Background
The United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects met this morning to continue its general exchange of views. For background, see Press Release DC/2782 of 5 July.
Statements
ANDREW RWIGAMBA, Chairman of National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Ministry of Defence of Rwanda: The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons is of great concern to our country. The genocide of 1994 was made possible by the ready availability of small arms, particularly traditional ones like pangas, spears and axes. Small automatic weapons were easily available to the militia and local defence units. Our country shares a border with States where there are armed groups with easy access to small arms. They are cheap and affordable to many people and can cause devastating consequences to the population.
We have joined hands with the countries of the subregion and the African region to fight this problem. We are signatory to the Nairobi Declaration of
15 March 2000 on small arms and light weapons, and also a party to the ministerial meeting held at Bamako in Mali.
At the national level, our Government has set up a National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons, as agreed upon in the Nairobi Declaration. This is a national commission composed of several ministries and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The function of this Focal Point is to implement the regional Agenda for Action, Coordination and Interaction with other National Focal Points and with the Nairobi secretariat. It facilitates the exchange and dissemination of information, conducts and facilitates research, and aims finally to build a national capacity for a sustainable approach to the problem of small arms and light weapons.
At the moment, the National Focal Point is seriously studying national legislation on small arms and light weapons in liaison with the Nairobi secretariat, and hopes to harmonize it with those of the region in conformity with international standards. Rwanda will continue to work tirelessly with our region and the United Nations for a meaningful solution to this problem.
MOHAMED BENNOUNA (Morocco): This Conference expresses the international community’s determination to take concerted action to end the illicit trade in small arms. The trade has exacerbated conflicts, caused widespread casualties, hampered economic development, and affected international security and humanitarian efforts. Excessive stockpiling of small arms often leads to their diversion to illegal arenas. This particularly calls for proper weapons management schemes. Indeed, the struggle against the trade is linked to the broader struggle of the international community to maintain global peace and security.
We must look to coordinated global solutions, particularly in zones of conflict. We must do so, however, without interfering with the rights of States to purchase weapons for the purpose of national security. While the preparatory process for the Conference has given us a good basis for our work, there are several substantive issues -- including questions related to the control of arms, their marking, stockpiling and destruction -– that will require further consideration. The Conference must reach a consensus on all measures proposed, and we believe that our work can be enhanced if we draw on regional experience to focus our negotiations. That might be one way to ensure that the various proposals and recommendations will receive the widest possible agreement. It will also be important to consider follow-up activities. In our efforts over the next two weeks, we must not lose sight of our overall commitments to broader disarmament issues, particularly those concerning nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction.
Fortunately, we in Morocco have not had to deal with the problem of the illicit trade in small arms as have some other regions. Nevertheless, we are pursuing an active programme to control arms stocks. And we are certainly aware of the problem of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons to other countries. Indeed, we would like to stress that the African continent must be the subject of particular consideration in the proposed programme of action. We support the involvement of civil society in the search for solutions. Their active participation would make people more aware of the dangers of small arms. The Conference could serve as a launching pad for broad cooperation between civil society and governments in addressing this serious global issue.
JAYANTHA DHANAPALA, Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, on behalf of the Coordinating Action on Small Arms (CASA) mechanism: Realizing that most conflicts the United Nations has to deal with are fought with small arms and light weapons, and that the work of various organisms of the United Nations is negatively affected by the proliferation of such weapons, the Secretary-General established CASA in 1998.
CASA’s objectives in providing a coordinated response to this problem are the following: to retain the Organization’s lead in putting the issue of small arms on the global political agenda; to assume a coordinating role in determining priorities for international action; to encourage civil society involvement in building societal resistance to violence; to strengthen United Nations capability for responding to requests for assistance from affected countries; and to ensure that its objectives are pursued without prejudice to overall United Nations goals in the field of disarmament.
In the future, CASA will continue to play a central role in the harmonization of policies and the coordination of strategies and activities among the United Nations departments, funds and agencies concerned with this issue and involved in the implementation of the programme of action under consideration by this Conference. CASA members will remain involved in the implementation of programmes and projects to assist children and refugees, to ensure that international human rights principles within conflict- and non-conflict-affected countries are duly taken into consideration, to strengthen indigenous capacities to analyse and respond constructively to conflict, to work effectively in conflict environments, and to enrich development policies and practices with conflict resolution tools and techniques.
