Preparatory Committee for the

United Nations Conference on

 The Illicit Trade in Small Arms

 And Light Weapons in All Its Aspects

31^st Meeting (PM)

OVERWHELMING SUPPORT EXPRESSED IN SMALL ARMS COMMITTEE

FOR REVISED DRAFT CONFERENCE ACTION PLAN

The Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects this afternoon heard general comments from representatives of 22 Member States as it continued to consider its draft Programme of Action.

Speakers expressed overwhelming support for the revised draft, stating that it was an extremely good document that was comprehensive, balanced and pragmatic.  Others remarked that it had been made simpler and more straightforward and now reflected a multitude of views ranging from organizations to Member States.

China’s representative said that compared to the original text, the revised document was an improvement.  Its structure was clearer and it focused more closely on the themes of the conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons scheduled for 9 to 20 July in New York.  The current text also confirmed the mandates contained in the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly.

A number of speakers, however, stressed once more that the text should address the issues stipulated in its mandate –- the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.

Sri Lanka’s representative said that his country, as a democratic State, was facing internal armed threats and had to legitimately acquire small arms to defend itself from within.  Other States also had to defend themselves against internal armed aggression supplied through the illicit trade in light weapons.  That was one of his country’s concerns and it was one that should be reflected in the Programme of Action.  If that document failed to address such important issues, the Programme would have less meaning and relevance to affected countries.

There was also wide support from speakers for the participation of non-governmental organizations in the July conference.

Zambia’s representative said NGOs had assisted on the issue of small arms for a long time.  They had done a lot of research, assisted “our organizations”, and invested a lot.  Their participation was, therefore, welcome, because they could contribute positively.

While speakers noted that the draft provided a good a basis for fruitful discussion during this session and would help all parties to achieve consensus on small arms, many of them reminded the international community to not lose sight of its overall goal of general disarmament.

Jordan’s representative said it was necessary to examine the deep-seated causes of the illicit trade in small arms and the consequences of that trade.  It was important to note that the illegal trade was not the cause of conflicts but the result of them.  In that regard, many speakers advocated that the draft address the links between the illicit trade in arms and the root causes of conflict –- poverty and underdevelopment, particularly in Africa.

The representatives of Thailand, Russian Federation, Cameroon, Guatemala, Brazil, Mauritius (on behalf of the African Group), Egypt, Cuba, Bulgaria, Angola, Peru, Chad, Ukraine, Mali, Colombia, Kenya, Ghana, and Venezuela also made statements.

The Committee will meet again tomorrow at 10 a.m. to continue hearing general comments on the draft Programme of Action.

Background

The Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects met this afternoon to continue its general debate on the revised version of the programme of action for the July Conference.  (For background see Press Release DC/2756 of

16 March.)

Statements

KULKUMUT SINGHARA NA AYUDHAYA (Thailand) associated his country with the statement of Viet Nam on behalf of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).  The Committee, he said, needed to focus on what was achievable, recognizing and accepting the differences in situation, capability and priority of States and regions.  A spirit of compromise was necessary; the problem of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons was a common one for humanity. 

He believed that measures agreed to by consensus to reduce that trade would not impinge on the Charter rights of sovereign States. Rights, however, came with obligations and he hoped the programme of action emphasized full compliance with arms embargoes imposed by the Security Council, as well as the need to improve the effectiveness of such embargoes.  His country was, in particular, gravely concerned with the close links among terrorism, organized crime, the drug trade and the small arms problem, and it would take all necessary measures to eliminate those problems at the national level.  He hoped those efforts would link with regional and international approaches.  

In other areas, he supported the participation of non-governmental organizations in the Conference on the basis of current practice in United Nations disarmament conferences, and urged all concerned parties to resolve, creatively, the issue of the chairmanship of the Conference.

WU HAITAO (China) said the text before the Committee was an extremely good document and reflected the concerns of all sides in a comprehensive and balanced way.  As such, it would help all parties to achieve consensus on the programme of action.  Compared to the original text, the present one was obviously an improvement.  Its structure was clearer and it focused more closely on the themes of the Conference, while confirming the mandates contained in the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly.  The proposals put forward in the current document were practical, as well.

The draft took the Bamako Declaration into account he said, as well as the strengthening of international cooperation.  That was important to countries suffering from the illicit trade in small arms, particularly the African States. In future discussions and negotiations on the text, the Chairman, based on the views of all sides, could make partial and small revisions to the text.  It was not necessary, however, to make major changes to the overall structure and content of the text.  The document should also avoid decisions that were not in its mandate.

A.A. ORLOV (Russian Federation) said marking was a fundamental question for his country, which suffered great political and economic loss through the imitation and illegal production of Russian-type small arms and light weapons in many parts of the world.  The consideration of mutual recognition of national marking systems would be the most realistic step towards preventing illegal circulation.

