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
ALEXANDRU NICULESCU (Romania), Representative of the Chairman-in-Office of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE):� In November 2000, the participating States of the OSCE adopted the Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons, one of the broadest and most comprehensive small-arms agreements of any regional organization.� It includes standards for control over manufacturing and marking; procedures and documentation for export, import, transit and brokering activities; standards and measures for stockpile security and management and surplus weapons destruction; and small arms measures as part of early warning, conflict prevention and post-conflict rehabilitation.
Since its inception, the OSCE has worked in three different dimensions: politico-military, human and economic.� The Document reflects all three of those dimensions.� OSCE participating States are mostly supplier nations of small arms and light weapons.� The governments of the region, therefore, recognized their special responsibility to control their own exports as a first step towards eliminating the illicit small arms trade.� The norms and principles agreed upon are designed to close loopholes which have allowed traffickers to operate with impunity.
Sadly, many countries within the OSCE community have also been affected by the problems associated with destabilizing accumulations of small arms and light weapons.� In negotiating the OSCE Document, participating States sought to address these concerns by elaborating a series of principles and measures on small arms reduction in pre- and post-conflict negotiations.� They include weapons collection programmes, destruction activities, and border-control initiatives.� Law-enforcement cooperation among neighbouring countries is also central.
The OSCE Document contains many themes to be found in the agreements of other regions and in the United Nations draft programme of action.� While our concerns are not always exactly the same as those of other regions, the problems of the OSCE region are not unique, and the solutions we have agreed upon cannot work in isolation.� Our efforts to combat illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons will surely fail if they are not matched by similar efforts elsewhere.� I, therefore, hope that the United Nations programme of action will draw upon many of the commitments contained in the OSCE Document.
KUL C. GAUTAM, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF):� Even in communities enjoying relative peace, the prevalence of weapons perpetuates a high level of violence.� The exposure of children to the use of small arms and light weapons instils in them the belief that weapons are an essential instrument for survival and protection in everyday life.� Resulting gun-dependency and even gun-glorification foster a culture of violence in which non-violent conflict resolutions are ignored and often forgotten.� The accidental and direct consequences of the availability of small arms and light weapons on the lives of our children is a cost no society should bear.
UNICEF’s objective -– and we want it to be the collective resolve of all of us attending this Conference – is to keep weapons out of the hands of children, as well as out of the hands of those who violate and neglect children’s rights.� We, therefore, ask that the Conference call for the following actions in its deliberations and final document.� First, recognize the urgent need to bring any recruitment of child soldiers to an end and ensure immediate and unconditional demobilization and reintegration into society, wherever child soldiers exist.�
Second, establish binding codes of conduct to better regulate the transfer of small arms and light weapons, particularly to conflict zones where children’s rights are violated and children are used as soldiers.� In addition, promote an integrated approach to the question of the proliferation of small arms and light weapon, recognizing the demand side by promoting confidence building, peace education and awareness-raising programmes.�
MATT ROBSON, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control of New Zealand:� In our own society -– with high levels of legal gun ownership –- we live in relative peace and prosperity and are fortunate to be free from violent conflict and threats to the rule of law.� We are, however, conscious that the illicit trade in small arms has global linkages.� This is inevitable when these weapons slop from one conflict to another across national and regional boundaries.� In the Pacific, small arms have exacerbated recent unrest and conflict.� While there is some illicit trade in small arms across borders in the Pacific, the legal trade is the main source of illegal weapons.
The countries of the Pacific face development challenges too.� It is, therefore, no easy matter to take all the steps necessary to prevent conflict, let alone restore peace.� The efforts we in New Zealand make, with our regional partners, involve our own military and police and other resources.� The challenges require a humanitarian response, and an extra commitment to development, as well as security, disarmament and arms control solutions.� New Zealand encounters the modern plague of illicit small arms farther afield, most often in our peacekeeping and peace-building work with the United Nations.
The draft programme of action is not perfect, but New Zealand can accept the compromises made.� We might prefer a more vigorous and more ambitious programme, but we want our Conference to deliver a solid result that will be the basis for action.� We also recognize that the programme of action will have to achieve a delicate balance.� Pushing too hard at the limits of what can be achieved could leave the international community with no result.
There is no good reason for any government to protect the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.� Governments can help combat the illicit trade with a better management of legal weapons.� Our programme of action must help us with that also.� We are learning lessons about stockpile management in our Pacific region, for example.� At this Conference, we shall support a programme of action that serves the needs of people in all regions, including the Pacific -– a programme of action which we can carry forward in further international work.
