GA/DIS/3177

EXPERT GROUP FINDS RENEWED IMPORTANCE FOR UN CONVENTIONAL ARMS REGISTER DISARMAMENT COMMITTEE TOLD, AS GENERAL DEBATE CONTINUED

The United Nations Register of Conventional Arms -� which covers the legal trade in conventional armaments -- was a practical, yet unique instrument in the family of confidence-building measures, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) was told this morning, as it continued its general debate.

Introducing the report of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on the Register of Conventional Arms, the Group�s Chairman said that the Group had emerged from its analysis of the decade-old mechanism with a renewed sense of its importance. The Group�s faith in the Register�s potential to help prevent the destabilizing accumulation of arms, ease tensions and promote restraint in arms transfers had remained intact. Although early expansion of the Register had not yet been achieved, additional degrees of transparency remained firmly inscribed on its agenda.

On the issue of small arms, a representative of the United Nations Children�s Fund (UNICEF)told the Committee that the widespread possession of such arms had stimulated the �circle of violence�, with children accounting for one-quarter of the world�s war casualties. The link between small arms and �child soldiering� was direct and obvious. The fact that modern small arms were widespread, cheap, very lightweight and easy to handle had encouraged children�s involvement in conflict. It must be ensured that children did not have access to those �fatal tools�. In that respect, arms embargoes should be fully implemented and monitored, and violations should be criminalized.

The representative of Gabon said that a link had been established between the illicit transfer of small arms -� stemming in part from the illegal exploitation of precious stones like diamonds �- and the persistence of conflicts in Africa. The 2001 Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its Aspects should examine questions relating to international cooperation and focus on the need for governments to control both the national and the international flows of small arms.

Thailand�s representative welcomed the convening of the Conference on small arms, but warned that the right of States to self-defence must also be considered, in accordance with the United Nations Charter. Ending the illicit trafficking in those weapons, especially in areas of conflict and tension, was a critical disarmament goal, but related consultations should not contravene the legitimate right of self-defence.

First Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/DIS/3177 11th Meeting (AM) 11 October 2000

World security was not only threatened by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the representative of Kyrgyzstan warned. The harmful effects of the armed conflicts, international terrorism, drug smuggling and the illicit trafficking in small arms had challenged world stability and security. National borders did not confine those threats and no individual country could cope on its own with those challenges. Such struggles must be confronted on the national, regional and international levels.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Ethiopia, Myanmar, Tunisia, Syria, Oman and the Lao People�s Democratic Republic.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. Thursday, 12 October to continue its general debate.

First Committee - 3 - Press Release GA/DIS/3177 11th Meeting (AM) 11 October 2000

Committee Work Programme

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met this morning to continue its general debate. The representatives of the following countries were expected to participate in today�s discussion: Moldova, Kyrgzstan, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Tunisia, Lao People�s Democratic Republic, Syria, Oman, Indonesia, Gabon and Thailand. The Representative of the United Nations Children�s Fund was also expected to make a statement.

The debate was expected to focus on, among other items, the outcome of the 2000 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), in which the nuclear weapon States agreed to an �unequivocal undertaking� to accomplish total elimination of their nuclear arsenals. They also agreed that the achievement of that goal offered the �only absolute guarantee� against the use of such weapons.

The final document of the NPT Review Conference marked only the second time that the five-year Review produced a consensus. The outcome, according to the Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, had expressed the world�s �unambiguous� lack of confidence in the ability of either deterrence or defence to prevent another Hiroshima or Nagasaki. The NPT provides the legal foundation for multilateral actions to prohibit the proliferation of nuclear weapons and to advance nuclear disarmament. Considered by many experts to be the bedrock of the non-proliferation regime, it is the most universal of all disarmament agreements, with 187 parties.

Treaties banning the production and stockpiling of other weapons of mass destruction would also be highlighted. Those included the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (Biological Weapons Convention); and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (Chemical Weapons Convention).

The pending entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) would also be considered, as well as the creation and consolidation of nuclear-weapon-free zones. Existing zones include those created under the following treaties: the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco); the South Pacific Nuclear- Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Rarotonga); the South-East Asia Nuclear- Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Bangkok) and; the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba). Committee drafts are anticipated for the establishment of new zones in the Middle East, Central Europe and South Asia.