Small arms deliveries to governments should be made only directly, or through properly authorized agents that had the right to procure such weapons on behalf of governments.  That would close many loopholes and prevent the transfer of the weapons from the legal trade to illegal proliferation.  Strengthened regional cooperation was also important in the fight against the illegal trade.  As for global measures to fight the illicit small arms trade, the United Nations should play the central role.  All States should seek to intensify cooperation and interaction with the United Nations, the International Police Organization (Interpol) and the World Customs Organization.

NGOH NGOH FERDINAND (Cameroon) said that he hoped that all of the important procedural questions regarding the Conference would soon be resolved.  He expressed satisfaction that the Committee was focused on the programme of action, the progress of which was a very hopeful sign in the struggle against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.  The document took into account the diversity of views presented, as well as such initiatives as the Bamako Declaration. 

He hoped that that the Committee, in its further work, would also take into account the Protocol that had been recently formulated in Vienna.  It was important to advocate the creation and adoption of a binding legal document related to the illicit trade in small weapons, so that an effective fight against the problem could be waged.  He supported a time frame for that adoption.  He also urged the inclusion, in the annex to the programme of action, a listing of the subregional conference on the proliferation small arms and light weapons that took place in Jemana, Chad in 1999 and was described by United Nations document A/54/513.  That report included useful recommendations on the implementation of measures to combat the problem. 

JOHN DE SARAM (Sri Lanka) said his country’s experience with small arms and light weapons had been at two levels.  First, as a victim of a massive illicit arms trade that supplied a rebellious group engaged in terrorism both domestically and overseas; and second, as a democratic State facing internal armed aggression, which had to legitimately acquire small arms and light weapons to defend itself from a terrorist group. 

He said it was noteworthy that a number of democratic Member States were required to defend themselves not against aggression of the inter-State kind, but rather against internal armed aggression massively funded and supplied through the illicit arms trade.  That was one of his country’s concerns and it was one, like so many others, that should be reflected in the programme of action.  If that document failed to address such important issues, the programme of action would have less meaning and less relevance to affected countries such as Sri Lanka.

He said there was a necessity to address in the draft the link among the illicit trade in small arms, drug and human smuggling, and money laundering.  The programme of action also needed to look at stopping access by terrorists and criminal organizations to small arms, ammunition and explosives.  It should also contain provisions to address strict export controls, the identifiable marking and traceability of weapons and explosives, as well as the diversion of licit arms to illicit channels.  International cooperation remained vital in addressing those issues and Sri Lanka as an “affected country”, looked to the Preparatory Committee and the July Conference to address those issues comprehensively.

LUIS RAUL ESTÉVEZ-LÓPEZ (Guatemala) said that the revised draft programme of action was a sound basis for negotiating a final document.  The preamble defined in a clear and succinct manner the nature of the problem, and was solidly based on principles of the United Nations Charter.  Section II delineated scenerios on three levels:  national, regional and international.  On the regional and global levels, the most noteworthy factor was the importance assigned to regional agreements and United Nations mechanisms.  The inclusion of international assistance in section III, and the realism of section IV were among other noteworthy achievements.

In the process of revision, he appealed to the other delegations to ensure that the guiding objective remained clear -- liberating people from the scourge of terror and destruction that was the result of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.  For that purpose, a sufficient dose of political will was necessary, and the participation of civil society organizations was essential. 

ANA MARIA SAMPAIO (Brazil) said that the revised draft programme of action was a basis for a serious substantive discussion.  Brazil had strongly favoured the adoption by the Conference of a political declaration that would serve to highlight the commitments of participating States in carrying out their responsibilities.  She agreed, though, to work with the document at hand, with the guidance of the Chairman.  In that work, a comprehensive and balanced approach needed to be taken, and a plurality of situations needed to be taken into account.  In addition, the responsibility of States was important in contributing to a solution.  The issue of sovereignty also had to be kept strongly in mind.  In no way should the measures being discussed hamper the defence capabilities of States, their rights to engage in legal international trade or to establish priorities in national spending programmes.

Yesterday’s briefings, she said, were useful, and she looked forward to listening to the statements of non-governmental organizations.  She wanted to ensure that the Preparatory Committee established modalities for their participation in the Conference commensurate with the importance of their contributions to the issue, and with the need to mobilize civil society and world public opinion as a whole.  In all other areas, the Committee, in its further work, must keep a pragmatic outlook, bearing in mind all the concerns expressed by participating States, including those that related to procedural issues.

ANUND PRIYAY NEEWOR (Mauritius), speaking on behalf of the African Group, said the Bamako Declaration recognized and endorsed the progress made at the national and regional levels in Africa in implementing action programmes to address the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.  It also recognized the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of States, their right to self-determination and their right to develop their own defences to preserve their own security.

