Preparatory Committee for the

United Nations Conference on

 The Illicit Trade in Small Arms

 And Light Weapons in All Its Aspects

21^st Meeting (AM)

SMALL ARMS PREPARATORY COMMITTEE CONSIDERS ELEMENTS OF POSSIBLE

CONFERENCE DECLARATION AND ACTION PLAN

“We should consider the art of the possible here”, the United States representative told the Preparatory Committee for the upcoming Conference on the illicit small arms trade, as it held a discussion on the elements for a political declaration, including whether to submit to the Conference a separate document or incorporate the political commitments into a single action plan.

As members continued to hammer out draft final documents for the July Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, several delegations, including South Africa, Canada and the European Union, echoed the position of the United States that one comprehensive document that was both practical and political would best serve the Conference. The Committee will meet for a third time prior to the disarmament Conference, from 19 to 30 March.

Speaking on behalf of the European Union, the representative of Sweden proposed that members concentrate on making progress on the action plan and preamble, rather than attempting to draft two sets of final documents.  The best way of dealing with the proposed draft objective of the Conference was to merge it with the action programme.  In that context, the outcome of the Conference should be politically binding and the action programme would be underpinned by the principles and objectives contained in the preamble.

The observer of Switzerland to the United Nations urged that the main goal of the 2001 Conference should be the adoption of an action plan that raised awareness, mobilized political will, and drew a road map for future coordinated and comprehensive action.  A political declaration would also be a welcome outcome, either as a separate paper or as part of the preambular portion of the action plan.  If a separate position was formulated, it should include, among other things, recognition of the urgent needs of affected States.

      The representative of Japan, indicating his flexibility concerning whether or not there should be a separate political declaration, nevertheless introduced a proposed political declaration which could be part of the preamble to the draft action plan.  It states a determination to alleviate the plight of populations in regions of the world besieged by armed conflicts and criminality which were fueled by illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. 

Another written proposal was circulated by the Canadian delegation, although its representative expressed his preference for a single strong action plan.  If a separate document were agreed, however, his “wish list” included the following:  a broad overarching declaration stating that the excessive transfer and accumulation of small arms had posed a serious international threat requiring national, regional, subregional and collective action; recognition of the devastating consequences for stability and development; and acknowledgement that the problem had contributed to the intensity and duration of most of the recent armed conflicts.

Several delegations from the Middle East region emphasized the need for a separate political declaration, but indicated their flexibility.  The representative of Jordan, speaking on behalf of the League of Arab States, said that if agreement was reached to formulate a political declaration, the League would wish, among other things:  to affirm respect for international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter; and affirm also the need to join together in international efforts to deal with the root causes of the conflict.

Summing up the morning’s debate, the Chairman, Carlos Dos Santos (Mozambique), said that some form of political commitment should emerge. Although delegations had expressed a variety of viewpoints, the Committee had made significant progress and, hopefully, today’s debate had highlighted some of the necessary elements for a political declaration.  The importance of a political statement had been acknowledged; only its form needed to be decided.  He proposed that the issue be taken up at a later date.

Also today, the Chairman announced that the Secretary-General had decided to nominate Joao Honwana, Chief of the Conventional Arms Branch of the Department of Disarmament Affairs, and Mohammed Sattar, Senior Political Affairs Officer of the Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conferences Services, respectively, as the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General of the disarmament Conference.

Statements were also made by the representative of Bahrain, Syria, Nigeria, Algeria, China, Colombia, Gabon, Egypt, Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, Guyana, South Africa, Russian Federation, India, Ghana and Israel.

The Preparatory Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today to continue its discussion of the substantive elements of the proposed draft programme of action.

Committee Work Programme

The Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects met this morning to consider elements for a political declaration.

According to its mandate, the Committee will recommend to the

2001 Conference final documents, which will include a programme of action that might contain a political declaration.

The Committee had before it a draft Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (document A/CONF.192/PC/L.4).  It contains a preamble, which some delegations had suggested might form the basis for a draft political declaration.  (For background, see Press Release DC/2736 of 9 January.)  Also before the Committee was a proposal by Japan on a political declaration for the United Nations Conference.

Before opening the floor for discussion the Chairman announced that the Secretary-General had decided to nominate Joao Honwana, Chief of the Conventional Arms Branch of the Department of Disarmament Affairs, and Mohammed Sattar, Senior Political Affairs Officer of the Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conferences Services, respectively as the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General of the 2001 Conference.