Attention would also be directed at developments concerning the following bilateral arrangements: the 1972 Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (ABM Treaty), by which the United States and the Russian Federation agreed to limit the deployment and development of anti-ballistic missiles; and the Strategic Arms Limitation and Reduction Treaties (START), by which the two countries also agreed to significantly reduce the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads; and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

The landmines issue would likely be examined in the context of the two instruments to ban or limit their use -- Protocol II of the Convention on the Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed To Be Excessively Injurious or To Have Indiscriminate Effects (Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons), and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Ottawa Convention).

(For detailed background, see Press Release GA/DIS/3168 issued 29 September).

Statements

ELMIRA IBRAIMOVA (Kyrgyzstan) said that the final document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference was testimony to the determination of the world community to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime. The follow-up to those outcomes, particularly by the nuclear-weapon States, would be welcome. The establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones in Africa and South-East Asia was a positive development. Negotiated nuclear-weapon-free zones, which now covered the entire southern hemisphere, in addition to Antarctica, the seabed and outer space, constituted one of the most promising approaches to non-proliferation and disarmament.

In that connection, she said she welcomed the pledge made by the five nuclear-weapon States to grant security assurances to Mongolia against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. Significant progress had been made in creating a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia. As one of the five Central Asian Countries, hers shared the belief that the creation of such a zone in her region would strengthen peace and security at the regional and global levels. Her country attached considerable importance to the full implementation of the ABM Treaty, in accordance with last year�s General Assembly resolution on the subject, and called on all Member States to reconfirm the Treaty�s role in global security.

World security was not only threatened by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, she said. The harmful effects of armed conflicts, international terrorism, drug smuggling and the illicit trafficking in small arms had all challenged world stability and security. National borders did not confine those threats, and no individual country could cope on its own with those challenges. The struggle against terrorism, for example, should be conducted on the national, regional and international levels.

She said that the invasions of international terrorists into the southern part of Kyrgyzstan in 1999 and August of this year had shown that such organizations were intent on perpetrating their criminal activities in the territories of the States of Central Asia. Those actions were part of a global international terrorism plan that had, as its express purpose, the destabilization of the wider region. An important step towards strengthening regional security had been the summit of the heads of States and the creation of the �Shanghai Five� and the �Bishkek Group� of law enforcement bodies and special services, which coordinated country action aimed at preventing international terrorism, extremism, separatism, the illegal drug trade, weapons smuggling, illegal migration, and other kinds of criminal activity.

The Central Asian region had experienced the harmful effects of the ongoing war in Afghanistan and the presence of militant groups in the region, she said. In that regard, she was looking forward to the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. That Conference should consolidate and further strengthen international cooperation in preventing the tremendous suffering due to illicit arms trafficking.

MEHERET GETAHOUN (Ethiopia) said that end of cold war had led to some positive developments, including the entry into force of a number of international instruments in the field of disarmament. Notwithstanding those achievements, the international community continued to face enormous challenges, in particular, those associated with the reduction and elimination of weapons of mass destruction. In fact, the end of the cold-war era had brought with it new challenges, as evidenced by the actual proliferation of such weapons, especially nuclear weapons.

Sustained international efforts should be made towards strengthening international, regional and subregional cooperation to combat and eliminate the illicit circulation and proliferation of small arms and light weapons, he said. Of paramount importance was the need to provide more assistance and complement the efforts of countries and regions affected by that illicit trade. His country was optimistic that the 2001 Conference on small arms would be a useful forum for the discussion and adoption of concrete measures to combat that problem. Ethiopia also attached great importance to the role of the Organization of African Unity in promoting regional cooperation to address the problem.

He said that many parts of Africa, including the Horn of Africa, were plagued by mines. In addition to their deadly impact, landmines also had caused a major economic, social and humanitarian setback in those countries. Ethiopia was one of the countries most affected by landmines. Millions of mines were scattered in different parts of the country, causing enormous hardship. The Government was working on demining activities. However, financial and technical support was critically needed. The lack of adequate rehabilitation assistance for the population affected by the mines was also of grave concern.

