http://git-wip-us.apache.org/repos/asf/opennlp-sandbox/blob/1f97041b/opennlp-similarity/src/test/resources/style_recognizer/txt/un/C/185un_CD_PV1080.txt ---------------------------------------------------------------------- diff --git a/opennlp-similarity/src/test/resources/style_recognizer/txt/un/C/185un_CD_PV1080.txt b/opennlp-similarity/src/test/resources/style_recognizer/txt/un/C/185un_CD_PV1080.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cbec4fe --- /dev/null +++ b/opennlp-similarity/src/test/resources/style_recognizer/txt/un/C/185un_CD_PV1080.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ + +Held at the Palais des Nations , Geneva , on Thursday , 30 August 2007 , at 10.15 a. m. President : Mr. Faysal KHABBAZ HAMOUI ( Syrian Arab Republic ) The PRESIDENT ( spoke in Arabic ) : I declare open the 1080th plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament . At the outset , I should like to extend a warm welcome on behalf of the Conference on Disarmament to the participants in the United Nations Programme of Fellowships on Disarmament who are observing the proceedings of this plenary . I am quite sure they will benefit from their participation in this forum , especially from the presentations that will be made to them on the various aspects of the work of the Conference . On behalf of the Conference on Disarmament and on my own behalf , I should like to bid farewell to Ambassador Elisabeth Bonnier , our distinguished colleague from Sweden , who will be leaving Geneva soon to take up other important duties , having brought with her a wealth of experience gained within the Swedis h Foreign Ministry and abroad , including a first round from 1983 to 1988 in the Conference on Disarmament and also as a member of the Secretary-General 's Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters . Ambassador Elisabeth Bonnier joined us in 2003 as the Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva . As a representative of a country with a pre-eminent focus on multilateral disarmament and non-proliferation , she has always been actively and insistently involved in the effort to break the deadlock in this body and to resume the substantive work . I should like to express my particular gratitude to her for her extensive efforts to end the stalemate in this body as one of the six Presidents of this year 's session . On behalf of the Conference and on my own behalf , I would like to convey to Ambassador Bonnier every wish for success and happiness . While we are sad to see Ambassador Bonnier leave Geneva , I am happy to exten d a cordial welcome to our new colleague from Canada , Ambassador Marius Grinius . On behalf of the Conference on Disarmament and on my own behalf , I would like to assure Ambassador Grinius of our readiness to provide him with every kind of assistance and support for his work in Geneva . Before turning to the speakers for today , I would like to introduce the Presidential report on the third part of the 2007 session . I closely followed the consultations that the former President of the Conference on Disarmament , Ambassador Jürg Streuli , held on the Presidential proposal . I also followed the work of the six Presidents on the same matter . A series of meetings were held with a large number of Ambassadors of member States . Allow me to summarize the results of these activities as set forth in the Presidential report on part 3 of the 2007 session , which was distributed to you today by the secretariat . My evaluation of the results consists of three points . The first point is tha t a wide range of delegations expressed their support for the Presidential proposal based on the three annexed documents , L.1 CRP.5 and CRP.6 . Although some delegations expressed reservations about certain elements of the proposal , they said that they were willing to join the consensus on the proposal . Others expressed the view that more work and consultations were needed to reach a consensus . The second point is that the Conference on Disarmament has achieved substantial progress by conducting important thematic debates on all agenda items . However , it has not yet been able to reach a consensus on a programme of work . As to the third point , momentum has been created to end the long-standing impasse at the Conference on Disarmament and efforts to reach an agreement must be continued . This is the summary of the three points contained in the Presidential report on part 3 of the 2007 session . I should now like to open the floor to any delegations that wish to make a statemen t at today 's meeting . I have no speakers on my list . Does any delegation wish to take the floor ? The Ambassador of Sweden . You have the floor . Ms. BORSIIN BONNIER ( Sweden ) : Mr. President , I thank you very much , and initially , let me warmly welcome you on the assumption of the Chair of this august body . Although I will be leaving Geneva , I assure you that my delegation will continue to do its utmost to support you in the important tasks ahead . I also thank you warmly for your initial kind remarks on my person . This is my last plenary meeting , and therefore , in line with the traditions of the CD , I will conclude with a few personal remarks . Mr. President , for altogether nine years , as you noted , I have entered this Council chamber with hope and with expectations . I have seen this room being the anchor of sincere multilateral work to bring about a more secure world . At times the Conference on Disarmament has even been the centre of gravity for the international community in Geneva . I have seen it vibrating with energy , bold ideas , creative intellect focused on problem-solving and a determination to make a difference and to turn the tide . Important pieces of international law have been negotiated here ; compliance with vital norms has been discussed and defended with vigour and conviction . But I have also seen the opposite : an anaemic stalemate with delegations resorting to recitals of ceremonious mantras , covering up the traces of their own passivity with useless finger-pointing and blame games , hiding behind the commas of the rules of procedure and shamelessly abusing the consensus rule to abort any attempt to seriously tackle difficult or sensitive issues - in effect taking the whole multilateral approach to disarmament and arms control hostage to their own particular perceptions , preferences or dictates . But still , I continue to enter this room with hope and expectations . The certainties of yesterday are gone . Security per ceptions , threats and challenges are in a state of flux . New dangers are emerging , adding to the burden of the old ones . But the debate of old versus new threats is a meaningless one . Unless we try to face both , neither will be dealt with . In the nuclear field we see more brinkmanship than statesmanship . Globalization works to make complex weapon technologies widely available . Military expenses have risen to well beyond a trillion United States dollars . The illusion of an impenetrable defence is taking new forms . Our space assets with their huge scientific and economic potentials are not secure . Cyber-wars are no longer just science fiction , but can disrupt our societies on a massive scale . The overall balance between global security problems solved and those unsolved is , I believe , negative . The uncertainties of tomorrow are , however - and let us not forget - the opportunities of today . Reluctantly or enthusiastically we will have to accept that global problems i n a time of galloping globalization cannot be solved unilaterally , bilaterally or even in small circles of like-minded nations . Global security must be built globally . Effective multilateralism is both necessary and possible . It means that the legitimate security concerns of all States must be acknowledged . It means seizing opportunities when they arise . It means reconsidering positions that yield no results . And it means a readiness to give and take . Global security can never be a zero-sum game . Just as the rule of law is a fundamental cornerstone in domestic affairs , so it must also be in international affairs . Without it we will be on the slippery slope towards anarchy and the use of force . Laws are sometimes broken , but this does not make them less essential . Quite the opposite . It reinforces the need to uphold and strengthen them . This is particularly important in the area of international security relations . But there are serious lacunae , both as regards the laws themselves and our ability to see them complied with . We do have a forum where we can approach all these difficult realities together . It is called the Conference on Disarmament . Rejecting the use of the CD is irresponsible . Those blocking the potentials of this body should understand that they are inflicting real damage not only to the security of others , to our common security , but in the long run also to their own . Since the beginning of this year I have had the privilege of working as one of the P-6 . This Presidential sextet has jointly and consistently tried to put the CD back to work , tried to move us from talk shop to workshop , tried to make us take on the challenges of our time . And by now , most delegations stand ready to try . We have come very close to begin a beginning . As I am now leaving , I am sorry not to be with you when you cross the last bridge . Because cross it you will . There is no other way . Now there remains for me only to express my many a nd sincere thanks : to the Secretary-General for his support , wisdom and friendship , always at our side . To my fellow P-6 colleagues and our coordinators for their remarkable team spirit and seriousness of purpose . To my colleagues , the CD Ambassadors and their delegations for their many expressions of support and friendship . To everyone in the secretariat who keeps toiling for us in good spirits and solidarity . To the interpreters who try to make sense of our sometimes incomprehensible utterings in all languages . And to the representatives of civil society who with great patience and frustration stay engaged . Thank you all . When I leave this Council chamber today I will do so as I have always entered it - with hope and expectations . The PRESIDENT ( spoke in Arabic ) : I thank the Ambassador of Sweden for her kind wishes addressed to the Conference , and we in turn wish her every success . The delegation of France has asked for the floor . You have the floor , Madam . Ms. RAMIS-PLUM ( France ) ( spoke in French ) : I