsconnected with the expanding of NWFZ in the region may be still onlytheoretical, aimed at a long-term prospect. Among the reasons for thisapproach one can name not only the unfinished process of officiallyrecognizing Mongolia as NWFZ, but also the sharp discord in the politicalpriorities of the states of the region. In order to define the possibility ofexpanding the area of NWFZ and the effectiveness of creation of a similarcomponent in the regional security structure, long, comprehensive workmust be carried out, to enhance mutual confidence among theNortheastern Asian states.One may regard the setting up of a working group on securitymeasures in the North- East Asia under Russian chairmanship as thefirst practical step in this direction; the group started its work on March15, 2007 within the frame of the six-party talks on denuclearization ofthe Korean Peninsula. Considering that the group targets include creatinga favourable, confidential climate among the participants of the talks,the prospects of a mutually acceptable and equal dialogue among theNortheastern Asian states on the pressing issues of the region largelydepend on the results of its activities.66The Mongolian Journal of International AffairsNumber 14, 2007It is also necessary to note that, unlike the intergovernmentalregional forum Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) rallying 30 countriesof the South, Central and the Middle East, the so-called “Russianworking group” includes only representatives of the North-East Asiaand the US. Taking into account the limited number of participatingcountries in this group it is possible to raise specific problems relevantfor all the states of the region at this forum.Drawing up the agenda of the meetings requires special attention.The maintenance of a constructive spirit of the participants could befacilitated by discussing issues that, being considered “universal”,nevertheless retain their significance and correspond to the level ofchallenges in the modern society. And the willingness of all the partiesto discuss them, coupled with the aspiration to search for mutuallyacceptable solutions on specific or general problems, would allow acorporate approach.It appears that the following issues could be chosen for discussion:• The problem of cooperation in the field of informationtechnology and information security;• Cooperation in the field of disaster prevention and dealing withthe consequences of emergency situations;• Environmental protection, joint ecology monitoring programs;• Mutual use of trans-boundary rivers and water bodies;• Struggle against trans-boundary crime: narcotics, smuggling,and money-laundering;• Development of economic security measures and promotionof economic integration   of   regional   countries   includingsecurity   of international sea, air, land and othercommunications, etc.In case the nuclear problem of the Korean peninsula is settled on amutually acceptable basis providing for compensatory payment andpolitical security guarantees one may count on the continuation andacceleration of the multilateral consultations process on security in theregion (as well as on the topic of NWFZ expansion).Specific agreements accompanying the denuclearization of theKorean peninsula would themselves signify a sufficiently high level ofconfidence among the participants. Only on these terms it would bepossible to extend the range of questions under discussion at the expenseof military problems.67Number 14, 2007The Mongolian Journal of International AffairsIf there is the political will of all the regional countries’ leadership,creating an additional positive background, it would be possible to discussthe following questions:• Reduction in the quantity of military exercises, including thejoint ones with the US, in North-East Asia;• Development of an overall regional military stability model;• Reduction in conventional weapons according to the progressin relations between countries of the region;• Possible transformation of the existing military alliances towardsoverall regional partnership interests;• Perspectives of a peace treaty conclusion on the Koreanpeninsula, etc.The enumerated topics can be considered as a natural addition tothe establishment of NWFZ (first in Mongolia and then its expansion tothe other places in the region), especially taking into account the factthat the Korean peninsula denuclearization gives a unique possibility toextend this experience to the both Korean states.Let me summarize all mentioned above:1. The practical realization of Nuclear Weapon Free Zone in theregion is impeded by the consequences of the cold war periodconfrontation;2. Their elimination will be promoted by confidence buildingmeasures among all countries of the region;3. The existing dialogue mechanisms, that is the Asia CooperationDialogue, 6-party talks on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula,should be used for this purpose;4. At the first phase the agenda should include issues of currentimportance to all countries of the region which will make it possible toensure parity in the discussion progress;5. The denuclearization of the Korean peninsula will give anadditional impulse to the process of regional political integration;6. In this case the problems of military and political stability in theregion can be discussed and settled;The development of situation according to this scenario will makeit possible to raise the problem of the NWFZ expansion, at the sametime tackling the issues of the Korean peninsula.

Confidence building measures – necessary component establishing Nuclear Weapon Free Zone in the region

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Confidence building measures – necessary component establishing Nuclear Weapon Free Zone in the region

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