UKYAW THU (Myanmar) said that it was vitally important to make every effort to realize the commitments made at the Millennium Summit concerning weapons of mass destruction and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons. On the bright side of the disarmament agenda was the �unequivocal� undertaking by the nuclear-weapon States at the 2000 NPT Review Conference to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals. That total elimination was the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of those weapons. It was also reaffirmed that legally binding security assurances would strengthen the non-proliferation regime. Those agreements would transform vision into reality.

He said that, as a strong advocate of nuclear disarmament, his delegation had successfully presented a nuclear disarmament draft resolution in the Committee, which had won the overwhelming support of the Association of South- East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and of Member States. It would again submit the text, which reflected not only traditional outlooks, but also the present-day realities and priorities, including a call for the convening at an early date of an international conference on nuclear disarmament in all its aspects. He hoped the response would be favourable.

The establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones, he said, would effectively promote international peace and security. The ratification by the Russian Federation of the CTBT and START II were also welcome. As was well known, the entry into force of the CTBT was in jeopardy. That had adversely affected the universality of both the CTBT and the NPT. Nonetheless, the entry into force of the CTBT would heavily influence other multilateral negotiations and would serve as a huge stepping stone towards the negotiations of START III. Preserving the ABM Treaty was the only way to guarantee a safer world. In that respect, the recent decision by the United States to postpone the deployment of a national missile defence system was commendable.

OTHMAN JERANDI (Tunisia) said that several developments had reinforced international efforts to put an end to nuclear weapons and achieve general disarmament: the ratification of START II and the CTBT by the Russian Federation; the increase in the number of ratifications of the CTBT; respect for the moratorium placed on nuclear tests; and the decision by the United States to postpone authorization of the establishment of a national missile defence system. Tunisia, however, regretted that the Conference on Disarmament was continuing to encounter difficulties in reaching agreement on a programme of work.

He said that the creation of nuclear-weapon-free zones was an important means of promoting nuclear non-proliferation. His Government had continued to reaffirm the importance it attached to the creation of such zones on the basis of agreements freely arrived at by the countries of the concerned regions. The creation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East continued to be blocked by Israel, which still refused to submit its nuclear facilities to IAEA safeguards.

He supported the efforts of regional and international organizations on small arms and light weapons, he said. The measures adopted at the last Organization of African Unity (OAU) Summit demonstrated the determination of African countries to tackle the scourge of such weapons. He supported the 2001 United Nations Conference on small arms. The international community must work together to guarantee the success of that Conference.

Further, he stressed the great importance that his country attached to the strengthening of peace and security in the Middle East and expressed the hope that the new millennium would bring advances in the promotion of peace and security.

ADO VAHER, United Nations Children�s Fund (UNICEF), said that today small arms and light weapons had become the main instruments of violence in conflicts. They were now responsible for no less than 90 per cent of war casualties. Since 1990, more than 3 million people had been killed by small arms and light weapons, 80 per cent of them innocent civilians, with children accounting for 25 per cent of all casualties. That meant that the deaths of 750,000 children were directly caused by small arms and light weapons.

He recalled the statement made by the Secretary-General in his Millennium Report that the proliferation of small arms was not merely a security issue, but an issue of human rights and of development. The spread of those weapons had sustained and exacerbated armed conflicts and had endangered peacekeepers and humanitarian workers -� undermining respect for international humanitarian law, the Secretary-General had said. There was a growing awareness today of the �cruel reality� in which children, often under the age of 10, were used as child soldiers.

He said that the link between small arms and �child soldiering� was direct and obvious. The fact that modern small arms were widespread, cheap, very lightweight and easy to handle had encouraged children�s involvement in conflict. Even for children in societies at peace, those weapons had threatened children�s security. The widespread possession of firearms had fostered a culture of violence, which was often stimulated by a glorification of weapons by the entertainment industry. There was thus an urgent need for public education and awareness programmes aimed at promoting peace.

