Fifty-ninth General Assembly

First Committee

13^th Meeting (AM)

Mine ban convention, illicit trade in small arms, among ISSUES

in Disarmament Committee thematic debate

 

Landmines were among the “most inhumane weapons devised by man”, if not killing their victims, maiming them and thus depriving them of their livelihoods and leaving them destitute, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) was told this morning, as it continued its thematic debate.

In that context, the representative of Kenya reminded delegates that his country would be hosting the first review conference for the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Ottawa Convention), next month.

Expressing hope that the conference would recommit parties to halt the production on landmines and mobilize resources to help affected countries, he said the conference should also help Africa play a leading role in tackling the scourge, given its status as the world’s most mine-affected continent.  Lamenting that the Convention was still not universal, he stressed that only through the total elimination of mines could the menace they posed be obliterated.

Agreeing with the Kenyan representative’s desire for the elimination of landmines, the speaker from Afghanistan saidmines and unexploded ordinance killed or maimed 10 to 12 people every day in his country.  Although the majority of mines had been planted indiscriminately throughout most of his country by Soviet or pro-Soviet forces, they affected everyone, by obstructing economic development, reconstruction and repatriation programmes.  Thus, their eradication was crucial for the emergence of an economically sound and politically stable Afghanistan.

Not all delegates called for the complete elimination of anti-personnel mines, however.  The representative of Israel, for example, said that, although his country shared the humanitarian objectives of the Ottawa Convention, it could not commit to a total ban on mines, because of the continued threat of terrorism. Israel was, however, engaging in a unilateral moratorium on the production and export of landmines.

Similarly, the speaker from India, acknowledging that mines sometimes played an important role in States’ self-defence strategies, especially when defending long land borders in inhospitable terrain, said any elimination of mines should be accompanied by the availability of efficient, non-lethal and cost-effective alternatives.  He added that he would support a non-discriminatory, universal ban on landmines, but only if it took into account States’ legitimate self-defence concerns.

Many speakers addressed small arms and light weapons in today’s debate as well.  The representative of Djibouti, for example, said such weapons were often available at low prices on the black market, especially in Africa.Promoting a vicious circle, they diminished security, which in turn created more demand for them.  She also noted that they exacerbated and prolonged conflicts and had forced a whole generation of children to grow up in a culture of violence.  Voicing support for negotiations on an international instrument to mark and trace such arms, she expressed the conviction that even more such instruments were needed.

Also speaking in the thematic debate were the representatives of Brazil, on behalf of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), France, Norway, New Zealand, Senegal, Canada, Congo, United States, Nigeria, Guyana, Austria, Australia, Romania, South Africa, Japan, Republic of Korea, Turkey, Moldova and Belarus.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. Friday, 22 October, to continue its thematic debate.

Background

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met this morning to continue its thematic debate.  (For background, see Press Releases GA/DIS/3271 and 3272.)

Statements

SALAHUDDIN RABBANI (Afghanistan) said that millions of small arms and light weapons in circulation posed the greatest threat to stability and economic and social development in his country.  There was unanimous agreement among the Transitional Government, the United Nations and the international community that the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants must take place in order for peace to take hold.  For disarmament efforts to succeed in post-conflict societies, they should be carried out in conjunction with reconciliation efforts, in order to build trust and confidence.  In addition to such efforts, the consistent and continued support and assistance of the international community was crucial for the success of the programme in his country.  He thanked the government of Japan, the lead nation in the efforts in Afghanistan, for its valuable and generous support.

He expressed his country’s support for the implementation of the Programme of Action to eradicate the illicit trade in small arms.  His country believed that the Programme of Action was an important step toward curbing the excessive accumulation and illicit proliferation of such arms.

He added that the second challenge that post-conflict Afghanistan confronted today was the presence of large amounts of landmines and unexploded ordinance, which killed or maimed 10 to 12 people each day.  Although all sides involved in the armed conflict had planted landmines during the war, the majority had been planted indiscriminately over most of the country by former Soviet forces and the pro-Soviet Afghan Government during the Soviet occupation of the country.  The presence of the landmines obstructed economic development, reconstruction and repatriation of refugees.  Their elimination was crucial for the emergence of an economically sound and politically stable Afghanistan.

