Disarmament, Nuclear and Arms Control Issues:
Has extensive experience in this field since the
early 1960’s when he was involved in working on ending external military and
nuclear collaboration with the apartheid regime. At that time he worked through
the Anti-Apartheid Movement as well as the United Nations and its various
committees as well as the OAU and the Commonwealth.
Recognised for authoritative and well researched
exposition of issues and prepared numerous documents for various conferences
and inter-governmental meetings on the military and nuclear capacity of the
apartheid regime and international collaboration with it.
After the imposition of the UNSCouncil’s voluntary
arms embargo against SA and the establishment of a special committee of the
UNSC to oversee it he was invited on numerous occasions between 1977 and 1994
to give evidence to that committee, usually in closed sessions, on the
operation of the embargo and especially on alleged violations. He served as
Director of the World Campaign against Military and Nuclear Collaboration with
South Africa, (established at the suggestion in 1977 of the UN and the OAU)
until 1994.
After the democratic transformation of South Africa
he was asked by the DFA to join several delegations as Adviser, including the
IAEA General Conference in 1994.
In August 1995 he was appointed DDG for the
Multilateral Branch in the DFA until June 2004. He continued to serve as DDG
with special responsibilities for Disarmament issues and also as the President’s
Personal Representative on the Nepad Steering Committee.
Earlier, in June 1995 he was appointed as Chairperson
of the South African Council for the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass
Destruction and has continued to serve in that capacity ever since, having been
re-appointed each time by respective Ministers of Trade and Industry.
In 1995, when South Africa resumed its seat on the
Board of Governors of the IAEA, Mr Minty was appointed as the Governor for
South Africa. South Africa retains the one seat on the Board that is allocated
permanently for the African country that is the most advanced in terms of its
“nuclear” facilities and capability. In this capacity he participates in
quarterly meetings of the Board as well as in other meetings related to the
work of the Agency.
At the last meeting of the IAEA General Conference in
September 2006, Mr Minty was elected President of the Conference on behalf of
Africa whose turn it was to preside over the annual conference.
In addition to the IAEA Mr Minty also supervises, and
where possible, participates in meetings of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
and the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as well as other bodies such
as the Conference on Disarmament (CD), the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) and the Chemical and Biological Weapons
institutions as well as the Wassenaar Arrangement that deals with conventional
weapons.
With regard to the National Conventional Arms Control
Committee (NCACC) Mr Minty represents the DFA on both the NCACC as well as its
Scrutiny Committee. He also supervises the processing of import and export
permits on behalf of the Department.
Following the September 11 events issues related to
Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction have taken on new importance with a
series of new initiatives taken by some of the major powers. At the same time
the issue of Iran’s use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes has been
the subject of a long dispute within the IAEA and recently in the UNSC.
Under special resolutions adopted by the UNSC on the
subject of Terrorism as well as Resolution 1540 on Weapons of Mass Destruction
member states are required to present regular reports to the UNSC on the
various measures taken by them. These reports are processed thoroughly by Mr
Minty who also follows trends and developments in this field.
While the Nuclear Weapon States (NWS) are not
interested in implementing their commitments to disarm, as stated in the NPT,
they are increasing the encroachment on the rights of non-nuclear weapon states
under the guise of non-proliferation. At the same time the US has declared that
it intends to develop new nuclear weapons, not so much for deterrence but
actual use including to counter terrorism as well as serious biological or
chemical threats..
It is the general intransigence of the NWS that also
led to the total failure of the five year 2005 NPT conference. Early next year
the international community will begin the process of holding several
preparatory meetings in advance of the 2010 NPT Review Conference and this
process will be a critical one for developing countries to protect their rights
under the Treaty.
At the same time there are a series of measures being
proposed by the US and other powers to restrict the rights of members of the
NPT to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and in particular to
prevent countries who do not enrich uranium already from doing so in future.
South Africa has been active in opposing these measures and has defended the
rights of NPT members, especially developing countries, to protect and retain
rights that are enshrined in international treaties and agreements.
These debates are highly controversial and extremely
sensitive and have serious implications for countries such as South Africa
which is also being pressed to pledge in advance that it will never enrich
uranium for nuclear energy. To do so would make the country dependent on other
countries in a key area of strategic national interest and it is therefore of
critical importance to participate in all such discussions, equipped with the
necessary technical expertise and experience. In several such discussions South
Africa has played a major role and conveyed the case of developing countries.
In most of these discussions and debates
institutional memory and direct experience is of considerable importance. However, it is in the actual negotiations
over particular issues, including matters which involve minute detail that such
experience, knowledge and vigilance are of critical importance. In the present
international environment there is no issue in this field that can be said to
be only a technical one – they are all fraught with danger for developing
countries and of supreme political importance. Thus, these negotiations involve
technical and political issues and the pressure of the big powers, united in
purpose, is almost overwhelming for most developing and even some developed
countries.
In this context, South Africa has been able to stand
on principle and defend its position on the basis of international law and
specific treaties and agreements. Despite the fact that South Africa’s position
is often not welcomed by the big powers this is the main reason why it is
respected and held in high esteem. Thus the role of South Africa is unique.
In order to deal with these issues it is also
important to follow global trends and developments and Mr Minty has a long and
keen interest in these matters. He is therefore able to assist the Department
in other areas as well. With the impending membership of the UNSC for two years
the experience and knowledge of Mr Minty in relation to the UN and some of the
major issues before it will be invaluable.
For reasons of coherence, co-ordination and strategic
policy implementation I decided last month that Mr Minty will serve as
Ambassador and Special Representative for Disarmament and Nepad.
9 October 2006