JOEL McLELLAN, Executive Secretary of the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response and Chairman of the Inter-Agency Reference Group on Small Arms: Easy to obtain and simple to use, small arms and light weapons have become the principal means of warfare. In peacetime too -- particularly in post-conflict situations where authorities lack the resources or political will to establish the rule of law and respect for human rights, the widespread availability of small arms contributes to an environment in which violence dominates. We have also seen how the presence of small arms during and after crises often reverses traditional societal relationships and warps value systems.
The initiatives of the humanitarian and development community can never substitute for the responsibility incumbent on national authorities to control the trade. For its part, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) is committed to addressing the disastrous humanitarian implications of these weapons. Today, we launched a brochure entitled “Addressing the Human Cost of Small Arms and Light Weapons: a Programme of Action”. As we speak, more than 300,000 children are serving as combatants. To reverse this trend, the IASC agencies are working in several conflict areas to demobilize child soldiers and prevent the further recruitment of minors.
Another major concern of the IASC is the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of adult ex-combatants and their families. Combined with the collection and destruction of weapons, this is critical to promoting a safer post-conflict environment. The Committee is also very concerned about the militarization of camps for refugees and internally displaced persons. Where our mandate and expertise allows, IASC members are involved in improving security by training local law enforcement personnel in refugee and human rights law and in maintaining the rule of law in camps.
We, the humanitarian and development community, are fully committed to addressing the human costs of small arms and light weapons, but our role in reducing the availability of those arms is limited. Doing so takes the cooperation of a wider range of actors, and in particular the commitment of political authorities. This Conference must succeed in developing tangible actions to restrict the illicit trade.
ELAYNE WHYTE, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs and Culture of Costa Rica: The indiscriminate sale of small arms and light weapons, due to a lack of efficient regulation, has aggravated armed conflicts, in particular, internal conflicts. It endangers stability and weakens democratic governments. The illicit trade has changed the paradigm of international security, costing millions of lives. It imposes the moral duty on States to control the trade.
Controlling the proliferation of arms requires a change in mentality, attitude and behaviour that promotes criminal use. It further requires economic and social equality, demilitarization of societies and respect for human rights. Costa Rica considers the present conference the ideal opportunity for establishing a legally binding code of conduct. Prohibitions of transfer of military material and personnel should be extended to countries and non-State actors who are responsible for violations of human rights or fail to respect minimal democratic and human rights guarantees.
We support a follow-up Conference in 2006. In the medium term, education for peace programmes should be established and promoted, in which the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) could provide assistance. Participation of civil society should help in establishing a culture for peace.
Costa Rica has participated in regional and subregional activities and ratified the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Trade and Manufacture of Arms, Ammunition and Other Related Materials, which is the first international binding instrument on the subject. It requires the marking of arms, and licences for export, import and transfer. In 1949, Costa Rica became the first country to abolish its army; more than half a century later, we seek a world where violence is substituted by a culture of peace.
RAIMUND KUNZ, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland: More than 550 million small arms and light weapons are now circulating around the world. They are cheap, widely obtainable, easy to use and transport, and lethal. They cause 500,000 deaths per year. These are indicators of a problem rapidly spiralling out of control. Solutions must be found; no one is immune from this scourge.
We must concentrate on the issue of the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons. Several measures are needed –- regulation of legal activities such as production, stockpiling and transfer; tracing, marking and record-keeping; combating illicit brokering; enhancing transparency; and reducing arms through DDR programmes. These measures demands broad international cooperation and assistance. The issue of tracing and marking is of particular importance.
Switzerland, along with France, has launched an initiative on this subject. The prime aim is to establish a tracing mechanism that enables States to identify and trace small arms and light weapons that contribute to proliferation and illicit trade. The objective here is not to monitor the legal sources and flows of small arms. It is important to clarify the circumstances in which States concerned about small arms transfers have a right to expect cooperation in efforts to trace them. This conference must adopt a programme of action that acknowledges the complexity of the problem and identifies what needs to be done in order to address it in a sustainable way.
ABDALLAH BAALI (Algeria): The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, given its worrying scope and devastating effects, is a serious challenge to peace and development in many countries. It demands the urgent mobilization of the international community for prompt, coordinated and collective action. Algeria, which has had to deal with terrorism, would join with the international community to promote international action to deal with the problem. Algeria actively participated in the African Ministerial Meeting in Bamako, Mali, which had led to the Bamako Declaration, setting out the common African position on the issue.
The Conference is an unprecedented opportunity to identify measures to fight the scourge, which knows no borders. The international community must show more firmness and greater commitment and choose an approach containing diverse measures to strengthen the common effort.