Children should not have access to those �fatal tools�, he said. They should also be taught to resolve conflict in non-violent ways. The United Nations Children�s Fund supported such initiatives in several countries, including Albania. The ready flow of small arms and light weapons -- ongoing even in places where Security Council weapons embargoes were in place �- had fueled and prolonged conflict. In many of the current conflicts, diamonds, oil, narcotics and timber were traded for small arms and light weapons. The situation had to change. Arms embargoes should be fully and effectively implemented and monitored, and violations should be criminalized.

Continuing, he said that such measures required the commitment and legal support of the affected States, the producing countries, as well as third States. Arms embargoes should be imposed in situations where civilians were deliberately targeted or where the parties were known to be involved in gross violations of human rights, including child-soldiering. Also important was the development by the corporate sector of appropriate codes of conduct to prevent groups from selling diamonds on other resources to finance the purchase of arms, which had been done by the Diamond Manufacturers Association in Antwerp in July.

In crisis environments, where small arms were a reality of everyday life, worried parents kept the children inside, away from the street and away from school, he said. Parents lost their mobility and often their means of income when collecting firewood, working the land, going to the market or even visiting health centres became dangerous activities. That could have severe effects on the psycho-social development of children, as well as on the economic development and well being of families and societies.

Also troubling, he said, was the increased availability of small arms in camp situations. Small arms and light weapons had also threatened humanitarian workers, as UNICEF and its sister organizations had sadly witnessed. Over the last several years, violence against humanitarian and peacekeeping personnel who provided protection to children and civilians had increased steeply. When those workers faced gunpoint and worse, humanitarian assistance was delayed or suspended and costs rose considerably. Moreover, in those environments, providing protection to children became very difficult. When facilities were closed down, food distribution stalled, and assistance cut off, the most vulnerable -� the children -� were the hardest hit.

He said that the impact of small arms and light weapons often continued long after the conflict had formally ended. The widespread availability of those weapons was an obstacle for post-conflict reconstruction. That had also destabilized societies, by creating an environment for criminal and contraband activities. In some countries, violence sustained by the availability of small arms did not diminish in the post-conflict setting. Former soldiers might see crime as the only means of income. In those situations, the authorities often did not have the capacity to restore the rule of law.

Practical disarmament, demobilization and reintegration measures should be included in all peace agreements and implemented with special attention to child soldiers, he said. The United Nations Children�s Fund was currently involved in the disarmament, demobilization and rehabilitation process of child soldiers -� both boys and girls -� in Sierra Leone. Weapons should be removed from the hands of civilians. Fuelled by insecurity, fear and instability, individuals might acquire arms to defend themselves, their families and their property, thereby stimulating the circle of violence. The �weapons for development programmes�, which were undertaken by regional organizations and United Nations agencies, was a promising approach. In order for those to be successful, however, the voices of women and children must be heard.

He said that UNICEF attached great importance to the 2001 United Nations Conference on small arms. That would provide a crucial forum to address the problem of proliferation and its humanitarian and developmental impact. The agency called upon Member States to ensure, in particular, that children received specific attention in that process. Among the priority issues here: reducing the legal trade of small arms and eliminating arms sales to regions of conflict; monitoring and enforcing arms embargoes; and strengthening mechanisms for the prevention and control of the illicit trade in and stockpiling of small arms.

FAYSSAL MEKDAD (Syria) said mankind looked forward to the day when nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction would be a thing of the past. Vigorous efforts should be pursued to eliminate all weapons of mass destruction. While some quarters questioned the right of some people to use stones to defend themselves, those same quarters supported the use of nuclear weapons.

He said that in the past, vast resources had been squandered in wars. Nuclear weapons put the lives of everybody under the threat of nuclear war. The NPT had raised hopes of an escape from that danger, but some countries had taken advantage of the loopholes in the Treaty. Syria had always maintained that the NPT should not exempt any country. Such exemption had allowed for a new nuclear arms race.

His Government had strongly endorsed the establishment of nuclear-weapon- free zones all over the world, he said. It had tried to keep the Middle East free from the nuclear arms race, but Israel refused to accede to the NPT or to subject its nuclear facilities to the International Atomic Energy Agency system of safeguards. Israel enjoyed the support of some major powers, which had allowed it to acquire nuclear weapons. The possession of those weapons by Israel endangered not only the Middle East, but also Africa and Europe. Israel was overloaded with nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction and possessed the airplanes to deliver those weapons. The international community should bring pressure to bear on that country to accede to the NPT and to subject its installations to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards system.

