Preparatory Committee for the

United Nations Conference on

 The Illicit Trade in Small Arms

 And Light Weapons in All Its Aspects

32^nd Meeting (AM)

PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR JULY CONFERENCE ON ILLICIT SMALL ARMS TRADE

REVIEWS PREAMBLE TO PROPOSED DRAFT ACTION PROGRAMME

The Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons continued its preparations for the Conference this morning, with speakers making paragraph-by-paragraph comments on the preamble to the Conference’s draft programme of action, as well as general comments on the text as a whole.

The Conference, which will be held at Headquarters from 9 to 20 July, will be the first major international meeting on the issue.  The Preparatory Committee was established at the General Assembly’s fifty-fourth session to recommend draft final documents for the Conference and decide certain procedural issues.  Earlier preparatory sessions were held in early February 2000 and January 2001.  For this final session, the Committee began discussions with a revised Chairman’s working paper on the draft programme of action (A/CONF.192/PC/L.4/Rev.1).  (For complete background see Press Release DC/2756 of 16 March.)

Many delegations this morning stated that the preamble was a good basis for productive work and stressed avoiding any serious or major changes to it.  Others stressed that the goal was to achieve a realizable compromise.  Among the issues highlighted were:  human rights abuses; the links between the small arms trade and other illicit activities, including drug and diamond smuggling; the humanitarian impact of the arms trade; and the connection between the arms trade and the root causes of conflict.

Sweden's representative, on behalf of the European Union and associated States, proposed changes to paragraphs that addressed a number of issues, including:  the exacerbation of violence and human rights abuses by small arms; the right of States to manufacture, import, export and hold small arms; the responsibility of governments to prevent and reduce accumulations of light weapons; the international community's duty to deal with the illicit trade; and the links between small arms and terrorism, organized crime and the illegal drug trade. 

Reiterating the latter recommendation by the European Union, Sierra Leone's representative recommended that the illegal diamond trade also be added to the illicit activities linked to small arms and light weapons proliferation.  The representatives of Ghana, Mauritius, and Madagascar raised that point as well.

Canada's representative said that the human dimension of the small arms problem was not adequately reflected in the preamble.  Important elements on human security were missing.  The negative consequences should be emphasized, particularly as they related innocent civilians.  He proposed amendments that would restore and strengthen that emphasis.  Japan's representative reiterated that point and called for an additional paragraph that noted the plight of populations besieged by criminality and conflicts.  

Norway's representative said the content of the preambular section could be improved, rather than changed.  The negative impact of small arms proliferation on health should be mentioned as well.  The draft should also urge the signing and ratification of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, which is designed to supplement the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.

Pakistan's representative said that the link between the causes of conflicts and the illicit trade in light weapons needed to be added to the preamble.  Closely akin to that, Syria's representative said that there should be a paragraph in the preamble describing the root causes of conflict.

India's representative said the phrase "excessive accumulation", had been used all over the text in different ways, which led to ambiguity.  Its meaning and use must be standardized and consensus reached on the language.  Nepal's representative said an element on the promotion of a culture of peace, which had been introduced by his delegation, was missing from the preamble.  That element was relevant and should be mentioned.  Uganda's representative said the negative effect of small arms on women's development was also an issue that should be addressed by the preamble.

Cuba's representative expressed concern about the way the meeting had been developing.  While many delegations had presented specific proposals that could be accommodated, others had put forward suggestions in the "guise of proposals" that could lead to interminable negotiations.  His country disassociated itself from such recommendations.  There was limited time and an urgent need to strike a balance.

Cuba's point was supported by the representatives of Lesotho and Colombia, the latter cautioning against the introduction of "controversial proposals".  The representative of the United States also agreed with those who had warned against over-burdening the document with too many issues.  The final document needed to be strong, effective and well-focused, he stressed.

The representative of the Russian Federation said the text must be juridically perfect and as clear as possible.  He suggested that that various paragraphs be merged into one that enumerated the principles of international relations in the language of the Charter.

The representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) urged the international community to include consideration of the humanitarian costs of the small arms problem in the preamble.  He also urged the Committee to

reflect States' commitment to international humanitarian law, including a stronger text on respect for that legal regime.

The representatives of China, Lesotho, United Republic of Tanzania, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Israel, Indonesia, South Africa, Thailand, Algeria and the Republic of Korea also spoke, as did the Observer of Switzerland.

The Committee will meet again at a date to be announced.

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