FRANK H. WATSON, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Security of the Bahamas:� The Bahamas finds itself on the path between drug-producing countries of the South and drug-consuming nations of the North.� Its geographical position has made it vulnerable to various other forms of piracy and trafficking in illegal goods.� The Bahamas also shares the Caribbean experience, which has seen the trade in illicit firearms exacerbated and complemented by the illegal drug trade. Indeed, the problems of transnational crime are ever present, intensified and enhanced by new technologies.� All Caribbean States are looking expectantly to the Conference to identify and initiate action that can positively impact these problems.
The Bahamas urges the establishment of mechanisms to trace the manufacture of small arms through marking and effective registration and licensing.� We support the call for strengthening controls at points of origin, and fully endorse the establishment of protocols requiring the exchange of information and intelligence on producers, dealers, importers and exporters, as well as routing and trafficking techniques.� We have ratified the Inter-American Convention which seeks to facilitate the exchange of experience and training in matters related to small arms.
Representatives at our regional preparatory meeting recalled that the illicit trade in small arms in the region is mainly related to drug trafficking and other organized crime.� They stressed the notion that crime-prevention strategies should be an integral part of combating the illegal arms trade.� The Bahamas has developed successful tourism and financial service industries.� Those industries require stability, and, therefore, the illicit trade in small arms cannot be tolerated.�
Although our main concern is with illicit trans-shipment of all arms, the prevalence of handguns and the emergence of assault weapons within our communities is most disturbing.� We have introduced local initiatives and established a firearms court as a result.� Finally, the Bahamas is fully committed to working with the United Nations and the Organization of American States (OAS) to formulate sustainable policies to eradicate the illegal trade.
KOUAME LOUGUE, Minister of National Defence of Burkina Faso:� The intensity of debate in the preparatory meetings made it clear that the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons requires an emergency remedy.� My country, aligning itself with the Bamako Declaration, has not remained inactive.� It has implemented numerous measures to stop the illicit trade in light weapons.� The Government’s determination in the matter stems from our foreign policy, whose major objectives are national defence and international security.
On the national level, that policy is reflected in rigorous regulation of all activities in the weapons sector.� A National Committee for Combating the Proliferation of Light Weapons has been established, as well as a High Authority to Control the Import of Weapons and Their Use.� My Government has also enacted a decree regulating the legal trade in light weapons.
On the international level, my country has established cooperative programmes with its neighbours, buttressed by regional, subregional and international programmes.� Over the last two decades, Burkina Faso has contributed to peace in the region by sending military observers and election monitors.
The trade in arms not only destabilizes our countries and inhibits our development efforts, it also instils a climate of insecurity.� It is not only a social phenomenon, but also a nightmare for our fledgling democracies.� Any lasting solution requires concerted action by the international community, governments and non-governmental actors.� This Conference must become a tool in the fight against the illicit trade, and we support the draft programme of action.
ARUN SHOURIE, Minister of State for Disinvestment, Planning, Statistics, Programme Implementation, Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances of India: We should move to prevent further additions to the existing stockpile of illicit weapons.� For this purpose, the international community should develop a comprehensive tracing system, which would entail marking weapons at the production stage, detailed record-keeping and willingness to share information.� A collective approach will guarantee traceability and promote transparency.
Also, while transferring weapons, States must exercise due care and a sense of responsibility.� Transfers to non-State actors or unauthorized entities are the catalyst for violence.� Such transfers also run the greatest risk of unauthorized retransfers, thus breeding further destruction.� An international norm against such transfers is, therefore, essential.� In addition, every study shows that the twin problems of the illicit trade and terrorism are inextricably intertwined with the global challenges of drug trafficking and money laundering.� The work of the Conference will be greatly helped by -- and should, in turn, facilitate -- international initiatives already under way on these related problems.�
Arms are the means of delivery; it is ammunition and explosives that kill.� So the measures we develop must cover not just weapons, but ammunition and explosives as well.� Anything short of this will be so incomplete as to end up being self-defeating.�
ELIAS GOUNARIS (Greece):� The uncontrolled proliferation and illicit trade in small arms and light weapons threatens the security of individuals and obstructs social development and peace efforts in countries around the globe.� The illegal use of these weapons also affects the rights of individuals to exercise their human rights.� Their movement fosters conflict and, in some areas, these weapons find their way into the hands of children, placing these most vulnerable persons at the centre of wars or internal conflicts.� Indeed, we would like to express our particular concern for the humanitarian effects of the illicit small arms trade which hinders sustainable development at all levels, particularly in the economic and social spheres.
The illegal small arms and light weapons are a lasting and continuing threat that needs to be minimized and controlled.� We are also concerned at the upsurge in the proliferation of these weapons and the illicit trade in the Balkan region.� For all these reasons, the Conference gives the international community the opportunity to participate in the creation of an action plan that will lead to concrete, decisive and concerted action to address a widespread problem that affects us all.� Greece will actively participate in all efforts towards that end.