The revised programme of action must be consolidated further so that the few remaining gaps will be filled, to better respond to the needs of our common struggle. We must work to dismantle the network of the illegal brokers, who are the principal providers of weapons to the zones of conflict. Measures must also be taken to put an end to the networks which purchase arms for use by terrorist groups.
JARGALSAIKHANY ENKHSAIKHAN (Mongolia): My country fully supports the basic elements and structure of the draft programme of action. The adoption of a well balanced and forward-looking programme of action to combat the illicit trafficking in and manufacture, as well as the excessive and destabilizing accumulation and spread, of these weapons would be instrumental in strengthening regional and global peace and security.
The Conference should address the issue of promoting responsibility by States with a view to preventing the possible illicit export, import, transit, and retransfer of these weapons, while not infringing the legitimate right to legal trade in arms for defence purposes. In this connection, we believe that additional measures could be taken to strengthen Security Council arms embargoes.
Mongolia believes that national legal regulations are an important element for the safe storage of these and other weapons. Bearing this in mind, our Parliament has recently finished the first reading of a draft law on firearms, under which a centre -– the sole legal institutional body with a right to sell firearms to the population -– will be set up.
JORGE BURGOS VARELA (Chile): The programme of action which we plan to adopt must include among its objectives that of reducing the illicit demand for small arms and light weapons through measures that promote respect for human rights, the rule of law and good governance, as well as equitable social and economic development and the implementation, where necessary, of programmes aimed at changing the culture of violence into a culture of peace. The Government of Chile is organizing, jointly with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Development and Disarmament, based in Lima, a regional seminar for the follow-up of this Conference.
We have firm resolve to contribute in an effective manner to the success of this Conference through the negotiation and adoption of a programme of action that is practical and which, at the same time, may lead to the negotiation of legally binding instruments. It is essential to move forward towards the elaboration of an international instrument to severely restrict the manufacture of, and trade in, small arms and light weapons to duly registered manufacturers and duly authorized marketing agents.
KISHORE MAHBUBANI (Singapore): The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons feeds civil disorder, international crime, and domestic and international conflict in many regions. The serious social, economic and humanitarian costs of this trade are unacceptable. Like any other illegal activity, it may not be possible to eliminate it completely, but this does not mean that we should not do our best to attenuate it as much as possible. Reducing the problem to manageable levels will take a great deal of time, effort money and political will. The Conference is the necessary first step.
The programme of action will be a guide to Member States, and will also serve as an expression of concerted international initiatives aimed at addressing the small arms problem. The illicit trade in small arms is a web connecting many nations; each State should put in place appropriate and effective national systems to reduce vulnerability to this traffic. Since many countries already have such schemes, it will be important that they are supported and complemented by the action plan. These measures should include strong regulation of the possession and transfer of small arms within State authority, as well as proper disposal procedures for surplus arms.
States should actively exchange information between enforcement agencies and share expertise in developing national legislation on small arms possession and licensing. The programme must also take into account the varying circumstances and capacities of States. Many developing countries will need international assistance in implementing its proposals, since their scarce resources may be insufficient.
KIMMO SASSI, Minister for Foreign Trade of Finland: Small arms are often symptoms of far deeper problems such as inequality, lack of opportunity, and abuse of human rights. However these root causes of conflicts must not be invoked as an excuse to do nothing about the tools that prolong and exacerbate such conflicts. Arms-exporting States have a particular responsibility to ensure that small arms and light weapons do not end up in the hands of governments or other actors who violate human rights and international humanitarian law.
Efforts to halt the flow of arms to illegitimate end-users have, in the past, been undermined by the actions of States willing to undercut responsible arms exporters on the pretext that “if we don’t sell, someone else will”. More transparency about the legal trade is necessary, and States should publish comprehensive and detailed annual reports on their military arms transfers. Finland considers export controls to be key tools in combating the illicit trade. There is a need for strict national and regional norms governing the issuance of export licenses.
I wish to underline the valuable role of NGOs in pushing the issue of small arms on to the international agenda, and in pushing governments to much-needed actions. Non-governmental organizations have a role to play in this Conference, and they should have an even larger role in its follow-up. The programme of action we are to adopt must spell out concrete measures to tackle the challenge before us.
CSABA KOROSI, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary: The post-cord-war eruption of a great number of regional conflicts cannot be separated from the upsurge in illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons. The uncontrolled flow of these weapons to countries stricken by internal or inter-State conflicts is in itself a factor that exacerbates already explosive situations. The efforts of the international community to regulate the export control, marking, record-keeping, storage and destruction of these weapons are an integral part of the overall strategy for conflict prevention and resolution.
