Canada Boycotts UN Conference on Disarmament over North Korea’s Presidency

Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird, announced that Canada will temporarily boycott the UN Conference on Disarmament to protest North Korea’s term as president. The Conference on Disarmament is intended to be the UN’s single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum. Its 65 member states rotate alphabetically for four-week terms as president. North Korea’s term as president began on June 28, 2011. Minister Baird expressed disappointment that a known proliferator and possessor of nuclear weapons now presides over a forum dedicated to advancing disarmament. He also stated that Canada would resume its engagement in the Conference following the end of North Korea’s presidency.