JERRY EKANDJO, Minister of Home Affairs of Namibia, on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) -– Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Seychelles, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe: As the SADC focuses on development, the proliferation and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons constitute a challenge the region has to face.� In the SADC, we regard the prevention of the illegal small arms trade and economic development as inseparable undertakings.�
Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes in post-conflict situations are crucial undertakings for the promotion and consolidation of peace, democracy, good governance and the rule of law.� In the SADC, we have approximately 1 million former military personnel and respective infrastructure that require proper reintegration and conversion.� It is our expectation that we will be assisted as we embark on implementing this programme.�
The cornerstone for successful implementation of the programme of action is proper and well managed international cooperation.� Cooperation is more likely to resolve our dilemma, which is that the most negatively affected countries are the least provided with resources.� While not neglecting bilateral arrangements for assistance, regional channels should be given preference since they not only enable mutual confidence-building, but they also empower smaller States.� We need to move together in this crusade.�
RAMON MESTRE, Minister of the Interior of Argentina:� Argentina is well aware of the consequences of the proliferation of illicit small arms.� The growing rates of urban violence are often the consequence of the illicit marketing of arms and their ready accessibility on the black market.� We are deeply concerned with these issues, and our Government has made addressing them a priority.� To combat these and other threats associated with the illicit trade in small arms, standardized norms and criteria and the coordination of control organizations are an absolute necessity.� Penalizing the illicit traffic in arms is a good way to fight against the black market.
At the same time, our Government also emphasizes non-penal initiatives, which can prevent the spread of these weapons.� Such methods include control of the financial system, enhancing border controls to prevent smuggling, and increasing public awareness.� We believe that it will not be possible to apply an international programme of action unless adequate instruments are developed at national, regional and subregional levels.� Among Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) countries, along with Chile and Bolivia, a series of initiatives have been established to address the problem.� We have created a common register of suppliers and consumers of firearms, parts and ammunition.� We have also established the Firearms Group, whose mission is to harmonize regional legislation, increase cooperation and act as coordinator of the programme of action to be adopted at the conclusion of this Conference.�
RAYMOND JOHANSEN, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of Norway: We disagree with those who limit the problem of illicit small arms and light weapons to a question of State security.� A comprehensive and integrated approach must reach from arms control to human security and development.� The demand for, and misuse of, small arms is related to problems of poverty, underdevelopment, insecurity and injustice.� It is also related to greed and the abuse of natural resources.� We must place small arms action firmly in the context of comprehensive peace-building and focus on the importance of security sector reform.
We would like the programme of action to be more explicit on the crucial link between security sector reform and sustainable development.� Support for practical disarmament measures and capacity-building efforts in the security sector should be well reflected.� Appropriate DDR programmes, particularly in post-conflict situations, must be included.� Violations of Security Council arms embargoes must be treated as a criminal offence.�
This Conference is not about taking guns intended for hunting or other legal purposes away from the civilian population.� It is about keeping weapons out of the hands of warlords, criminals and child soldiers in order to enhance the security of civilian populations.� We are all affected by the problems caused by the uncontrolled spread and use of small arms and light weapons in one way or another.
SOTOS ZACKHEOS (Cyprus):� During the last few years, we have witnessed encouraging signs of public awareness of the problem the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons poses.� We have also seen the formulation of various important regional initiatives, such as the OSCE Document, the Bamako Declaration, the Brasilia Declaration and the OAS Declaration.� This Conference must propose international standards to coordinate and reinforce such regional measures.
The Programme of Action should include criteria such as:� respect for human rights in the country of final destination; respect for international obligations, such as Security Council sanctions; and the record of compliance of the recipient country with regard to international obligations and commitments, in particular on the non-use of force.� We believe that all activities aimed at ex-combatant DDR are of particular significance. They are instrumental to the prevention of future conflicts.
We attach great importance to assistance to the developing countries, and especially to the least developed countries, in facing this challenge.� We welcome projects in countries such as Albania, Mozambique and El Salvador, where civilians hand in their arms in exchange for assistance in developing and improving schools, infrastructure and hospitals.� Furthermore, assistance in other forms, such as capacity-building for border control, customs and law enforcement, is of equal importance.� In this common endeavour, I would like to underscore the crucial need for the involvement and support of civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
MAKMUR WIDODO (Indonesia):� The problems posed by the illicit trade go beyond complex humanitarian situations.� The illicit flow of these weapons has enabled armed separatist and insurgent groups to challenge the authority of legitimate governments and has disrupted law and order in society.� Porous borders have led to arms smuggling and challenged regional countries to intensify cooperation in combating it.� Easy access to small arms and light weapons has been closely linked to international terrorism and drug trafficking.