Due to its geographical proximity to the Balkan conflicts, Hungary has an increased sensitivity to such problems. We, therefore, actively promote the goals of this Conference. We are vitally interested in adopting concrete measure in this field. While Hungary is not a significant producer of small arms and light weapons, the Government has put into place an export-control mechanism designed to prevent the transfer of all categories of conventional weapons to conflict areas. This year, we have initiated a comprehensive review of our legislation and procedures in areas such as arms production, marking, record-keeping and stockpile management. The wider international community cannot afford to ignore the need for principles and regulatory norms designed to prevent and combat the destabilizing accumulation of small arms.
Our experience has also shown that national measures cannot be efficient unless complemented by measures with a regional focus. In that respect, Hungary has given priority to enhancing cooperation with its partners in South-Eastern Europe. We welcome the fact that over 40,000 weapons have already been destroyed in the framework of a German-Norwegian-United States project under way in Albania. We also consider it important that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has expressed its wish for assistance in destroying surplus small arms. Political will is an essential factor. There should be sincere commitment on the part of the political leadership of countries undertaking collection and destruction projects. At the same time, international efforts should support national and local initiatives.
ABELARDO MORENO FERNANDEZ, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba: Cuba’s participation in the preparatory process was not motivated only by its vocation for peace, but also because my country has been facing illicit trading of weapons associated with terrorism for four decades. Cuba was among the first to recognize the problem. Underdevelopment is growing worse, the gap between rich and poor is growing, the environment is deteriorating, and terrorism, including State terrorism, is still used to threaten societies.
We also have to contend with new arms systems such as modern aviation, cruise missiles and smart weapons, developed in the name of hegemony and unipolar power. Cuba does not deny the importance of the illicit small arms trade and its close link with the new dimension of human security. But we also have to remain alive to the dangers presented by nuclear arms and other new weapons systems.
Cuba has strict national measures to combat the illicit small arms trade, but we are encountering serious obstacles in our efforts to collaborate with our neighbours. Terrorism has been practised against Cuba. Terrorists with small arms and light weapons are landing in our country: this happened only a few weeks ago, with incursion originating from the territory of the United States. Those who carry out those actions are trained there with impunity. That has been a daily and constant policy since 1959.
We are not surprised that the super-Power has said that it will oppose any measure aimed at supplying arms exclusively to governments, or restricting small arms and light weapons for private possession. How is it possible that the international community can examine certain cases of illicit transfer of arms and ignore others? How is it possible that we do not condemn acts against a small country and tolerate a great Power whose Congress is considering a law to support terrorists with $100 million? Of course, Cuba has to defend itself against this. Those Cubans who work in that country’s territory to combat terrorism are patriots.
FAYSSAL MEKDAD (Syria): Syria believes that this Conference is an opportunity for all countries to work to correct past mistakes. The illicit trade in small arms is a threat to the lives of innocent people, and we call on all countries, particularly those manufacturing such weapons, to put an end to illegal proliferation and accumulation. In our search for a solution, we must ensure that our efforts are fair and untainted by political motives -– in other words, by identifying the accumulation of such weapons as crimes in some countries, but not in others.
Syria also considers it important to work to put an end to foreign occupation and international terrorism, and has long called for an international conference to address those issues, as well as help people to fight for their self-determination. All have witnessed recent television accounts of Syria’s occupying authority destroying a small village –- leaving its innocent citizens homeless. This was a continuation of Israel’s apparent policy of destroying crops and houses. The Syrian people are trying to liberate what is now under Israeli occupation by exploiting all means available under the Charter. It must not be forgotten that the Charter enshrines the right to secure weapons for national defence purposes.
The Conference must consider the genuine roots of many of the world’s conflicts, particularly foreign occupation, poverty and the residual effects of colonialism. The preamble to the programme of action should contain clear reference to the rights of people to achieve self-determination, especially those struggling under the yoke of colonialism or foreign occupation. Agreements reached during the next two weeks should not be an excuse for us to ignore our obligations on broader disarmament issues, such as nuclear disarmament. The final document must include a clear reference to that question.
Syria has been working to formulate legislation to prevent small arms and light weapons from falling into the wrong hands. The bearing of such arms must be restricted to authorities and to those identified by authorities. Syria has also signed a great many agreements with neighbouring countries to deal with the scourge. I would like to add that education and awareness-raising are among the surest ways of achieving the objectives of this Conference.