He said resolving conflicts in Africa meant that it was essential to solve the problem of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in an integrated and effective manner.  African ministers had placed emphasis on legislative and institutional frameworks in Africa and stringent measures were adopted to effectively control the flow and circulation of light weapons.  Cooperation efforts would include States, regional organizations, international institutions and donors, the World Customs Organization and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa.

He added that the Bamako Declaration, which contained the common position of Africa, had been circulated as an official document of second session of the Preparatory Committee.

ISMAIL KHAIRAT (Egypt) said that the revised draft programme of action reflected most of the views of the second session of the Preparatory Committee and was a good basis for further negotiations.  He associated himself with the statement of the United Arab Emirates on behalf of the League of Arab States and that of Mauritius, speaking on behalf of the African Group.  Later on, he would be making more detailed comments on the draft programme of action.  For now, it was necessary to remember that the question under review concerned the illicit trade in the relevant weapons; the inclusion of issues that were not part of the Conference’s mandate could have a significant negative effect on the July Conference. 

In addition, he said, there was a need to make an addition to the preamble related to the roots of the problems that became exacerbated by, and encouraged, the illicit trade under discussion.  Those issues were clearly outlined at the Millennium Summit.  In part III, it was essential to emphasize the assistance needed to combat the problem.  Interpol should play an important role in implementation, as outlined in that section, as it was the most capable international entity to do so.  In other areas, the approach must be pragmatic, bearing in mind that the process was at its beginning, and not its end.

RAMEZ Z. GOUSSOUS (Jordan) said the draft programme of action reflected the views of his delegation and others.  That meant it provided a good basis for negotiations.  It was necessary, however, that the text confined itself to the mandate specified by the General Assembly –- the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.  He also reminded the international community to not lose sight of its overall goal of general disarmament.

He said it was necessary to examine the deep-seated causes of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and the consequences of that trade.  It was also important to note that the illegal trade was not the cause of conflicts, but the consequence or the result of them.  He emphasized the fact that his delegation would give all possible support to ensure the success of the Conference.  He hoped that results of the July Conference would meet general expectations and signify the beginning of the end of a complex problem.

RODOLFO ELISEO BENITEZ VERSÓN (Cuba) said that the revised version of the draft programme of action was an important step forward and a good basis for further work.  There were, however, improvements that had to be made.  Certain formulations contained in the document could prevent consensus among all delegations; others were outside the mandate of the Conference as described by the General Assembly resolution 54/54 V.  In addition, underlying factors were not clearly defined. 

Cuba, he said, was flexible on the matter of a separate political declaration, although it hoped discussion on one was forthcoming.  In the matter of the participation of non-governmental organizations, he supported it on the basis of the non-objection procedure.  He was also flexible about the possible need for a ministerial meeting, provided that arrangements were made far enough in advance to allow the broadest possible participation.  A decision also needed to be made about the chairmanship of the Conference.  Cuba supported Camillo Reyes of Colombia.  The President must be chosen with enough time to participate in the most in-depth possible consultations before the opening of the Conference.

GEORGI K. VASSILEV (Bulgaria) said he was confident that the concise, balanced and focused draft before the Committee would lead to the translation of political principles into an effective programme of action.  His country also wished to align itself to the statement made on behalf of the European Union yesterday by the representative of Sweden.

He said Bulgaria had also presented a paper outlining regional and subregional initiatives to address the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in South Eastern Europe.  Yet despite the great importance of such initiatives, he stressed that international cooperation was still very vital. The Committee, nevertheless, should take due note of the initiatives undertaken in his region under security issues.

JOSE PAULINO CUNHA DA SILVA (Angola) fully associated himself with the statement made by Namibia on behalf of the SADC and Mauritius on behalf of the African Group.  He lent his support to the regional initiatives taken to combat the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, and shared the views of many previous speakers that the draft programme of action was a good basis for further work.  A practical, achievable programme was needed.  Angola was flexible on the matter of a separate political declaration.  Taking into account the crucial contribution of civil society groups on the issue, he urged their widest possible participation in the Conference.

RAUL SALAZAR (Peru) said that the revised draft was precise, pragmatic, and available in a timely manner.  He urged that no major revisions be sought.  He particularly welcomed the links mentioned in the preamble among the illicit trade under discussion, crime and violence and the ensuing lack of progress in development.  Control of the illicit trade in weapons would help with all those problems.  He would have liked to see more direct mention of the legal trade in the preamble, but consideration of that problem seemed to have informed other parts of the action programme.  On other concerns, the participation of non-governmental organizations should be as broad as possible and additional, concrete effort on the demand side, as well as the supply side, of the illicit weapons trade should be emphasized.  Finally, he associated his statement with that of Cuba in support of Camillo Reyes of Colombia for the presidency of the upcoming Conference. 