The increasingly global nature of small arms sales means that political and legal solutions need to be coordinated on a global level.� A standardized international system for regulating exports and documenting the ultimate destination of weapons is urgently needed.� t should also address the increasingly transnational network of brokers, dealers, financiers and transporters.� Close cooperation at the regional level is particularly important because small arms are often circulated by regional networks of illicit dealers and insurgents.
In our view, the programme of action should be balanced, realistic and implementable.� Furthermore, its implementation should take into account the existing capacities of States, which differ widely.� This necessitates appropriate measures for international cooperation, especially in extending technical and financial assistance in the field of capacity-building.� We also recognize the important role played by civil society in raising international awareness of the matter.� We believe that civil society possesses the necessary expertise and could help the State in finding solutions.
VASSILIY TAKEV, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria:� Of particular importance for my country is the fact that accumulation and illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons exacerbate ethnic and political violence, and that the illicit trade fuels international organized crime and creates a wide range of social, economic and humanitarian problems.� We salute the determination of regional and subregional organizations to undertake measures against this international challenge.
The complexity of the issue requires an integrated and holistic spectrum of measures designed to address the elaboration and implementation of an effective regime of export controls, marking and tracing, enforcement of arms embargoes, border control, and ex-combatant DDR.� Within the context of our national priorities, Bulgaria -- as a country conducting accession negotiations with the European Union -- adheres to a responsible national policy.
We think that illicit arms transfers to irresponsible end-users should be addressed through improvements in export and import controls and strict enforcement of Security Council embargoes.� Bulgaria has introduced a robust system of export control of arms and dual-use goods and technologies, corresponding to the highest existing international standards.� It has aligned itself to the criteria and principles contained in the European Union Code of Conduct on Arms Exports and to Union Joint Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
Bulgaria also promotes regional cooperation in South-Eastern Europe.� In December 1999, under the auspices of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, Bulgaria hosted a regional conference on export controls which adopted two documents:� a Joint Declaration on Responsible Arms Transfers; and a Statement on Harmonization of End-use/End-user Certificates.� They are a valuable contribution to regional stability.
STEVAN NIKCEVIC, Assistant Federal Minister for Internal Affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia:� We are in the process of revising our entire system of laws and regulations governing the production, storage, trade, sale and possession of small arms and light weapons, with a view to tightening their control and bringing it into conformity with recognized international norms and standards, particularly those applied by member States of the European Union.
Necessary and most welcome as they are, national efforts alone are insufficient to achieve success.� This is particularly evident in regions still suffering from the consequences of political upheavals and armed conflicts.� The Balkans definitely falls into this category.� The political tensions and ensuing armed conflicts which have raged in the region from the early 1990s have had a serious impact on the overall situation, with the illicit trade in arms providing both the fuel for the conflicts and the cause for their prolongation.� One of the basic pre-conditions for eradicating the problem is regional cooperation.�
The situation in the Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohija is significantly aggravated by the existence of interests which are criminal in nature and are pursued through illegal means.� The province has been the breeding ground for organized crime, especially drug trafficking, illegal migration and trafficking in human beings.� These activities are taking place in a background awash with large quantities of illegal arms.� While we welcome the recent robust actions taken by the Kosovo Force (KFOR) to apprehend criminal elements and nationalist extremists in the province and to seize their illegal weapons, this is only a start.� I call on the international community to make this its primary and urgent goal.
GAILE ANN RAMOUTAR (Trinidad and Tobago):� Our Government is committed to ensuring peace and security for all its citizens and guaranteeing their right to live in a society free from fear.� This Conference is an indication of the international community’s desire to take decisive action to deal with this problem at national, regional and global levels.� While Trinidad and Tobago is not a manufacturer of firearms, we find ourselves in a peculiar position.� Due to our strategic location, we and many other Caribbean countries are exploited by criminal organizations as a convenient trans-shipment point for the illegal drug trade.