simply wished to raise a point of a technical or even presentational nature in the draft decision which is attached to the report on the third part of our session . I think there is simply a small presentational matter which , in the opinion of my delegation , needs to be rectified . The body of decision L.1 has been separated presentationally from the complementary Presidential statement . We consider that , in the original version of this document these two elements which from a whole were together and should remain together , as they were in the text of decision L.1 which has been distributed until now . The PRESIDENT ( spoke in Arabic ) : I thank the representative of France . We shall discuss this matter with the secretariat . Does any delegation wish to make a statement ? I do not see any . Concerning next week 's work , the secretariat , later this afternoon , will place the draft report on the 2007 session in the members ' pigeo nholes . For ease of access , the secretariat will also send out an electronic copy , in PDF format , to the regional coordinators , who can then distribute the document to the members of their respective groups . Next week , i. e. on Tuesday 4 September 2007 , I will proceed with the first reading . As usual , this will be done at an informal meeting right after the formal plenary , which will start at 10 a. m. in this room . Before bringing this morning 's work to a close I wish to make some comments on the final report . First , I should like to thank my colleagues the Ambassadors of the G-6 for their strong support for this draft report . I also wish to thank the secretariat for its outstanding efforts which helped us to complete this draft on time for it to be translated into all the United Nations official languages . As I have already said , the G-6 chairpersons helped us to prepare this report and supported it once it had been completed . The report reflects the consensus in the group . We all hope that this consensus will lead to a consensus within the Conference , especially given that the G-6 represents a wide cross section of the Conference membership . We look forward to your cooperation in adopting this report , which we endeavoured to ensure would contain an objective and impartial account of the proceedings at this year 's Conference . We did our utmost to take account of the concerns of all the members , which was not an easy task . The President hopes that when the draft text is discussed next Tuesday , it will enjoy the support of you all , that you will take account of these comments , and show the necessary flexibility for its adoption . Thank you for your understanding . Before closing the meeting , does any delegation wish to take the floor ? I see none . I declare this meeting adjourned . The meeting rose at 10.45 a. m. ( Ms. Borsiin Bonnier , Sweden ) ( The President ) \ No newline at end of file
http://git-wip-us.apache.org/repos/asf/opennlp-sandbox/blob/1f97041b/opennlp-similarity/src/test/resources/style_recognizer/txt/un/C/186un_CD_PV1157.txt ---------------------------------------------------------------------- diff --git a/opennlp-similarity/src/test/resources/style_recognizer/txt/un/C/186un_CD_PV1157.txt b/opennlp-similarity/src/test/resources/style_recognizer/txt/un/C/186un_CD_PV1157.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..197c51c --- /dev/null +++ b/opennlp-similarity/src/test/resources/style_recognizer/txt/un/C/186un_CD_PV1157.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ + +Held at the Palais des Nations , Geneva , on Wednesday , 2 September 2009 , at 10.10 a. m. President : Mr. Christian STROHAL ( Austria ) The PRESIDENT : I declare open the 1157th plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament . It is a particular honour and pleasure for me to be able to welcome the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria , Mr. Michael Spindelegger , to this Conference . Mr. Spindelegger has had a long career , in spite of his young age , in the Austrian Parliament and the European Parliament . He has been the Second President of the Austrian Parliament and the foreign policy spokesperson of the People 's Party , and became a minister last year . We are delighted that he has made it to Geneva , where he has arrived at a busy time when we are preparing not only for the closure of this year 's session of the Conference on Disarmament but also for the General Assembly of the United Nations , as well as for the relevant activi ties of the Security Council , on which Austria will be represented next year as a non-permanent member . I now give the floor to the minister . Mr. SPINDELEGGER ( Austria ) : Mr. President , Thank you for this opportunity to address the Conference on Disarmament today . Austria has assumed the presidency of the Conference at an important point in time . This year the Conference finally adopted a programme of work after more than a decade of stalemate . This is a positive , long overdue development . So I do not need to speak about deadlocks or the missed opportunities of the past . Let me focus on recent positive developments in arms control and disarmament and their implications for our future . The year 2009 has seen one paramount development : the goal of nuclear disarmament and the