RAMIRO ORDOÑEZ-JONAMA, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Guatemala: Our efforts will be strengthened if we recognize that most small arms and light weapons circulating illegally started by being legal. At the national level, it is essential to enact adequate legislation to regulate the purchase, sale and circulation of small arms and light weapons, in such a way as to prevent those which are in the hands of civilians from being deviated towards the black market. In the case of Guatemala, one of the provisions contained in the Peace Agreement concluded in December 1996 is to tighten restrictions on the possession of weapons.
In our view, it is crucial that the programme of action we adopt should serve as an umbrella for actions to be taken at the regional level to combat the illicit trade. Each region should strive to adopt binding legal instruments to promote, facilitate and support actions undertaken at the national level, as well as to establish joint actions.
At the international level, the programme of action should, among other things, consolidate and strengthen international laws and standards regarding national regulation of civilian possession of small arms and light weapons. It should also establish a mechanism making it possible to follow up and review the state of initiatives that support the existence of a databank, exchange of information and technical cooperation in key areas.
RICHARD RYAN (Ireland): Ireland, which has seen 30 years of terrorism involving small arms and light weapons, knows full well their impact in conditions of civil division and discord. No State is immune to challenges to its social cohesion or threats to its security. This Conference is timely because so many States currently face challenges to their security, which have been sustained and exacerbated by the presence of significant levels of small arms and light weapons.
We must consider collectively the means by which illicit arms trafficking can be most effectively tackled. We must listen to the concerns of affected countries, identify the means needed to implement measures to curtail and stamp out illicit trafficking, and develop the mechanisms necessary to carry this work forward. Affected States will need assurances that the resources will be made available to implement the programme of action, and assistance will also be required to develop regional approaches.
There is a thin line separating a programme of action underpinned by serious new political commitments and an outcome that represents no advance on our present, clearly unsatisfactory capacity to control the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons. It would be a disservice to the United Nations to reach a “lowest common denominator” and if we were to fail to advance on our current approaches to the alleviation of the suffering currently caused by these weapons. Our efforts at this Conference must build on and strengthen those gains already achieved at the national and regional levels.
NINETA BARBULESCU, President of the National Agency for the Control of Strategic Exports and Prohibition of Chemical Weapons of Romania: Throughout the last decade right up to the dawn of the new century, millions of people have been killed in regional conflicts. The majority of the victims have been and continue to be civilians, and small arms and light weapons are the most commonly used weapons in these conflicts.
The accumulation of small arms has a destabilizing effect on many countries. The multifaceted dimension of the traffic in small arms requires an adequate, comprehensive and pragmatic response. Even if the effects of the illicit small arms trade are localized, their consequences are international and, therefore, require a multilateral answer. Common challenges demand coordinated action, strong partnership between governments and civil society, and cooperation among regional and international organizations. At the same time, such a comprehensive approach should take into account both the sources and destinations of small arms and light weapons.
For its part, Romania has contributed to the larger process of stemming the illicit small arms flow. We have strengthened the national mechanism for controlling the export and import of strategic products, joined the European Union’s Code of Conduct and introduced a “catch-all” clause that provides measures to monitor the arms from exporter to final destination. Romania has also promoted the creation of the South-Eastern European Regional Centre for Combating Transborder Crime, and strongly supports closer cooperation between international organizations. We are aware that little progress can be made in settling or avoiding conflicts and humanitarian emergencies without a joint effort to control the production and transfer of small arms.
STEFAN MELLER, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Poland: The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons frequently originates in the legal trade, especially if the latter is not properly controlled. Hence, Poland’s emphasis is on “all aspects” of the problem. Poland attaches top priority to effective export controls. National export controls should be harmonized in order to restrict freedom of action in the “gray area” between legal and illegal operations. Regional registers of legal transfers of small arms and light weapons would contribute to determination of the actual scale.
International cooperation is of enormous importance. Mutual contacts between international forums involved in dealing with small arms and light weapons could make it easier to combat the threat from such weapons. At the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) seminar on the issue, held in April 2000, Poland proposed the creation of an international network of national contact points and liaison officers of regional organizations, designed to facilitate such collaboration.
In Poland, small arms and light weapons are subjected to the same strict licensing procedures as other types of arms. Certain categories of small arms and light weapons, because of their potential use by terrorists, are subjected to particular security measures. We attach special importance to proper marking, safeguarding of storage facilities, and procedures for destroying redundant weapons. We believe the programme of action should stipulate that the arms trade will be restricted exclusively to entities authorized by States; that arms exports will be verified according to the so-called export criteria, including the protection of human rights by the importer; and that the violation of international arms embargoes will be treated as a crime by all countries.