One of the consequences of this has been a steady proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which, in turn, has fuelled violent crimes in many communities.� We welcome the initiative of this Conference to define specific guidelines for regional and international cooperation, and, at the same time, we have taken actions on our own behalf.� Regular reviews and assessments have been undertaken to ensure that all relevant authorities are better equipped to deal with the multifacted aspects of the problem.� Also, in 1998, we signed the Inter-American Convention on Illicit Firearms, Explosives and Other Related Materials.�
We are giving serious consideration to the signature and eventual ratification of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. �We will be hosting a regional workshop for Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries this November to promote signature and ratification of that important instrument.� Despite all our efforts, we realize that a remedy for the escalating illegal trade in small arms is beyond the capacity of any single nation.� In that regard, we hope the programme of action being considered will enable small countries like ours to benefit from increased cooperation towards strengthening our institutional capacity.�
AHMED A. EL ATRASH (Libya):� Our discussion should take place within the mandate set out in General Assembly resolution 54/54 V, which states that the scope of this meeting should be the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects.� The accumulation of light weapons is not the cause of conflicts, but it can intensify conflicts.� These conflicts take place due to a variety of complex factors.� Very often, they are bequeathed to us from the colonial era.� They can be solved only if we find the root causes of these conflicts.� Light weapons are the basic weapons of national armed forces and police, especially of small countries that do not possess heavy weapons.� Their production and accumulation are necessary to carry out legitimate purposes, including the right to collective self-defence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and their circulation are a source of danger and impede socio-economic development plans in all parts of the world.� The main producers of such weapons must shoulder full responsibility and reduce their production of these and other weapons.� They should exercise total control over these weapons to prevent them from reaching conflict areas.� This Conference should be seen as a first step to tackle the problem.� Also, we need to adopt by consensus a realistic programme of action to resolve the problem, and we must combine all of our efforts to address the causes of conflicts.
Prince ZEID RA’AD ZEID-AL-HUSSEIN (Jordan):� This historic Conference has been convened at a time when internal and national conflicts are increasing, and thousands of innocent civilians are being killed.� These conflicts are exacerbated by the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.� In the Middle East, after 50 years of Arab-Israeli conflict, we are all still suffering from the consequences of the devastation wrought by these weapons.� While we affirm the rights of nations and States to self-defence, we must condemn illicit recourse to the use of small arms, munitions and explosives.�
Given the unique situation and geography of the Middle East, the volume of weapons, stockpiling and trade is most troubling.� While the illegal trade in small arms is exacerbated by drug trafficking and other criminal activities, it also represents important source of financial revenue for criminals.� All this makes cooperation crucially important.� There is also a need to promote awareness-raising campaigns and to ensure the creation of laws to govern and control the export, import and collection of such weapons.�
We are focusing our efforts at borders and in areas of conflict to stem the flow of weapons and keep them out of the hands of extremists.� The Conference should not be seen as an end, but as a beginning to all international efforts in this area.� We hope that the Conference will lead to the adoption of concrete proposals aimed at ensuring, among other things, control of small arms stockpiles so that they will not reach zones of conflict where they most often harm innocent civilians.� We hope that our work here will lead us to a world free of such threats.
BEN BRADSHAW, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom:� What this Conference is not about is “interfering in national sovereignty or domestic laws on gun ownership”, as the Secretary-General has said.� We should not allow ourselves to be blown off course by the unfounded fears spread by powerful lobbying organizations.� Britain is fortunate in not being subject to the worst destructive effects of uncontrolled availability and use of weapons.� We are all too aware that the situation in other parts of the world is much more severe.
Small arms problems should be tackled comprehensively.� Efforts to control the supply through arms control measures must be pursued alongside efforts to reduce the demand for them.� The demand is often symptomatic of poverty, unequal access to resources, collapse of the rule of law, exposure to disease and crime. Therefore, small arms proliferation and misuse are as much a development issue as an arms control issue.
Building on our previous support for small arms initiatives, a comprehensive United Kingdom Small Arms and Light Weapons Reduction Programme has been established.� Over the next three years, my Government will allocate a minimum of ₤19.5 million [some $27 million] to United Nations agencies, regional organizations, governments and NGOs.� Our resources will be targeted to areas such as reducing the availability of small arms.� The United Kingdom will provide substantial funds to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to establish a long-term Weapons Collection, Management and Destruction Programme.� We will also increase our support for the development and implementation of regional agreements by providing funds and supporting the activities of NGOs.� The United Kingdom regards NGOs as key partners in the long-term effort to reverse cultures of violence and promote cultures of peace.
ABDULMEJID HUSSEIN (Ethiopia):� My delegation attaches great importance to combating the illicit small arms trade.� Of grave concern is the vulnerability of the African continent to the ongoing scourge of such arms.� The impact of small arms and light weapons on children alone has, over the last 10 years, left
2 million children dead, 6 million injured, and over 22 million homeless.� In many countries, children no longer have the luxury of freedom from violence.� My delegation also shares the concern expressed in the report “Putting Children First” regarding the impact the use of those weapons has on girls and women.� The horrific situation in Africa is a testament to the devastating consequences of the illicit trade and use of small arms and light weapons.