FRANCIS NGULUBE (Zambia) said the draft text was a balanced one.  His delegation supported the strong message delivered on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African position.  The draft had been made simpler and more straightforward and now reflected a multitude of views ranging from organizations to Member States.  It would, therefore, provide a good a basis for fruitful discussion during this session.  Documents such as the Bamako Declaration would also help to create a comprehensive final programme of action to combat the illicit trade in small arms in all its aspects.

Addressing the participation of non-governmental organizations in the July Conference, he said those organizations had assisted on the issue for a long time.  They had done a lot of research, assisted “our organizations”, and invested a lot.  Their participation was, therefore, welcome, because they could contribute positively.

ISSA BOUKAR (Chad) said that while he was pleased with quality of the draft programme of action, he wanted to draw attention to an omission -- no mention had been made of initiative taken in his subregion.  His country had also organized a conference in its capital on 25 October 1999 on the proliferation of small arms.  All of the countries of the Central African region had taken part.

He said a Ministerial Conference of the United Nations Consultative Committee on Security in Central Africa had been held as well.  As a result of that Conference, methods to combat the illicit trade in small arms had been identified.  Turning to national efforts, he said various national measures had made it easy for Chad authorities to seize thousands of light weapons.

YURII POLUREZ (Ukraine) said, in commenting on the revised version of the programme of action, that, although the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons was the target of the Committee, the diversion of such weapons from the legal trade should be mentioned.  He would also highlight the unauthorized manufacture of such weapons, as well as the control of legal exporters and importers.  Among other areas of concern were international cooperation in such areas as policing, customs, information transparency and marking systems.  Information should also be exchanged on national legislation, and technical assistance should be provided for implementation.  He welcomed the participation of non-governmental organizations, following the current practice of related conferences.

NAKOUNTE DIAKITE (Mali), speaking on behalf of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), endorsed the statement made by Mauritius on behalf of the African Group.  He described some of the advances achieved on the subject by ECOWAS, as well as the Bamako Declaration.  In conformity with it, he could not help but welcome the new version of the programme of action.  It was both ambitious and realistic.  The challenge was to devise good coordination on the subregional, regional and international levels.  The document of the Committee thus espoused the Bamako Declaration, which was a common African position. 

He hoped the July Conference would come up with practical mechanisms to stem the trafficking in small arms and light weapons.  In that effort, ECOWAS urged that a due look be taken at the legal trade in the relevant weapons, since illicit arms were those which had been diverted from that licit trade.  Legal weapons needed to be kept track of from their manufacture to their final, legal destinations.  That was the responsibility of the producing nations.  It was high time to seriously counter the scourge.  In Africa, the civil population suffered greatly from it.  A true consensus must be forged at the Conference to combat it.

GRACIELA URIBE DE LOZANO (Colombia) said the document reflected a delicate balance of the various points of view on the measures to address the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons.  Based on their realities, each country had different views -- some were producers of such weapons, others were transit States for shipments and still others were victims of the illegal operations and the illicit weapons.  

She went on to say that the victims, however, were faced with the reality that their daily equilibrium and socio-economic stability were being upset.  The programme of action, therefore, needed to focus on such issues.  It also needed to halt the easy access to small arms by those who intended to use them for illegal purposes.

PHILIP OWADE (Kenya), pointing out that illicit small arms had threatened legitimate governments, especially in Africa, said it was for that reason that Kenya had convened the Nairobi Conference for the countries of the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes subregions.  Kenya's Minister for Foreign Affairs would address the Preparatory Committee on Friday.

Supporting the draft, he called for a closer and stronger link between demand and supply.  Improving social-political life, human rights and human security on the one hand, and on the other stringent licensing for manufacturers, brokers, shippers and transporters, as well as marking and unambiguous record keeping, would mutually enrich that endeavour.

The importance of marking could not be overstated in the effort to promote accountability and effective tracing, he said.  Equally, Kenya would also like to see a strong link between the July Conference and follow-up programmes to deal effectively with the problem in a holistic way.  The Conference must come up with an effective follow-up mechanism to implement the agreed programme.

Noting that the draft provided for international assistance, he said that the measures envisaged in it, including capacity-building, tracing, destruction, effecting decommissioning, demobilization and reintegration programmes for former combatants required heavy investment.  That could not be achieved without a coherent and sustainable funding mechanism.  Strengthening item III in the draft would provide sufficient impetus for implementation.

YAW ODEI OSEI (Ghana) said that the revised programme of action was a good basis for further work.  He would like, however, to have the impact of such weapons on the condition of small children better reflected in the document, as well as the Conference itself linked with the September special session on children.

WILMER MÉNDEZ (Venezuela), praising the revised version of the programme of action, associated himself with the statement by Cuba supporting the candidacy of Camillo Reyes of Colombia for the presidency of the Conference. 

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