NGUYEN THANH CHAU (Viet Nam): We wish to emphasize that security in relation to small arms is an issue of State security. Accordingly, measures recommended in the draft programme of action should not in any way produce negative implications for State security, especially the inherent rights of States to self-defence in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter. Implementation of the programme should not prevent States from exercising their rights to produce, import and retain means for their legitimate self-defence and security needs, and for the protection of territorial integrity and political independence. As export criteria are, first and foremost, a matter for national decision, the abuse of the “human rights” or “good governance” concepts in the elaboration of criteria for the management of the flow of arms should be avoided.
In order to make the programme of action practical and achievable, measures contained therein should take into account the different situations, capacities and priorities of States and regions and be implemented on a voluntary basis. They should be comprehensive and balanced, building on existing regional initiatives to address organized crimes and violence, while maintaining the legitimate right of States to procure arms for national defence and security. The measures should also include technical and financial support to be given to those developing countries which lack resources, so as to enable them to better implement the measures recommended in the programme of action.
REY PAGTAKHAN, Secretary of State for the Asia-Pacific Region of Canada: Many small arms and light weapons are recycled, passed on from area to area, from one conflict to another, by unscrupulous arms merchants who take advantage of legal loopholes or exploit inadequate national monitoring and enforcement. The programme of action must include measures to increase controls governing legal transfers of small arms and light weapons.
International efforts to combat the diversion of arms to illicit markets will be strengthened by improving our collective capacity to trace those weapons back to their source. An effective international system requires three key elements: reliable marking; adequate record keeping; and international arrangements. We strongly believe that the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations should contain clear provisions for disarmament, including weapons collection and destruction, and that an effective action plan to reduce the global surplus of small arms is central to the reduction of small arms and the prevention of illicit trafficking.
The specific targeting of civilians is one of the tragic realities of armed conflict today. For too many children, the first encounter with the technology of the twenty-first century is not the screen of a personal computer, but the barrel of a gun. We have also seen that the size and ease of use of small arms have made it possible for children to serve armed factions as combatants. Deeply concerned by this reality, Canada has commissioned a study on the impact of small arms on children, coordinated by the “Biting the Bullet” group of NGOs. The study will be launched officially this evening, with copies available tomorrow.
Sustained and practical follow-up to the programme of action will be crucial to the credibility of our enterprise. The Conference should establish annual multilateral meetings to promote exchange, cooperation and progress in implementing the norms and measures agreed upon. The process should promote sharing of “best practices” and provide a stimulus for effective action.
TATOUL MARKARIAN, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Armenia: The negative effects of the proliferation and illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons have been far-reaching and diverse. The diffusion of small arms takes place at the interface of local and global arenas, in situations of inequality and insecurity, posing intricate challenges to national, regional
and international actors.
While it is sometimes difficult to draw a clear demarcation between the licit and illicit trade in arms, it would be appropriate for this Conference to reaffirm the fundamental principles enshrined in the Charter -– the right of States to individual and collective self-defence and the right of peoples to self-determination. We believe that our common efforts to curb the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons must take into account these essential rights.
There are four possible levels of cooperation -– bilateral, subregional, regional and global. One of the elements of cooperation could be the establishment of registers of small arms and light weapons, as well as other cooperation mechanisms, such as specific subregional transparency and confidence-building measures with a view to combating the illicit trade. Harmonization of national export control laws and regulations, as well as exchange of national lists of registered brokers, can be carried out within the subregional or regional frameworks. Such initiatives for troubled regions, such as the Caucasus, may go hand in hand with conflict-resolution efforts to prevent a further arms race in the region and serve as an important confidence-building measure.
NOUREDDINE MEJDOUB (Tunisia): The international community is meeting today to find a response to the threat posed to international peace and security by the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. New hotbeds of tensions emerge and mutate into internal conflicts or conflicts between neighbours. The illicit trade fuels the intensity and length of these conflicts and exacerbates them. Thus, concerted action by the international community is necessary. We believe the most effective way to prevent conflict is to attack its deep-rooted causes, such as poverty and religious and cultural tensions.