eventual total elimination of nuclear weapons has been put back on the global agenda . I welcome the five-point plan for disarmament proposed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations , Mr. Ban Ki-moon , which I had the opportunity to discuss with him a few days ago in Austria . I also welcome the recent positive statements that have been made by United States President Obama in Prague and Cairo and by Russian President Medvedev . And only a few weeks ago , Chinese Foreign Minister Yang underlined China 's goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world here in this very room . Austria promoted the vision of a world free of nuclear weapons throughout the cold war , when only a few countries possessed nuclear capabilities . Since proliferation has introduced new threats from States and non-State actors , striving for this goal is now all the more necessary . Our vision is now shared by the most important nuclear powers . But how far has this vision been translated into concrete action ? We can identify two developments . First , direct bilateral negotiations : we see a renewed readiness to engage in bilateral negotiations . The commitment by President Obama and President Medvedev to ne gotiate a new strategic arms reduction treaty by the end of this year is a good example . Second , the global atmosphere in multilateral arms control negotiations has changed : preparations for the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons ( NPT ) show a markedly better atmosphere . Initiatives by States and civil society all around the world , such as the Security Council summit on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament due to be held on 24 September , ensure global ownership and demonstrate a new readiness to engage in dialogue . But let me be clear : positive declarations , a good atmosphere and universal interest also need real implementation and compliance . The NPT can only fulfil its promise of peace if all States adhere to their obligations . Similarly the programme of work of the Conference on Disarmament needs to be implemented if it is to become a real achievement . This brings me to my next point - our expectations for the future . First let me start with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty ( CTBT ) , a treaty which originated in this chamber . The deplorable nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea in May has made clear that the entry into force of the CTBT is overdue . As Co-Chair , together with Costa Rica , Austria has been deeply involved in efforts to secure this goal over the past two years . Let me thus use this opportunity to appeal once again to those States that have not yet done so to accede to the CTBT as soon as possible . I am encouraged by the recent commitment of President Obama to pursue ratification by the United States , and also by China 's comments in this regard . Let me appeal to all States to show their support for the treaty at the Article XIV conference in New York later this month , and to all delegation 's present to help ensure that their country participates . Second , Austria believes that a comprehensive fissile material cut-o ff treaty ( FMCT ) - a treaty that still has to emerge from this chamber - would significantly contribute to nuclear disarmament . Reliable techniques for monitoring and verification have been developed over the past years . The potential positive impact of such a treaty has been confirmed many times . The IAEA is ready to make an important contribution . It now requires the political will of Governments and the efforts of skilled negotiators to make it a reality . It is my sincere hope that the new spirit in the Conference on Disarmament will soon enable it to proceed with actual work and start negotiations on an FMCT . Finally , when we talk about expectations for the upcoming year , we must mention the NPT Review Conference , which will take place next May in New York . The Preparatory Committee has shown a willingness to achieve a meaningful outcome this time . Today , we see a broad understanding that the dangers of nuclear technology need to be contained in a manner that creat es trust and confidence among all States . The Review Conference will demonstrate whether we are capable of transforming this positive atmosphere into real progress . Austria will present and support initiatives aimed at making substantial progress in nuclear disarmament , non-proliferation and a global system to effectively control the nuclear fuel cycle . This should help to avoid tensions such as the ones we are currently witnessing in regard to the nuclear programme of the Islamic Republic of Iran . Austria attaches great importance to arms control also in the area of conventional weapons such as landmines , cluster munitions and small arms and light weapons . Let me make three brief comments in this respect . First , with regard to landmines : Austria 's objective for the Second Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention , to be held later this year in Cartagena , Columbia , is to work for a strong Cartagena action plan , which will serve as a clear guide to St ates and bring us closer to a world free of mines . One priority for us is to improve assistance to landmine