He said that Syria looked forward to the special session of the General Assembly on disarmament. It was most urgent to address the questions of disarmament. Also, the scope of the 2001 Conference on small arms must address the illicit trade in small arms only. On the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, he said that Member States should take into consideration Arab concerns and include weapons of mass destruction in the Register.

MOHAMED AL-HASSAN (Oman) said that, undoubtedly, the end of the cold war had enabled the international community to accomplish relative success in disarmament. The indefinite extension of the NPT in 1995 and the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention, as well as the conclusion of the CTBT, would contribute to a more stable and secure world, if their provisions were implemented in good faith. His country had acceded to all international treaties on weapons of mass destruction and would confirm the need for continuing efforts towards the total elimination of those weapons.

He said that, despite all efforts undertaken both globally and regionally to establish a durable peace and coexistence in the Middle East, the Israeli nuclear weapons threatened international peace and security and undermined opportunities to establish such a peace. He welcomed the recommendations of the 2000 NPT Review Conference, which called on all States in the region that had not yet acceded to the NPT to do so immediately, and to place all nuclear installations under IAEA safeguards. The universality and credibility of the NPT depended, primarily, on such steps and on the provision of security assurances to the non-nuclear-weapon States parties.

He said that no efforts should be spared in establishing a durable peace in the Middle East. In that context, he welcomed Egypt�s initiative to turn the region into a zone free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. That would be a natural step in consonance with the opportunities for regional peace and would translate the aspirations of the international community into reality.

The illicit trafficking in small arms had become one of the most important issues on the global disarmament agenda, he said. Ending the illicit trafficking in those weapons, especially in areas of conflict and tension, was a critical disarmament goal. In that respect, he welcomed the call by the General Assembly to convene an international Conference next year to consider the illicit trade in those weapons. He would reconfirm the need for such consultations to take place in accordance with the United Nations Charter, thereby not contravening the legitimate right of self-defence of countries, or compromising the sovereignty of States.

He said his country attached special importance to security and stability in the Indian Ocean. It was high time for the United Nations to reactivate the work of the Ad Hoc Committee to implement its mandate in accordance with the General Assembly resolution. Regarding the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, he supported the draft resolution calling for the expansion of the Register to also include weapons of mass destruction.

ALFRED MOUNGARA-MPOUSSOTSI (Gabon) said that, despite many recent advances, more commitment to the nuclear disarmament process and the process of general disarmament was needed. Weapons of mass destruction must be eliminated. It was also an imperative necessity to fight against small arms and light weapons.

In most African conflicts, small arms were the most commonly used weapons, he said. Moreover, a link had been established among the illicit transfer of small arms, the illegal exploitation of precious stones, particularly diamonds, and the persistence of conflicts in Africa. �Is it any surprise, therefore, that the home of the tensions existing on our continent are located in zones that are rich in precious stones?� he asked. That was why Gabon felt that the 2001 Conference would be the occasion to examine the best way to control the production, and sale of those weapons. The work programme of the Conference should include questions relating to international cooperation. It should also focus on the need for governments to control the national trade and international movements of small arms.

He said that the colossal sums spent on armaments must be redirected towards development efforts for those in need with the aim of fighting poverty. Members States should also move quickly to implement those accords that had already been concluded in the field of disarmament.

ASDA JAYANAMA (Thailand) said he associated himself with the statement made by the representative of Viet Nam, on behalf of ASEAN. Important international security issues had persisted, but that was not because countries like his own were not active enough in the promotion of peace or because the world lacked a common vision. The reason was the lack of political will among key countries, resulting in the proliferation of all types of arms. The most recent high point in nuclear disarmament had been the positive conclusion of the 2000 NPT Review Conference, which made significant gains in consolidating the non-proliferation regime and ensuring nuclear disarmament.