      Statements

SUNE DANIELSSON (Sweden) speaking on behalf of the European Union, said it was important to focus on an action programme and avoid exercises that might complicate that work.  The programme should include succinctly described political principles and also set out the Committee’s determination to take strong measures to combat the illicit proliferation of small arms.  The Conference should aim at measures which included the following:  export control and the creation of export criteria; measures to stimulate cooperation; stockpile management, both on the supply and demand sides, including assistance in capacity-building; and transparency measures. 

The Union was looking for a single document, he continued.  He proposed that the Committee concentrate on making progress on the action plan and preamble rather than on attempting to draft two sets of final documents.  The best way to deal with the proposed draft objective of the Conference was to merge it with the action programme.  The outcome of the Conference should be politically binding, and the action programme would be underpinned by the principles and objectives contained in the preamble.

MITSURO DONOWAKI (Japan) drew the Committee’s attention to his delegation’s proposal suggesting elements for inclusion in a possible political declaration.  His delegation was not insisting that there be an actual political declaration; such political recommendations and commitments could become a part of the preambular section of the draft programme of action.  In that regard, Japan’s recommendations were succinct, with emphasis on the main objectives for international action.  His delegation felt that the issue of the illicit trade in small arms should be addressed at the beginning of such a declaration.  It was also important to acknowledge that the problem of the illicit trade in small arms was closely linked to the problem of the destabilizing accumulation and availability of weapons.

“This is merely a skeleton”, he said, as he turned to highlight specific paragraphs of his delegation’s proposal.  Certain elements of his delegation’s proposal had been lifted from the outcome documents of several important United Nations conferences on issues concerning the proliferation of small arms, particularly the Bamako Declaration on small arms and light weapons.  Japan’s proposal shared that document’s grave concern about the adverse effects of the illicit arms trade on security and development, especially on women, refugees and children.  Several sections of the proposal were explicitly linked to specific recommendations in the draft programme of action, particularly its emphasis on the urgent need for coordinated and sustained efforts to combat the illicit arms trade.

DENIS CHOUINARD (Canada) said assembling a political declaration would be a challenging task without knowing the final components of the programme of action.  Obviously, there would be “web of links” between those two documents.  His delegation’s preferred approach was to support a strong preambular section of the programme of action that would reflect political commitments.  If the Committee decided that there was indeed a need for a political declaration, Canada would propose that such a declaration be short and focused and that it reflect commitments undertaken by governments.

He went on to say that, as with the Bamako Declaration, a political declaration could be integrated in the programme of action.  Such a political declaration could be easily understood by the general public and locate the programme of action within the broader geopolitical and socioeconomic context of the small arms problem.  His delegation stressed that key elements from the Bamako Declaration should be included in the political declaration.  Some of those elements were:  the recognition of the devastating consequences for the stability and development in many regions of the world; recognition of the human aspect of the proliferation and misuse of small arms; and recognition of the links that exist between excessive accumulations of small arms, protracted conflicts and cultures of violence.  The declaration should also stress a commitment for effective follow-up measures and support for international cooperation and assistance and capacity-building.   

JASSIM BUALLAY (Bahrain) said that the draft action programme was a comprehensive one, comprising all aspects of the issue, and political ramifications were at the very heart of the matter.  If asked why small arms and light weapons were being used, the answer might be that their licit use was conducted through the security apparatus of governments, but there was also illicit use in all kinds of conflicts.  It was important to adopt political decisions that would make it possible to work out the technical aspects of the struggle against the illicit arms trade. 

The Committee must see to it that the political issues be appropriately dealt with in the programme of action, he said.  It was up to the Chairman to decide how exactly to weave in those political aspects.  Either they would be an integral part of the proposed action plan, or a separate political declaration could be adopted.  Either way, if members did not make political decisions at all levels involving the illicit proliferation of such weapons, it would be “very tough” to prevent their continued use. 

If was essential to come to grips with the root causes of the use of such weapons, he went on.  The best way was to make a political decision.  He was ready to embrace any consensus that might emerge to elaborate the political issues that would “round out” and complement the technical ones, but he did not wish to give shorter shrift to political issues.  He would support a balanced approach, but the political issues must be worked into the main document that would be the basis for the Conference’s outcome.

RAMEZ GOUSSOUS (Jordan), speaking on behalf of the Arab League of States, said that if agreement was reached on the need for a political declaration, the League would propose the following:  affirmation at the beginning of any final declaration of the need to respect international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter, including respect for territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of Member States; the right to self-determination and to self-defence; and affirmation of the political will of States to defend the priorities of disarmament agreed at the 1978 Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly which had given absolute priority to disarmament involving nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.