survivors . In this respect Austria has sponsored - together with Norway and civil society partners - a project to examine the global impact of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and what remains to be done to improve the situation of survivors . The report will be presented here today right after this meeting . Let me just use this opportunity to encourage all States that have not yet done so to accede to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention . It is time for the international community not only to review its stance on nuclear weapons but also to finally eradicate this terrible weapon . Second , with regard to cluster munitions : I encourage States to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions . So far 17 States have ratified it . It is our strong hope that the Convention will receive the necessary 30 ratifications to enter into force before the end of this year . To su pport this , Austria has engaged in a worldwide campaign and will support a conference on cluster munitions in Indonesia in November . Third , with regard to small arms and light weapons : these are a major security threat in parts of the world . Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan once called them the â real weapons of mass destruction â . Every year , hundreds of thousands of people are killed by them . The United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent , Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects is a significant step forward . Austria supports its implementation on the ground , especially in Africa . To stop the illicit arms trade , Austria supports the conclusion of a legally-binding international arms trade treaty . As a producing and exporting country of small arms , Austria feels a special responsibility to engage in this process and will also host the concluding conference of the global joint project of the Eu ropean Union and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research in February 2010. We hope that the conference in Vienna will provide positive momentum and enable the conclusion of a treaty in the near future . One thing is clear : there is no lack of work in the field of arms control and disarmament today and the international community is responding positively . In order to succeed , I count not only on the new flexibility of the nuclear-weapon States and the constructive contributions of all the other States , but also on the commitment and expertise of civil society . Throughout the years , non-governmental organizations and private citizens have remained important motors of the disarmament and arms control process . Austria has always underlined that disarmament and arms control must be an open , participatory process if it is to succeed . Protecting the world from the harm caused by weapons is a global project and needs active support from all of us . In this respect , I would like to thank the Secretary-General of the Conference for his tireless efforts , and this year 's other presidencies - Viet Nam , Zimbabwe , Algeria , Argentina and Australia - for their excellent cooperation in the Conference on Disarmament . I wish the Conference the necessary energy for a good conclusion to this year 's session and an early and effective resumption next year . The PRESIDENT : I thank the minister for his statement . Before adjourning this plenary meeting , let me just make two brief announcements . The first is , as mentioned , at 11 a. m. in this chamber , the minister will launch the report â Voices from the Ground â , a report in which victims of landmines and explosive remnants of war will speak out on victim assistance . The next plenary meeting of the Conference will be held tomorrow at 11 a. m. in this chamber . At that time , the Chairman-Designate of the First Committee of the General Assembly , Ambassador José Luis Cancela of Uruguay , will deliver a statement . This plenary meeting is adjourned . The meeting rose at 10.25 a. m. ( Mr. Spindelegger , ( Austria ) ( Mr. Spindelegger , ( Austria ) \ No newline at end of file http://git-wip-us.apache.org/repos/asf/opennlp-sandbox/blob/1f97041b/opennlp-similarity/src/test/resources/style_recognizer/txt/un/C/187un_CD_PV857.txt ---------------------------------------------------------------------- diff --git a/opennlp-similarity/src/test/resources/style_recognizer/txt/un/C/187un_CD_PV857.txt b/opennlp-similarity/src/test/resources/style_recognizer/txt/un/C/187un_CD_PV857.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..904d93a --- /dev/null +++ b/opennlp-similarity/src/test/resources/style_recognizer/txt/un/C/187un_CD_PV857.