While significant efforts are being made at the national, subregional and regional levels, more initiatives are still needed at the global level.� Of paramount importance is the need to enhance peace-building efforts in order to adequately address the root causes of conflict.� Ethiopia has been actively cooperating, in all regional and subregional entities, to develop strategies to curb the illicit trade.� However, such cooperation can only be enhanced through joint initiatives, seriousness and dedication of partners in the subregion, the African continent and the world at large.
FELIPE PAOLILLO (Uruguay), speaking on behalf of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and associated States:� The MERCOSUR member States attach particular importance to the characterization of the illicit manufacture and trade in small arms as a crime, to the reaffirmation of the responsibility of States to fight against the illicit trade, to strengthening of cooperation between States, and to the establishment of a follow-up mechanism to monitor and promote the commitments that will be made at the conclusion of this historic event.
Our efforts have been focused on two main aspects of the phenomenon:� the registering of buyers and sellers of firearms and ammunition, and the harmonizing of national legislations.� We believe that our subregion should be the locus of efforts to harmonize legislation and customs regulations.� We have an advantage in this regard as our countries already enjoy a high degree of convergence in laws and policies.� We have, therefore, established a regional Working Group on Firearms and Ammunition.� That Group met recently and identified areas in which future cooperation will be concentrated, namely, cooperation in the regulation of trade and the development of technologies.� We consider that this Working Group could become a subregional mechanism for the implementation of the programme of action.
Our countries, along with Chile and Bolivia, welcome the results of the programmes and initiatives implemented at subregional levels by both national governments and State or national authorities.� We also view as positive the initiatives of international agencies and NGOs.� Such groups are making great contributions to efforts to combat the illicit trade in small arms through such means as the creation of information campaigns and promotion of a culture of peace.� Lastly, we would reiterate our confidence that the Conference will adopt a plan of action that contains concrete recommendations and provides for adequate resources and measures to counter the negative impact of these arms.�
SONIA ELLIOTT (Guyana):� Since the end of the cold war, there has been a growing body of evidence on the disastrous impact of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons on the socio-economic fabric of our societies.� Moreover, these arms and weapons have created environments hostile to trade and investment in an era of globalization.� In addressing the causes and consequences of the trade, we must have clear definitions of the issues involved, recognition that the lack of data continues to inhibit successful action in curbing the trade, and acknowledgement that this trade is not limited only to weapons, but includes the transfer of ammunitions.
The holistic approach of this Conference has led to proposed measures at national, regional and international levels.� Indeed, my country attaches great importance to the guidelines set out by the Inter-American Convention on Firearms. We were particularly encouraged that this Convention was also used as a model in drafting the Firearms Protocol to the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
Nevertheless, this holistic approach should not ignore the wider context in which the illicit trade has been encouraged.� That is, the social environment of poverty, unemployment, exclusion and social fragmentation which is a breeding ground for violence.� These development challenges have to be adequately tackled as part of a comprehensive approach to the problem.� Structural adjustment programmes, high debt burdens and inadequate export markets severely limit the resources available to finance socio-economic well-being.
PIERRE LELONG (Haiti):� For several decades, the fight against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons has been of the utmost importance for Haiti.� Organized crime, the drug trade, border control problems, the exodus of investors, and the slump in the tourist industry are all related to this phenomenon.� War is born in the minds of men.� Unless we focus on the development of a culture of peace, there will always be outbursts of conflict.� The best way to resolve disputes would be through negotiations -- if the parties did not have such easy access to small arms and light weapons.�
My delegation welcomes the several initiative on the regional, subregional, national and local level.� We endorse the recommendations of the Bamako Declaration and the Brasilia Declaration.� Haiti firmly believes in the right to individual and collective right to self-defence.� Its Constitution stipulates that any individual with a licence to do so can bear arms in the confines of his home.� But my Government is concerned about the escalation of violence caused by illicit trafficking.� The defence industry must demonstrate good management if it wants to be accountable for the illicit transfer of weapons.� All too often, it stresses demand rather than supply.� It is better to eradicate the scourge at its source.�
In 1995, the President of Haiti decided to dissolve the armed forces.� That led to the uncontrolled proliferation of small weapons.� The results of weapon handover programmes were rather modest.� However, there has been more progress lately, thanks to a Development for Disarmament project.� We are convinced that the eradication of the illicit trade can come about only with increased political will from governments, NGOs and civil society.�
MOHAMMED ABDULLAH ALDOURI (Iraq):� We believe that the framework of the Conference should be clear and based on Assembly resolution 54/54 V.� Any deviation from the mandate of the Conference –- the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons -- would have adverse effects on its outcome.� Therefore, we should avoid dealing with the legal production of such weapons, which is within the sovereign rights of States, and their legal possession.