Particularly welcome was the �unequivocal� commitment of the nuclear- weapon States to the total elimination of nuclear weapons, he said. That objective was central to all nuclear disarmament efforts. Indeed, the unequivocal commitment constituted an import benchmark with which to judge future progress. Under article 4 of the NPT, the nuclear-weapon States also had obligations to transfer nuclear technology for peaceful purposes to non-nuclear- weapon States. Such commitments should be translated into practice in the coming months. Special efforts should also be made to encourage ratification of the CTBT, particularly by the nuclear-weapon States. The Treaty�s entry into force would prohibit all types of nuclear tests for all time, and further consolidate nuclear disarmament achievements.

He said that the threat of nuclear weapons must be removed and strict adherence to international agreements relating to those weapons and their delivery systems was necessary. While he welcomed the decision by the United States to defer the decision on a national missile defence system, greater transparency must be exercised on that important issue. It was crucial for the nuclear-weapon States to promote confidence-building and implement practical steps, unilaterally or jointly, to demonstrate their good faith. For example, those countries could reduce the operational status of their nuclear weapons and introduce increased transparency in their nuclear weapon capabilities.

The New Agenda Coalition had injected greater impetus and fresh perspectives into the nuclear disarmament process, he said. The Secretary- General�s proposal to convene a global conference on reducing nuclear dangers was also welcome. The effective functioning and expansion of nuclear-weapon- free zones was a particularly positive contribution to nuclear non-proliferation and served to narrow the areas in which such weapons could be used. The announcement by the five nuclear-weapon States concerning Mongolia�s nuclear- weapon-free status was welcome. At the same time, security assurances should be extended to all States that have members of nuclear-weapon-free zones.

His country was not a producer of landmines, but a victim, he said. As a mine-infected country, Thailand reiterated its commitment to the Ottawa Convention and urged all countries to sign the Convention or, at the very least, abide by its spirit. He stressed the importance of a comprehensive approach to the problem, including the destruction of stockpiles, demining, mine awareness programmes, and victim rehabilitation. Such an approach depended on international, as well as regional efforts. Sufficient technical and financial support was vital to implementing the commitments to the Ottawa Convention undertaken by the mine-affected countries.

Due recognition had now been given to the question of small arms, which fueled conflict and contributed to political instability. Concerted global action was needed to counter that threat. At the same time, the right of States to self-defence must also be considered, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. The development of regional initiatives on small arms was welcome. In the Asia-Pacific region, the issue was being discussed in the context of transnational crime. Such examinations were modest, but important beginnings. He hoped the forthcoming United Nations Conference would foster greater regional and international cooperation on that issue.

ALOUNKEO KITTIKHOUN (Lao People�s Democratic Republic) said that the successful 2000 Review Conference of the State Parties to the NPT marked a crucial step in the common effort in favour of nuclear disarmament and non- proliferation. It was the first time in history that the nuclear-weapons States had shown their commitment to the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Now, non-nuclear-weapon States could hope for a guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. The world community should turn that outcome into practical measures that would lead to nuclear disarmament and the building of a world free from nuclear weapons.

His country supported the aspirations of peoples in many parts of the world to establish nuclear-weapons-free zones, he continued. The establishment of such zones would give such people freedom from the threat of nuclear weapons. It was important that the establishment of such zones be based on arrangements freely arrived at among States of the regions concerned.

He said that the verification protocol of the Biological Weapons Convention should follow the principle of equality and should strike a balance between rights and obligations. Any attempt to inspect others while exempting oneself, or to conduct more inspections on others and less on oneself, would not serve the purpose at which the international community aimed. In dealing with that issue, the use of biotechnology for economic development and peaceful purposes should be accorded due consideration.

He added that, while his country shared the concern of the international community over the indiscriminate use of anti-personnel landmines, it maintained the view that States had the legitimate right to the use of such weapons for defence of their national independence and territorial integrity. His country also supported the 2001 Conference on small arms. Efforts to resolve the issue of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons should, however, take into account the right of States to have and transfer those weapons for self-defence and protection of sovereignty.

MARIANO GROSSI (Argentina), Chairman of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on the Register of Conventional Arms, introduced the report on the continuing operation and further development of the Register (document A/55/281). The General Assembly gave the expert Group a very specific mandate to examine the Register�s functioning. In so doing, it was to take into account the work of other bodies, including the Conference on Disarmament and the Disarmament Commission, in order to produce a balanced assessment of the operation of that importance tool for transparency and confidence-building.

