THIRD SESSION OF GROUP OF GOVERNMENTAL EXPERTS ON TRACING

ILLICIT SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS BEGINS WORK

NEW YORK, 2 June (UN Department for Disarmament Affairs) -- The third and last session of the Group of Governmental Experts on Tracing Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons commenced today at United Nations Headquarters in New York, under the chairmanship of Ambassador Rakesh Sood, Permanent Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament.

The Group, consisting of representatives of 23 States, was set up pursuant to paragraph 10 of resolution 56/24 V adopted at the fifty-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly.  That resolution requests the Secretary-General to undertake a United Nations study, with the assistance of governmental experts appointed by him, while seeking the views of States, to examine the feasibility of developing an international instrument to enable States to identify and trace, in a timely and reliable manner, illicit small arms and light weapons.  The study shall be submitted to the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session.

The previous sessions of the Group were held in Geneva, respectively from 1 to 5 July 2002 and from 24 to 28 March 2003.

* *** *