He added that a political declaration should affirm that small arms and light weapons had limited capabilities and could not be relied upon in military operations.  Thus, their proliferation was not the root cause of the spread of conflict, but exacerbated it.  The document must also affirm the need to join together in international efforts to deal with the root causes of conflict and not merely with the instruments used.  It should affirm the need to promote international cooperation and control of the illicit arms trade and assist States in need.  Member States should be encouraged to accede to international Conventions on terrorism and organized crime.

In that regard, he said, the Arab delegations affirmed the distinction between terrorism, which must be condemned, and the “just struggle” of peoples striving for self-determination, in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions.  The declaration should affirm that efforts within framework of the current meeting and upcoming Conference should be confined to the Conference mandate as cited in General Assembly resolution 54/54 V.  Overall, the League sought to achieve an expression of the political will of the international community to fight against the illicit trade. 

FAYSSAL MEKDAD (Syria) said he supported the statement made by the representative of Jordan on behalf of League of Arab States.  He would submit the following points for consideration in a political declaration:  affirmation of the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter and the principles of international law; and reaffirmation that the fight of peoples to exercise the right to self-determination and end foreign occupation had included components of international law and the United Nations Charter and was supported globally through many forums.  The Conference should affirm also that it did not intend to change any of the disarmament priorities of the United Nations.  In that regard, the elimination of nuclear weapons was still the priority.

He said it was also important to affirm in the declaration that the illicit arms trade was not the direct cause, per se, of conflicts.  It was, therefore, necessary to deal with the root cause of modern problems, which derived from the legacy of colonization and occupation, poverty and backwardness, and the non-transfer of modern technology.  A declaration should also seek to mobilize global efforts to cope with the problem, while avoiding any use of double standards.  Consideration about whether to produce one document or issue a separate one was an important issue requiring more time.

SHOLA OGUNBANWO (Nigeria) said the outcome should be in one document containing both a political declaration and a programme of action.  He echoed other delegation’s opinion that the Bamako Declaration would indeed be an important document to guide the Committee’s work at creating a political declaration that could lead into a programme of action.  That Declaration was not the only document that could provide help, however.  He noted that the preamble to the Chairman’s draft programme of action was an important tool, as were the Millennium Declaration and proposals made by other delegations this morning.

SAAD MAANDI (Algeria) said he fully endorsed Jordan’s statement on behalf of the Arab League of States concerning the political declaration.  His delegation saw no problem with adopting a document that contained both a political declaration and a programme of action.  Whatever form the document took, there were several elements that it should highlight, including a firm commitment by States to tackle the problem of the illicit arms trade, the promotion of regional efforts, and the contribution of necessary financial assistance.

He added that a political declaration should highlight the links between the illicit arms trade and organized crime.  The Bamako Declaration was an excellent point of reference for creating all the final documents of the

2001 Conference.

WO HAITAO (China) said the Committee appeared divided as to whether there should be one final document or two.  His delegation had no preference as long as there was agreement on the content.  On the whole, a political declaration should not be long and should directly point out the essence of the problem of the proliferation of illicit small arms.  It should send a very clear message to the international community, particularly emphasizing the illegal trade in small arms, the cause of illegal trade and the consequences of such trade.  It should further highlight the need for respect for the principles of Charter by pointing out that all countries had the right to produce and transport small arms used for national defence.  It should stress the international community’s political commitment to combat the problem as well as activities already underway.

Such a document should also emphasize the importance of international cooperation and assistance in identifying the root problems of the proliferation of illicit small arms, he said.  It should further note that the problems caused by small arms trade affected different regions in different ways.  In that way, the future work of the international community could focus on the urgent needs of specific countries or regions.  Once identified, those countries would almost certainly reap the benefits of the outcome of the 2001 Conference.

CAMILO REYES (Colombia) said that presenting a clearly identifiable political statement was an extremely important part of the Committee’s work, whether it appeared as a separate document or was included in the programme of action.  A political declaration should be “striking and easily identifiable” as it must emphatically translate the political will of the international community to combat the scourge of the illicit trade in small arms.  A political declaration should underpin the overall programme of action.  The outcome of the Conference would be judged by the strength and comprehensive character of its political statement.