ALON BAR (Israel) said that conventional arms deserved particular attention, because they had caused tremendous civilian casualties throughout the history of human warfare.  At the same time, however, he pointed out that weapons did not kill people; people did.  Thus, it was only when extensive armaments were combined with hostile intentions did genuine problems arise.  Declaring that States bore the primary responsibility for ensuring that no weapons were illicitly transferred from their territories, he stated that they should practice arms control and restraint.  Nevertheless, he also added that conventional weapons often formed a legitimate response by States whose territory and people were being threatened.

Regarding confidence-building measures, he said they should be mutually agreed upon, take into account the specific characteristics of each region, and not be imposed by outsiders.  One such measure was the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms.  For its part, his country had reported annually to the Register, despite the lack of trust between the countries of his region.  Lamenting that there had been no increase in the participation of Middle Eastern States in the instrument, he expressed the hope that such countries would change their stances and join.

On landmines, he said cooperative initiatives in the areas of mine clearance, awareness, and victim rehabilitation, were important.  Nevertheless, unilateral actions could also be helpful.  That was why his country had ceased all production of landmines and declared a moratorium on exports.  Unfortunately, however, although Israel shared the humanitarian objectives of the Ottawa Convention, it could not commit to a total ban on mines, because of the continued threat of terrorism.  With respect to terrorism in general, he called on his country’s neighbours to stop supporting its perpetrators.

CARLOS PARANHOS (Brazil), speaking on behalf of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) told delegates that, every minute, someone in the world died from the use of a small arm or light weapon.  That was why he took the issue very seriously, and why his subregion was engaged in regional and international efforts to combat the illicit trade in such weapons.  Noting that the proliferation of such arms negatively affected peace and stability in many areas of the world, he said the international community needed an international, legally binding instrument on marking and tracing.  In the meantime, his subregion would continue to work within the framework of an inter-American convention to promote cooperation in the fight against the illicit trade, and continue to make national efforts to destroy arsenals.

He informed delegations that MERCOSUR had established a working group, which had been identifying compatible national legislation and establishing a joint subregional registry to help monitor the movement of registered weapons and exchange information.  In promoting awareness about the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons, MERCOSUR States were cooperating with non-governmental organizations, which had formed their own subregional network, he added.  Noting that his subregion had been successful in some areas, he, nevertheless, acknowledged that the magnitude of the problem was astounding.  After all, the threat did not respect borders and affected the most vulnerable people.  Because the problem faced all countries, States had to work together to find a common solution, he added.

Regarding landmines, he said the Organization of American States (OAS) had issued a declaration to promote the Western Hemisphere as an area free of such weapons.  Additionally, all countries in the subregion had been destroying their stockpiles, and their armed forces had been helping other countries from outside the subregion to carry out demining efforts.  Stating that the effects of anti-personnel mines extended far beyond the time frame of the conflicts for which they were used, he lamented that, although over 30 million mines had already been destroyed, more than 250 million still existed.

FRANCOIS RIVASSEAU (France) said that the international community had recorded substantial progress in the area of conventional arms, in particular small arms and light weapons.  His country had supported and backed all negotiations on that subject.  It was important to emphasize the significance of the negotiations that were under way with regard to the marking and tracing of small arms and light weapons.  The international community could not rest on its laurels.  Despite the outstanding progress that had been made, a great deal remained to be done.  New challenges were emerging.  The accumulation of certain types of weapons and their illegal trafficking, as well as the risk of their acquisition for destabilization or for terrorist acts must be a source of major concern.  All cooperative actions at the national, regional and international levels to address that problem must be welcomed.

Another issue that deserved intensive discussion at the General Assembly was the excess stockpiling of conventional weapons.  In the European space, an increase in requests for assistance by countries confronted by that problem had been noted.  The accumulated stock, often stockpiled over many years, was often dangerous, obsolete and kept without adequate security.  Such weapons could endanger the environment and could be diverted to non-State actors.