The accumulation of arms is not in and of itself a reason for concern. Large amounts of arms under the control of States do not necessarily lead to violence. Conversely, a small number of arms not under the control of States could lead to violence. This makes it even more important to take into account the individual situations of countries. The Bamako Declaration reiterated that the primary responsibility for combating the illegal trade rested with national governments. Tunisia has established a legal framework governing the acquisition of small arms, which prohibits the circulation of arms among civilians except under the provisions of the framework.
Our efforts must concentrate on adopting a programme of action that is feasible. It is important to emphasize that we must not lose sight of the principles of the right to self-determination, the right to legitimate defence, in conformity with Article 51 of the Charter, and the right of all States to national security.
HASMY AGAM (Malaysia): Through conferences such as this, the United Nations can play a critical role in creating greater public awareness and understanding of the direct and indirect consequences of the illicit trade and use of small arms, and thus further galvanizing and coordinating international efforts.
The enormity of the problem his been well documented. Statistics pertaining to the casualties wrought by these weapons are mind-boggling. It is also clear that long after conflicts have ended, the stockpiles of small arms continue to pose a threat to public order, often hampering post-conflict peace-building efforts. The rampant use of those weapons has exacted a heavy toll on the lives of innocent civilians, particularly children, women and the aged. As members of the international community, we must work assiduously towards greater control and management of this highly complex problem. A number of regional organizations have taken the initiative to control the excessive accumulation of small arms. Those efforts include the strengthening of border controls, marking of firearms and informations sharing.
Malaysia believes that a holistic approach, centred on general arms control and disarmament, conflict prevention and peace-building initiatives, should be employed when addressing the proliferation of small arms. We must go beyond symptoms and address the causes of conflicts themselves, which, in most cases, arise form socio-economic factors. Herein lies the importance of international cooperation in conflict areas, to bring about a culture of peace and prevention which incorporates effective development and poverty eradication strategies.
ALFRED K. MUBANDA, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Charge of International Affair of Uganda: Enormous resources wasted annually on acquisition of small arms and light weapons could be better utilized for social and economic development. Africa has increasingly become a theatre for illicit arms, mostly introduced from elsewhere. My delegation is concerned at the degree of infiltration of arms through the backdoor by some countries in pursuance of certain policies and objectives. In some cases, these arms are reshipped to other countries for use by dissident groups. In short, the legally acquired arms end up in non-authorized hands. During this Conference, we can work together to regulate this theatre, or close it all together.
The Conference should endorse an international code of conduct for arms sales. It should seek, inter alia, to prevent the sale of arms to areas where such arms might contribute to the fuelling of conflict, the violation of human rights and international humanitarian law, and the undermining of development. The Conference should also agree on international controls on the brokering of small arms, and on an international marking regime.
The arms problems transcend borders and pose a danger to developing countries. The total involvement of civil society is, therefore, a “must”. A number of regional initiatives taken to address the issue of small arms and light weapons are to be welcomed. The Bamako Declaration is a good African contribution to this Conference.
JASNA OGNJANOVAC (Croatia): My Government has recently adopted the National Programme for Increasing General Security by Voluntary Submission of Firearms, Ammunition and Explosive Ordnance Devices. Realization of this programme includes all relevant institutions and organizations in my country, and represents just another in a series of actions by the Government to tackle this very important issue. The response of citizens has been more than encouraging, and we hope to accomplish good results.
Regionally, my country plays an active role within the framework of the Stability Pact, especially in terms of security arrangements and arms control. With valuable financial support from the German Government, a regional centre for arms control was established in Croatia.
Croatia views the role of NGOs in the process as an essential one, especially when it comes to follow-up to the Conference. The review conference should not serve as just another forum for the exchange of views, but should be the venue where substantial results are discussed and new actions agreed on. We support the idea of holding the review conference soon.
MARSDEN H MADOKA, Minister of State in the Office of the President of Kenya: The world appears to have come a long way, from apathy to deliberation, in its regional, subregional and global efforts to mitigate the consequences of the continued proliferation of small arms and light weapons. However, I wish to point out my delegation’s frustration at the manner in which the draft programme of action was treated at the final preparatory session for the Conference. The document was supposed to be reinforced and fine-tuned, but we instead witnessed a spirited effort to tear it apart and dilute its content and focus. The window of opportunity has opened before us again, however, and we hope that delegations will resist the temptation to plunge the Conference into the same quagmire. Indeed, the suffering associated with small arms is not hypothetical. Its victims are either dead, displaced, serving as child soldiers of living in desolate refugee camps.
The problem is broader than the security of States, and is linked closely to development issues and overall human security. I am convinced that the Conference will attempt to identify measures to enhance international cooperation and coordination in the war against illicit arms.