ALFRED MOUSSOTSI (Gabon) said the final documents should contain the principles of respect for the independence of countries, their sovereignty and territorial integrity.  A commitment by Member States to cooperate, in good faith and in a transparent way, should prevail in the setting up of a common fund for dealing with what had been called “a scourge”.  It was also important to “come to grips” with the underlying causes of the illicit trade, which had essentially “boiled down to poverty”.  For the elaboration of a political document, the pertinent elements of the Bamako Declaration should be considered, particularly the provision calling for limiting the arms trade to governments and States, themselves, and those which they authorized.  He favoured a separate political declaration to spell out clearly the commitments.

ISMAIL KHAIRAT (Egypt) said that the current political exchange of views would enhance the Committee’s work and contribute to the evolution of a position for dealing with issues to be included in any political declaration.  In that context, he associated himself with the statement made on behalf of the Arab League of States.  Rather than cite all of the issues to be addressed in any political declaration, he would refer to the Bamako Declaration, which had already elaborated a number of issues of great importance.  The General Assembly mandate should be strictly obeyed with regard to the Conference; all results should go “hand in hand” with it.

With respect to the question about whether there should be a separate political declaration or a document integrated into the preambular portion of the action plan, he reserved the right to raise that issue again after it had been fully explored, taking into account that the Conference outcome would be political and not merely “schematic” in nature.

ELIZABETH VERVILLE (United States) said that many delegations had stated that a political declaration or introductory part of the action plan should be succinct and brief.  At the same time, many were detailing all of the elements they wished to see in such a succinct statement.  One should consider the “art of the possible” here.  She agreed with those who felt the action plan was a comprehensive document and who questioned the need for yet another document.  She had wanted the product to be clear and defensible to those who read it.

Perhaps it might be wise, therefore, to concentrate on one document. 

She said there was certainly going to be a political declaration in the sense that there was general agreement that members were dealing with a political document, perhaps in two sections.  There was some wisdom in the notion that the Committee would be able to tell how strong to make the preamble or political declaration as an introduction once it had a better idea of where it was going to emerge in terms of the content of the action plan.  She agreed with the Colombian representative that members should strive to make the introduction as strong and clear as possible concerning the political will and determination to intensify efforts to address the problem.

ANNA MARIA SAMPAIO FERNANDES (Brazil) strongly supported the adoption of a political declaration.  Member States should make clear their efforts to combat the problem of the illicit small arms trade.  Moreover, United Nations conferences of a similar nature had consistently used a political declaration to convey a message to the international community.  To divert from that precedent would seriously undermine the outcome of the 2001 Conference.  As her delegation envisaged it, the political declaration should be separate from the programme of action.  It should be brief and consistent with the ideas contained in the preambular section of the programme action.

She said the Committee should take special care that the outcome of the Conference did not in any way undermine the rights of States.  A political declaration should also highlight the destabilizing nature of the small arms trade, as well as the need for a global balanced and non-discriminatory approach to the problem, which took into account regional and subregional specificities. It should also focus on the need to promote and strengthen all aspects of international cooperation and to ensure such cooperation benefited all regions and countries.  Crime prevention should also be considered an integral part of the efforts to stem the flow of illicit small arms.  The political declaration should also acknowledge the importance of the role of civil society in implementing the Conference outcome.

FERDINAND NGOH NGOH (Cameroon) said his delegation was flexible as to whether the outcome of the Conference would be presented as a single document or two separate documents.  What was important was the content.  The preamble of the programme of action, however, contained elements that would be helpful in drafting a comprehensive political statement.  The Bamako Declaration was another document that could guide the Committee’s work. 

He said that a political declaration should restate the need to abide by the principles of the United Nations Charter.  It should also emphasize the need for a comprehensive global approach to tackle the problem.  It should reaffirm the responsibility of States in the production, stockpiling and transfer of small arms.  The language of a political declaration should reflect the importance of international cooperation and the coordination of regional, national and subregional efforts to combat the illicit arms trade.  It should also reflect the need for follow-up mechanisms.

RODOLFO BENITEZ VERSON (Cuba) said his delegation’s clear-cut preference was for a political declaration adopted as a separate document.  The programme of action was seen as a practical document and adopting it alone might overemphasize the importance of technical matters surrounding the trade in illicit small arms.  A clear and concise political declaration would emphasize and reaffirm the will of the international community to come to grips with the illicit trade in small arms.

Along with a reflection of political will, such a declaration should also reaffirm commitment to the principles of the Charter, the role of the United Nations in preventing the proliferation of light weapons and the responsibility of the international community to exhaust all efforts to combat that problem.  His delegation would also be closely studying the statements made by other members during the debate.