Every State has the legal right to possess weapons to maintain sovereignty and defend itself, especially those countries exposed to aggression.� It is regrettable that this Organization has not put an end to the aggression perpetrated by the United States and the United Kingdom on Iraq.� This aggression by those two States is being without any Security Council authorization and using the most up-to-date weapons, including enriched uranium.� Hence, my country cannot but have its own weapons.� It is one of the first countries to regulate the legal ownership and possession of such weapons, in the form of licences issued by the competent authorities.� It has also adopted legislation on the acquisition of these weapons.
We believe that the final Conference document should reconfirm the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all States, principles enshrined in the Charter.� It should make reference to the right of self-determination for those people suffering from occupation and colonial domination.� It should also take into account different conditions in different regions.� The Conference should not deal with points falling outside its mandate.
VICTOR MORARU (Republic of Moldova):� We regret that agreement was not reached on substantive recommendations during the meetings of the Preparatory Committee.� Nevertheless, we believe that significant elements exist for a broad consensus on an effective programme of action.� We endorse the recommendations that deal with measures to increase transparency in arms transfers, appropriate and reliable marking of small arms and light weapons, and that reduce arms in hot spots by collecting and destroying them.
One way to combat the illegal production and circulation of small arms is to ensure effective national controls, through export regulation, border and customs mechanisms, as well as through enhanced information exchange and cooperation.� Unfortunately, not all governments have the capability to safeguard effective national controls, especially in countries confronted with internal conflicts.� In such countries, stocks are stolen for paramilitary use.� Such is the case for the Transdniestrian region of the Republic of Moldova, controlled by a separatist regime.� In this region, illegal production of different types of arms has been recorded.� These types of armaments have reached other conflict zones through third countries.
The withdrawal by the Russian Federation of its armaments, including small arms and light weapons, in accordance with the Istanbul Summit decisions, will enhance security and stability in the Transdniestrian region.� Currently, efforts are being made to secure the eastern border of the country.� As the process of negotiations on the future status of the Transdniestrian region advances, weapons collection and destruction projects will also be envisaged.� Assistance and support of the international community for these projects will be required.
PIERRE OBA, Minister of the Interior, Security and Administration of the Republic of Congo:� For a country like ours emerging from a long civil war, this Conference is a chance to highlight the dire implications of the unchecked proliferation and illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.� At the same time, we would stress that Africa is a particular locus of illegal small arms activity and, therefore, deserves the cooperation and assistance of the international community in its efforts to combat this scourge.
The recently established Central African Council for Peace will aim to deal with the illicit trade in small arms within the region.� It will stress cooperation mechanisms for security along borders and promote the strengthening of neighbourly relations with Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.� Pursuant to many subregional efforts, we support the recommendations of the Bamako Declaration.� We also support the draft programme of action before this Conference.
Recently, rebel armed factions have signed peace agreements negotiated by servicemen far away from politicians who wanted the conflicts to continue.� We have subsequently initiated efforts to demobilize militias, collect arms and organize a solemn ceremony for international peace and reconciliation.� All these efforts were carried out through enhanced national dialogue, which has led to the present phase of relaunching our democracy.� Efforts of the Government have made it possible to collect over 11,000 small arms and light weapons.� We have also initiated a joint project with the UNDP to continue gathering arms and to begin programmes for the reintegration of ex-militias.
We urgently appeal to the international community to help us establish long-term peace and security.� In a symbolic act, a bonfire of 800 collected weapons recently took place, and that brought the number of destroyed weapons to nearly 6,000.� We also commemorated 9 July as International Firearms Day, and we hope it will be celebrated each year.�
JEAN DELACROIX BAKONIARIVO (Madagascar): �When it adopted the resolution on the convening of this Conference, the international community showed it was aware of the danger of small arms and light weapons and of the damage they inflicted on society.� Madagascar is particularly concerned with the phenomenon of child soldiers.� As we lead up to the special session on children, this Conference has a vital role to play.� We must see to it that small arms and light weapons stop stealing the lives of young children.
Our leaders recognized in the Millennium Declaration that transparency was necessary to put an end to the illicit trade.� We support measures in the draft programme of action to increase transparency.� The programme reflects the spirit of the Bamako Declaration, which represented the common African position.� We hope that our ongoing consideration of the draft will take place in an environment of flexibility and compromise, so as not to upset the balance of the document.
Some elements of the illicit traffic can be traced back to the licit trade.� Madagascar favours establishing registers and a marking system to make it easier to identify where weapons come from in order to establish the responsibility of States.� We would also like to see more meaningful contributions by exporters and manufacturers.� The enormous loss of life caused by these weapons justify their classification as weapons of mass destruction.� Therefore, they deserve just as much attention as weapons of mass destruction.