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ + +24 August 2000 Original : ENGLISH Held at the Palais des Nations , Geneva , on Thursday , 24 August 2000 , at 10.10 a. m. President : Mr. Celso Amorim ( Brazil ) The PRESIDENT : I declare open the 857th plenary meeting of the Conference . Distinguished delegates , we have learned with deep sorrow the tragic death of the crew members of the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk . I am sure that you all join me in extending our deep sympathy and condolences to the delegation of the Russian Federation on this sad occasion . I would kindly request our Russian colleague to convey these sentiments to his Government and to the bereaved families , as well as to the whole Russian people . I should like to extend a warm welcome , on behalf of all of us , to the new representative of Romania , Ambassador Anda-Cristina Filip and assure her of our full cooperation and support . There is no speaker inscribed on my list for today . Does any delegation wish to take the floor at this stage ? Japan , you h ave the floor , sir . Mr. NORBURU ( Japan ) : With your indulgence , Mr. President , I should like to take this opportunity to mention briefly how much our delegation appreciates all the efforts being made by our Brazilian President to reach an agreement on the programme of work for the Conference on Disarmament . At the same time , we must also express our sincere recognition of his predecessors , whose efforts were also most worthy of note . Ambassador Amorim has already eloquently demonstrated how far a President can push all delegations forward in seeking a solution to the apparently impossible problem faced by the Conference on Disarmament . Ambassador Amorim has been conducting this task with perseverance , wisdom and diplomatic skills which my delegation highly esteems , and his work will stand as a textbook case of good chairmanship . What Ambassador Amorim has been able to achieve so far is remarkable , and we must all be very grateful that he intends to continue working un til the last moment . Mr. President , it may be easy for people like us who are constantly exposed to the difficulties of international relations to understand why we have not yet been able to make progress in the Conference on Disarmament . This may not , however , hold true for the rest of society outside our diplomatic realm , who are diligently watching us and expecting real outcomes from us . This is reason enough for us not to abandon the possibility of agreeing on a programme of work , even at this late stage of this year 's session of the Conference on Disarmament . We must carry on with the work this week and during the remaining four weeks of this session . Mr. President , many delegations , including mine , consider extremely important all the efforts being made to accomplish progress in nuclear disarmament as the pivotal foreign policy objective , be it FMCT or a general discussion on nuclear disarmament . Over the last two years we have experienced an uncomfortable ambi ence of uncertainty in the Conference on Disarmament , but my delegation takes some solace from the fact that under you , Mr. President , we are still trying to be upbeat in our efforts to bring an end to this troubling reality . The PRESIDENT : I thank very much the representative of Japan . I am really moved by his words and encouraged to try to come to an agreement in this which is the last leg of my presidency . Is there any other delegation which wants to take the floor ? That does not seem to be the case . As you are aware , during the last few days , I have intensified consultations aimed at promoting consensus on the Programme of Work of the Conference on the basis of the ideas which I presented to all of you . I am encouraged by the fact that all delegations considered those ideas as a basis for further intensified consultations . I take the point made yesterday by several distinguished ambassadors that , at this stage , a basis for further intensified consultations is not good enough . I shall revert to this item later . I convened informal open-ended consultations yesterday with the purpose of ascertaining whether further progress can be made on a consensus decision on the Programme of Work . I was pleased to see that there was wide support from a broad cross-section of nations from different regions , different geopolitical situations , to my efforts , and I was also pleased to see the readiness displayed by all delegations to work towards compromise . Therefore , as I announced yesterday in the presidential consultations , it is my intention to suspend this plenary meeting and to convene in 10 minutes an informal open-ended consultation to discuss the ideas I have been working on . But before doing so , if you allow me a lighter note , I will mention to you that a friend of mine , who is actually our Ambassador in South Africa , recently gave me an old book called â Legends of the United Nations â . It was a collection by I believe a British a uthor , Frances Frost , of legends of almost all the nations that were then comprising the United Nations written just after the Charter was approved in San Francisco . One of the legends that came across to me , which I think is especially significant to what we are living today ( and I will not mention the country from where the legend is in order not to be misinterpreted in my purpose in mentioning the legend ) . It goes more or less as follows : Once upon a time there was a king and a princess , and the king wanted the princess - a very beautiful princess - to get married , but the condition was that the suitor should bring a blue rose . Well , a blue rose does not exist . So there were several suitors , merchants , warriors and others , and they tried different solutions . One brought a beautiful crystal ball with a blue rose inscribed in it . Another one tried a silk rose . Another