He said that the exercise had not been easy. The experts had faced the challenge of analyzing an impressive volume of data and information accumulated over the past eight years, evaluating possible problems, exploring remedies and proposing practical suggestions. It was to have done that without losing sight of the prevailing political circumstances in which the Register had evolved. The experts had emerged with a renewed sense of the importance of the Register as a confidence-building measure designed to improve security among States. All of the experts had agreed, without hesitation, that the Register�s establishment, as part of a broader range of international efforts to promote transparency, was indeed a step in the right direction.

The Group�s faith in the Register�s potential to help prevent the destabilizing accumulation of arms, ease tensions and promote restraints in arms transfers had remained intact, he continued. Indeed, the experts had been able to reaffirm the Register�s validity and relevance, as it approached its tenth anniversary. Over the years, the level of participation had remained one of the highest, compared with similar international reporting instruments. There had been some �ups and downs� in the curve, but the Register had reached a level of participation regularly approaching 100 States.

When it came to participation, some viewed the bottle as half full, and others viewed it as half empty, he said. In his view, however, the Register had maintained a �fairly consistent� level of participation, which had allowed the observation of the great bulk of the arms trade in the seven categories of conventional weapons, since almost every significant supplier and recipient of such systems had regularly submitted their reports. At the same time, the goal of universal participation had not yet been reached, and gaining wider participation was of the highest importance.

He said that greater awareness of the functioning of the Register, and a deeper familiarity with its procedures, was also necessary. Every effort should be made to ensure that those who had not chosen to participate in the instrument, or had done so on an irregular basis, were encouraged to do so regularly. In that context, it was worth noting that many States that had not participated had likely fallen into the category of �nil� reporters, or countries that simply did not buy or sell in the seven categories of arms.

The original General Assembly resolution of 1991, he said, had initiated a dynamic process based on provisions for expansion through the addition of further categories of equipment, as well as the inclusion of data on military holdings and procurement through national production. Since then, successive reviews had tackled the question of expansion without succeeding. Aware of the underlying political differences on that matter, the Group engaged in an extensive and detailed technical examination of the seven arms categories, in a first attempt to �systematically expose� some of the issues affecting the relevance of each of the categories, in view of the evolution that had taken place since the Register�s establishment nearly 10 years ago.

He hoped those elements would be taken up in future reviews, so that the Register could adapt to an ever-changing environment. Obsolescence was a danger to be avoided, if the system was to be meaningful and relevant at the military level. Nobody wanted an equipment Register to be superseded by technological progress or by the emergence of new concepts. Concerning the Register�s scope, he said that, although the objective of an early expansion had not yet been achieved, additional degrees of transparency remained firmly inscribed in the Register�s agenda. That objective, however, was not easy to achieve; the

instrument dealt with armaments and any substantial modification depended on the political and security climate of the times.

The present report included a well-focused, region-by-region evaluation where variations in participation were clearly exposed, he went on. Particularly encouraging was the unanimous conclusion of the group to hold regional and subregional workshops, beginning early next year, to promote increased participation. The recommendations of the Group introduced a number of practical measures aimed at facilitating participation and management of the Register.

Preparatory discussions for the next phase in the gradual improvement of the Register had indicated that there were zones where the Register approached the realm of small arms and light weapons, he said. A �loophole� had been identified and action would have to be taken. High hopes were placed on next year�s conference on the illicit trade in those weapons. The experts� deliberations had shown that there was great concern in vast areas of the world about the effects of transfers of systems which lay somewhere in between small and medium-size weapons and the categories covered by the Register.

Transparency of weapons of mass destruction had been a recurrent issue since the inception of the Register, he said. The Group, once again, analysed the question and agreed that the issue should be considered by the General Assembly, as the Register covered only conventional armaments. That clear division of labour would surely benefit all interested parties, as it allowed the Register to proceed and placed a problem of global concern in the right forum. Meanwhile, the Register served as a practical, yet unique instrument in the family of confidence-building measures. In time, its usefulness towards the promotion of world peace and security would be fully realized.

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