In progress at UNHQ

DC/2764

PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR CONFERENCE ON ILLICIT ARMS TRADE DECIDES ON WORK PROGRAMME FOR SECOND WEEK

23/03/2001
Press Release
DC/2764


Preparatory Committee for the

United Nations Conference on

 The Illicit Trade in Small Arms

 And Light Weapons in All Its Aspects

35th Meeting (PM)


PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR CONFERENCE ON ILLICIT ARMS TRADE


DECIDES ON WORK PROGRAMME FOR SECOND WEEK


The Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects continued its preparations for the Conference this afternoon by approving its programme of work for next week.  The Committee will conclude its work on 30 March.


According to proposal put forward by the Chair, Carlos dos Santos (Mozambique) and approved by the Committee, delegations would listen to proposals on sections 2, 3 and 4 of the draft programme of action on Monday, 26 March, in an open meeting in the morning.  The Committee would then hold closed consultations during that afternoon, as well as Tuesday, 27 March, and Wednesday, 28 March.  On Thursday, 29 March, the Committee will meet in open format to take up outstanding issues while the Secretariat prepares the report of the current session.  That report would be taken up on Friday, 30 March.


The Conference, which will be held at Headquarters from 9 to 20 July, will be the first major international meeting on the issue.  The 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, discussions began 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.)


The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. Monday, 26 March, to continue its preparations for the Conference.


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For information media. Not an official record.