The problem is inextricably linked to that of supply and demand -- the true weapons of mass destruction. Indeed, supply and demand traverse national and regional boundaries to obstruct economic and political development and recovery. For while States may control the management of arms, they are often unable to control their production and circulation. Collaboration and partnership with manufacturers, transporters and civil society are, therefore, indispensable elements we should explore during the next two weeks. Finally, I am convinced that there is broad consensus on the issues outlined in the draft programme of action. However, if there is a State that does not consider the problems before us to be of a sufficiently urgent character, others should not be swayed from moving forward together while the issue is still at the top of the United Nations agenda.
TICHAONA JOSEPH B. JAKONYA (Zimbabwe): The end of the cold war has contributed to a large surplus of new and used light weapons left over from the inventories of the major military Powers. Additionally, some newly independent States of the former Soviet Union experienced a short-term collapse of their export-control systems. It is ironic that many of those weapons found their way onto the open market as a result of incomplete disarmament mechanisms.
Security in most of Africa’s subregions is inevitably linked to the domestic security of a number of States. Refugee movements, migrant labour, illegal immigration, smuggling and trade in drugs and weapons are issues that demand a coordinated regional response. The Council of Ministers of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in 1999 identified the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization as one of the implementing agencies for programmes and projects in the area of small arms.
Experience in southern Africa has shown that the interrelationship between security and economic integration cannot be overemphasized. In recognition of that fact, the Inter-State Defence and Security Committee set up an Ad Hoc Committee on Cross Border Crime. The Regional Information Centre submitted detailed Operational Procedures for the Control and Monitoring of Flights within the SADC region, which resulted in interception of cargo planes supplying rebel forces with weapons. It is from this experience that we call upon the international community to provide assistance in the establishment of a regional database on illicit firearms.
SAM HINGA NORMAN, Deputy Minister of Defence of Sierra Leone: We all know that this Conference is not about the legitimate manufacturing, trade and legal transfer of small arms and light weapons. It is certainly not about the right of States to acquire arms for their legitimate use, their right to individual or collective self-defence, or their duty to protect their citizens. It is also not intended to deprive individuals of their constitutional right to carry arms.
This Conference is about people. It is about the fundamental right of people, particularly children, not to be gunned down in cold blood by weapons that have been illicitly acquired, transferred and used in the various battlefields. We must remember that the battlefields where these weapons are used are not only found in the rebel-infested bushes of so-called conflict areas, but also in the urban metropolises of many of the States represented here today.
Sierra Leone has one of the most transparent arms policies in the West African subregion, which, if adopted by other States, would contribute immensely to stability in that potentially explosive part of our continent. Consistent with Security Council resolution 1171 (1998), we continue to notify the Council, through its monitoring committee, on all the arms and related materials we import.
CELESTINO MIGLIORE, Observer for the Holy See: Arms cannot be treated simply as commercial goods. Indeed, it is clear that the ethical, social and humanitarian importance of the issues before the Conference should serve as a framework for any consideration of the supply and demand for small arms and light weapons. For certain types of weapons, it has been possible to devise a convention that prohibits their use, stockpiling and transfer. Unfortunately, it is impossible to ban all types of small arms and light weapons.
The Conference puts on the table various concrete measures intended to address the problem of illicit trade in small arms and to avoid their diversion into illegal markets. Of particular significance are mechanisms for prevention, reduction accountability and control, the regulation of brokering and the establishment of adequate management security of weapons stocks. The Holy See applauds the political desire evinced thus far, and offers its full support and cooperation. Without a doubt, we are at the threshold of a new and perhaps long process in the area of arms control. The Conference is an essential initial step, offering an important opportunity to broaden the scope of international debate and public awareness.
While on other fronts the disarmament process seems to be taking its time, the international community’s new approach to the illicit small arms trade can be seen as a sign of hope. It involves a decisive change in international relations which must be based not on who is strongest, but on the force of law and instruments capable of guaranteeing security. Actions must also be based on the complex economic and social issues at the heart of the supply and demand. The ultimate goal uniting us is the protection of life and the dignity of every human person. For that reason, it seems appropriate to emphasize and ensure the centrality of the human person in all our efforts.
MIGUEL RUIZ CABAÑAS, of the Consultative Committee of the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacture of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components, Ammunitions, Explosives and Other Related Materials: In the last decade, the trafficking in firearms, ammunition and explosives has grown dangerously the world over. That phenomenon is linked to other manifestations of organized transnational crime, such as money laundering and drug trafficking.