KOREEN SIMON (Guyana) said a political declaration should be short, focused and highlight the consequences of the problems of national stability and development.  It should acknowledge a region’s specific nature, as well as the need to put in place follow-up mechanisms.  Concern should be expressed in the declaration about the close link between terrorism, organized crime, the drug trade and the illicit small arms trade.

STEFANO TOSCANO, the observer of Switzerland to the United Nations, said the main goal of the 2001 Conference should be the adoption of an action plan that raised awareness, mobilized political will and drew a road map for future coordinated and comprehensive action.  A political declaration would also be a welcome outcome of the Conference as a separate document or as part of the preambular portion of the action plan.

He said a political declaration could include the following five elements: a description of the problems and challenges; an acknowledgement of the urgent concerns and needs of affected countries; a reference to the basic principle upon which efforts should rest; a declaration of the global commitment to act and cooperate in the prevention and eradication of the illicit arms trade; and the adoption of a politically binding action plan.  If a decision was made to draft a separate document, it would be appropriate to take advantage of the action plan. 

JEAN P. DU PREEZ (South Africa) said the plan of action was the most important part of the work of the Conference.  That was the beginning of the process, to establish the road map for the international community on national, regional and global levels and to deal with related problems.  For that reason, the action plan and its preamble served as both a political and a practical document; it was an integrated one.  Consideration at present, therefore, of a political declaration which was separate from the action plan was premature.  The Committee should remain focused on the elements of a plan of action and its preamble.  He looked forward, meanwhile, to a more focused consideration of the action plan.

If a political declaration would form a platform for the action plan, it might be necessary at the end of the process to evolve such a document, he said. The elements for such a political declaration were already contained in the draft preamble of the action plan.  He would therefore encourage consideration of the preamble as it stood and, at later stage, consider extracting the necessary elements for a political declaration.  The preamble, as linked to the plan of action, should, first and foremost, state the problem, as well as the overriding principles that guide the Committee’s work, such as the basic norms of international law and those principles enshrined in the Charter, especially in Article 51. 

The preamble should also declare that responsibility for dealing with the problem rested with governments, but that the international community as a whole, as well civil society, were important.  Efforts undertaken at the regional, subregional, national and local levels should be recognized, as well as ongoing efforts in the context of the United Nations and other international bodies.  It should be stated clearly that a comprehensive approach was required to deal with the issue and to successfully address related problems.  The preamble should also include elements contained in the proposal on a draft objective for the Conference.   

A. A. ORLOV (Russian Federation) said the issue of whether the political declaration would be a separate document or be included in a broad preamble was a serious one.  The nature of the two documents was very different, and, therefore, the political declaration could not be an appendage of the programme of action.  It should be a separate, politically binding document, clearly delineating the commitments of States to eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.  In principle, his delegation was ready to consider both alternatives, but felt that a general understanding needed to be reached as to the content of such documents as soon as possible.

J. S. MUKUL (India) said the elements of a political declaration, either as part of the programme of action or as a separate document, should be clear, concise and focused.  The declaration should reflect political will and international commitment to prevent illicit trade in small arms.  While reaffirming the need for legal small arms transfers, it should also emphasize the need for international action to adequately address illegal arms trade, such as terrorist-related activity and other organized criminal activity.

YAW O. OSEI (Ghana) said the political declaration should be concise and straightforward.  It should be structured in four paragraphs, addressing the “what, why, who and how” of the international community’s political commitments to combat the illicit arms trade.  There should also be a clear statement of the commitment of States to implement the programme of action.  He echoed other delegations in recommending the Bamako Declaration as a starting point for the Committee’s deliberations on this issue.

MEIR ITZCHAKI (Israel) said the Committee should focus on creating a comprehensive programme of action rather than drafting a separate political declaration.  His delegation was flexible however, and would agree with the Committee’s recommendations.  Whatever the document’s final form, it should be brief and focused.  It should also avoid addressing issues that were being discussed in other United Nations fora.

Following the Committee’s exchange of views, the CHAIRMAN said a political commitment should come out of the 2001 Conference.  Although there were opposing views, he believed that the Committee had made considerable progress in discussing the draft programme of action.  He felt that the Committee should continue with the process and hoped that continued discussions would provide the necessary elements for a political declaration.  Today’s discussion would be helpful when the Committee finally came to a decision as to whether to adopt a political statement as a separate document of as part of the programme of action. 

Since the importance of a political statement had been recogonized and now only its form needed to be decided, he proposed that the Committee take up the issue of a political declaration at a later date and he proposed that the Committee continue its discussion of the draft programme of action at its afternoon meeting.

* *** *