MARIO ALEMAN (Ecuador):� The challenge presented by small arms and light weapons results from the uncontrolled proliferation of the sales of the weapons. The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons knows no borders, and the extraordinary gains to be derived from that trade are an incentive to elude the vigilance of national authorities.� It is tragic and shameful that the main victims of small arms are the most vulnerable segments of civil society, especially women and children.
The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons is, therefore, at the basis of social, economic and humanitarian problems, caused by internal strife and international conflicts and by the merciless activities of organized crime and terrorism.� To combat this, it is essential to adopt national, regional and international measures.
National efforts are fundamental.� Appropriate laws to control possession and trafficking in small arms should be supplemented by international efforts.� Strict control of the export, import and transfer of small arms and light weapons, restricting them exclusively to organizations authorized by the State, and required marking, are necessary.� Such systems would also highlight the illicit trade.� The globalization of crime requires international action, which should include the exchange of information.� My delegation believes that the draft programme of action should be preserved without further changes.�
EDUARDO J. SEVILLA SOMOZA (Nicaragua):� Among the myriad negative aspects of the illegal trade in small arms, we have chosen to give priority to the human drama that results from the use of those weapons -- the deaths of countless innocent civilians, most of whom are women and children.� Those who survive are often forced to live with major handicaps from injuries cause by anti-personnel landmines or other weapons.�
Illegal trafficking is often linked to other criminal activities that include the transfer of small arms as currency for drugs, mercenary actions or terrorist activities.� Such actions threaten the stability of all nations.� We reiterate our belief that the breadth of the problem binds the whole international community.� Without international cooperation, countries like ours will have only limited success in fulfilling the obligations arising from this Conference.� Elements that should be included in any agreements we reach here are the establishment of an entity to collect and destroy small arms and light weapons and the definition of new and more restrictive requirements for the import and sale of such weapons.
Education plays an important role in measures to control illicit arms.� Following years of civil war, Nicaragua has thousands of caches of firearms hidden throughout the country or still in the hands of rogue bandits.� To solve this problem, international aid was essential, and, with the aid of civil society, the Government has been able to implement a diverse programme of initiatives.� To fulfil the requirements of the action plan, we need to implement a series of measures that will be both practical and implementable.
JASSIM MOHAMMED BUALLAY (Bahrain):� The unchecked circulation and illicit trade in small arms and light weapons has become one of the main causes of conflicts and has led to the destabilization of security in many countries.� We hope that the final document adopted by this Conference will be a key element in efforts to stem the flow of such weapons and serve as a major step towards promoting other aspects of disarmament, namely, that of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.
We advocate measures that would prevent the flow of small arms and light weapons into conflict areas, where they frequently fall into the hands of rebel groups and insurgents.� Though we are free of the illicit small arms trade, we recognize the importance of working towards the adoption of concrete measures to control their flow to other regions.� In that regard, we would like to stress that the main deterrent to the illicit circulation of those arms is the political will of governments.� We would also urge that references to the rights of people living under colonial domination or of those living in occupied territories be restored to the programme of action we will be negotiating during the remainder of the Conference.
RAVAN FARHADI (Afghanistan):� For the past two decades, Afghanistan has continuously been a victim of foreign aggression.� At present, there is a close link between the extremist groups and drug barons of our Southern neighbour and the spread of small arms and light weapons in the region.� Afghanistan supports the idea of criminalizing the export or transfer of arms and ammunition to entities other than the governments of United Nations Member States, with the exception of those fighting for their independence.� Likewise, we emphasize the need to ban the re-export of small arms and light weapons to mercenary groups and armed gangs by a State that has previously imported these arms.� The Taliban are mercenaries of Pakistan.
The representative of Pakistan has alleged at this Conference that weapons stocks present in Afghanistan continue to fuel the internal conflict in that country.� In fact, Pakistan has continued, in defiance of the Security Council arms embargo against the Taliban, to provide them with arms, as evidenced by an article in Jane’s Defence Weekly of 30 May.� The Pakistani statement that “our society also continues to be threatened by the influx of arms from the troubled region” is pure demagoguery.� The Interservices Intelligence of Pakistan (ISI) is behind the Talibanization and proliferation of small arms and light weapons. Pakistan also serves as arms broker for the Taliban on the international market.
The Pakistani assertion that “unfortunately, the Security Council’s army embargo on Afghanistan targets only one group” clearly indicates that Pakistan is a major supporter of terrorism and international terrorism.� Council resolutions 1267 and 1333 are only aimed at combating terrorism and ask the Taliban to cease providing training and support to international terrorists.� Such illegal and criminal acts are attributed by the international community only to the Taliban and the occupied part of Afghanistan.� In conclusion, we support the programme of action and we expect that the adoption of a balanced text will be another step in