one tried just to dye , to use a blue dye in a white rose , so that also he could be accepted . But of course none of these tricks was accepted . But in the end there was another one who came with a white rose . He just plucked a white rose and brought it to the palace . The king and the princess considered the suitor and thought that he was a worthy gentleman and that the marriage could be a good one , so the king and the princess , to the astonishment of all those who were present , said : â Well , here we have a blue rose â . And they lived happily ever after . The meeting was suspended at 10.20 a. m. and resumed at 12.15 p. m. The PRESIDENT : We resume our formal meeting . We have just failed in approving a Programme of Work for the CD . There is nothing extraordinary about this . This has actually been the pattern for several months and years . Failure is apparently now part of our routine . We all have to reflect on the causes of it and how to overcome it . I do not think this is the appropriate time to draw lessons . Certainly , in my case , any analysis that I woul d try now would be tinged with a sense of personal frustration and emotions are not good counsellors for rational thinking . I may come back to that sometime in the future from the bench of Brazil . I do not need to explain either the gist of my efforts , how I tried to explore ambiguities in a positive way , how I tried to test the limits of the possible . My text will speak for itself , with its possible merits and obvious shortcomings . I am asking the secretariat to circulate it as a CD document , not because I am under any illusion that what was considered as a basis in the last days will still be a basis in four or five months ' time , but I thought in any case it would be useful to have that text as part of our records to show the general direction of the efforts we made collectively . At least it will demonstrate we did not give up easily . As to the future of the CD , it is under great doubt . The CD is a tool , and a tool that is not used gets rusted . Will it be a tragedy if , as some have already even mentioned here , the CD disappears ? I honestly do not know . Whatever will be deemed collectively indispensable by those who detain the power of destruction and annihilation will be done bilaterally , trilaterally , plurilaterally . But for those of us who rely on multilateralism , on the power of rational persuasion , and do not dispose in the same proportion - either because they cannot or do not want to have the force of arms , actual or potential - there will be a great loss . The system of world governance , if I may use that word in a vital area such as security , will be tremendously impoverished . I hope it is not too late to prevent that from happening . There is a positive side to those efforts that we all undertook , despite the fact that they did not succeed : the way we worked together , trying to look for reasons to be optimists in the midst of so many factors is encouraging . Clearly - and this was the case yesterday and today in the i nformal meetings - I received from a cross-section of the membership great support not only for my efforts but also for my proposal as a basis for a consensus . And even from the others , who could not at least explicitly join these expressions , I received loyal , faithful support , and I am glad that they were able to agree that my non-paper was a basis for further consultations . This engagement , which existed all along , shows that cynicism and unreasoned pessimism have not , or at least not yet , taken over the CD . I would like in this connection to quote from Amartya Sen , the famous Nobel Prize winner 's recent essay in the New York Review of Books : â Unreasoned pessimism masquerading as composure based on realism and common sense can serve to ` justify ' disastrous inaction and an abdication of public responsibility â . Let us not succumb to it . Finally , I wish to express once again my sincere appreciation for the invaluable support I received from Group Coordinator s , as well as all other colleagues and their respective delegations , through these actually two months of presidency . I am also grateful to the Secretary-General of the CD , Mr. Petrovsky , and his deputy , Mr. Bensmail , for the way in which ( The President ) they put at my disposal their vast experience and expertise . I also want to thank the staff of the CD , as well as the interpreters . Finally , I am deeply indebted to my collaborators for their hard work and advice and , more importantly , the optimism they shared with me in the course of the Brazilian presidency of the CD . The Russian Federation has asked for the floor . Mr. SIDOROV ( Russian Federation ) ( translated from Russian ) : Thank you , Mr. President . I have asked for the floor to thank you for your words of condolence on the occasion of the tragedy that struck the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk . Your condolences will be conveyed to the Russian Government and to the families of the crew members . The PRESID ENT : Thank you . No other requests for the floor ? The next plenary meeting of the Conference will be held on Thursday , 31 August 2000 , at 10 a. m. The meeting rose at 12.25 p. m. \ No newline at end of file
