All of your research from the background, country profile, and country specific research will eventually be used to write a Position Paper. A position Paper tells the following things...
A. Background of the Topic
- In your country's opinion, what are the main elements of the problem?
- What are the roots of those elements?
- What treaties already exist to help stop this problem?
B. Position taken by your delegation
- What are your national interests in the situation?
- What are your nation's policies on the topic?
C. Proposal and Justification
- What will you propose as a solution to solve the problem?
- What are your main reasons for supporting this position?
- What do you predict will be the main opposition to your proposals?
Here is a sample of what a Position Paper shouold look like. You must follow the format.
Sample Position Paper
Committee: Security CouncilTopic: Nuclear Proliferation in South Asia
Country: Bahrain
School: Mingdao High School
I. India and Pakistan have a history of conflict. Ever since the two states were partitioned and granted independence in 1947, there has been start-and-stop fighting, mostly of a religious nature. Pakistan is mostly Muslim and India is mostly Hindu, though each has a minority of the other religion. Shortly after independence, there were riots and fighting as millions of people who were now part of minority religious group sin the wrong country fled across the border. Since then, there have been many other wars, especially over the province of Kashmir. Conflict between India and Pakistan would not, however, be any more important than any other border fighting between countries except for their development of nuclear weapons. In 1974, India tested a small nuclear device of 15 kilotons (KT). Pakistan, lagging behind, announced in 1987 that it had acquired a nuclear bomb. In 1990, USA President George Bush imposed unilateral military sanctions on Pakistan for pursuing a nuclear program. Nevertheless, development continued in both countries, and on May 11, 1998 India tested large-scale nuclear devices. Two weeks later, Pakistan followed suit. Although the two countries have since then met to discuss, among other things, their nuclear situation, and both countries signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), they have refused to sign the NPT. Furthermore, both have worked on developing ballistic missiles capable of delivering their weapons to greater distances. Security Council resolution 1172--passed on June 6, 1998--condemned the two states for their tests, pointed out that under the NPT they could not legally become nuclear states, and urged them to disarm; no action has since been taken.
II. Bahrain is extremely concerned about the proliferation of nuclear arms in India and Pakistan. Its proximity to the region makes it a surety that if any nuclear exchange were to take place, Bahrain would be caught in the fallout. Bahrain is also concerned about the effect on the other nuclear powers--particularly China, which borders on India. This development could destabilize the world nuclear status, and that would be a disaster. Bahrain is, however, equally concerned about the mistreatment of its Muslim neighbor Pakistan. It is clear that in this situation India is the aggressor and Pakistan has trodden this fateful path only to maintain its national security through parity with its belligerent neighbor. As one traces the development of nuclear weapons in South Asia, one cant help but notice that at each landmark, India took the next step before Pakistan did. Furthermore, the imposition of sanctions by President Bush--and especially only on Pakistan--is quite uncalled for. Nevertheless, Bahrain believes that this situation can be defused--particularly since the Security Council (SC) has only issued one resolution dealing with this issue since the weapons tests, compared to many resolutions on such equally pressing issues as Kosovo or Iraq.
Bahrain recognizes the impossibility of adding India and Pakistan to the list of approved nuclear states. This would set the terrible precedent that the NPT is worthless, that any state which develops nuclear weapons can demand to legally keep them simply because they exist. Though this policy may be less than fair, it is the best way to maintain international peace and security--and that, after all, is the role of the SC.
Bahrain believes that negotiation is the first and best road to disarmament. Perhaps a coalition of nuclear states can by treaty formally declare that they will protect one of the two nations--preferably Pakistan, since it is the victim and will presumably disarm more willingly--in the case of nuclear attack. This would allow that state to disarm its weapons without fear of weakness. The opposing state would then be encouraged to disarm, as there is no longer any question of parity. Perhaps UNMOGIP--the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan--can be utilized to insure security and make the transition a smooth one. UNMOGIP currently has a force of only 45 observers; an enlarged UNMOGIP could be used to safeguard nuclear weapons as they are transported to neutral disposal sites. If this plan proves unworkable, perhaps stronger measures can be taken, although Bahrain is leery of imposing full economic sanctions due to the poverty of both nations.
III. Bahrain believes that this issue is one in which the normal conflicts among permanent members of the SC (P5) will not hamper effective action, as no P5 country is allied with India or Pakistan or has its interests directly entangled with theirs--in fact, it is in the interest of the P5 and all other countries to defuse this situation now. Although it has temporarily stabilized, nobody wants a South Asian Cold War--and the possibility that relations between India and Pakistan could destabilize is frightening. Bahrain believes that at this meeting the SC can really accomplish something significant by dealing with this problem. We must only be careful to understand India and Pakistans motivation in developing nuclear weapons and seek to work with them, rather than against them.
I expect everyone to have this by next Thursday!
Jia you,
Ask me for any help.
Mr. Gibson
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