ROLF WILLY HANSEN (Norway) said that his country believed that the issue of conventional weapons must be dealt with through multilateral fora and with collective responsibility.  Norway supported the work of the open-ended working group on the marking and tracing of small arms and light weapons and hoped for a successful outcome of the negotiations leading to a legally binding instrument. His country also believed that illegal brokering of small arms was a source of concern that needed to be legislated and that regional organizations had an important role to play in helping to end it.  It was necessary to examine whether there was a need for an international agreement on the question of illegal brokering of small arms and light weapons.  Norway hoped that agreement could soon be reached on starting such work.  There also needed to be a system for confirming the end-users of small arms.

On the issue of man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), he said that their easy availability and their portability made them ideal for terrorists and non-State actors.  Their illegal availability, therefore, continued to be a threat to peace and security.  Turning to the Ottawa Convention, he said that it had been a success. However, landmines still remained a threat to the lives of people in all regions of the world.  The progress that had been achieved through the Convention showed that it was possible to rid the world of that threat.  The upcoming review conference of the Convention should, therefore, be used to commit to finishing the job and to decide how to address the remaining challenges.

CAROLINE MCDONALD (New Zealand) said that while weapons of mass destruction dominated today’s headlines, the international community should not be distracted from the deaths and destruction caused everyday by small arms and light weapons. Because of the specific problems posed by small arms, her country had been working tirelessly to advance international humanitarian law and stop the illicit trade in such weapons.  Although her Government had been focusing on the Pacific region, she had become increasingly aware of the need for an international instrument on small arms and light weapons and in that context, she voiced support for Oxfam’s efforts to promote a global arms-trade treaty. Such an instrument would make it more difficult for countries that had violated humanitarian law to buy weapons. Regarding the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, she lauded its fifth protocol, by which parties to a conflict had to take responsibility for the weapons they deployed and for the protection of victims.

CHEIKH NIANG (Senegal) said that in the last decade, eight million firearms, half of which were destined for criminal activities, had killed three million people, including two million children, and had resulted in five million displaced persons in the West Africa subregion.  In addition, there had been a rise in the activities of mercenaries and a breakdown of the social and political fabric, with the attendant impoverishment of large sections of the population.  However, in the last few months, this apocalyptic picture had begun to be replaced by hope, as several countries of the subregion have begun to make progress toward the institutionalization of what Senegal hoped would be durable peace.  That normalization had been sustained by the strong effort of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), supported by the international community.

His government had been aware of the problem of small arms and light weapons since 1966 and had adopted a law on arms and ammunition aimed at ensuring strict control over the activities of arms dealers and other actors involved with such weapons.  The law provided for administrative and penal sanctions, including imprisonment.  The existence of that instrument partly explained the low level of illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons in his country.  In West Africa, the States, informed by the recurrence of murderous conflicts here and there, had the wisdom to seek to control trafficking of small arms and light weapons through the 1998 Moratorium on the Manufacture, Import and Export of Small Arms in all its aspects.  The results obtained had been encouraging.  Member States should give their support to the draft resolution sponsored by Mali on behalf of ECWOAS on assistance to States for preventing illicit trafficking in small arms.

EMILY NICHOLSON (Canada) said progress had been made in addressing the problems posed by small arms and light weapons, landmines, and other conventional weapons.  However, much remained to be done, especially given the fact that 300,000 people a year died from such weapons.  In addition to the devastating loss of life, there were also real financial and social costs involved.  For example, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons negatively affected the health and education sectors, destroyed communities, promoted gender-based violence, fuelled armed conflicts, and damaged peace building efforts.

Criticizing the role of brokers, who had undermined arms embargoes in such countries as Angola and Rwanda, she voiced support for a global instrument on marking and tracing.  However, her priority was to see real substantive progress made during the 2005 and 2006 meetings on the United Nations Programme of Action to combat the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.  Declaring that common principles on transfer controls should be developed, and that United Nations arms embargoes should be better enforced, she urged delegates to act “creatively and constructively” to meet common goals.

Regarding landmines, she said the first review conference of the Ottawa Convention, which would soon take place in Nairobi, would do much to focus attention on that scourge.  It would also hopefully promote a sprit of cooperation that would allow States to work together in destroying stockpiles, making the Convention universal, limiting the trade in mines, and rehabilitating victims.  Also expressing concern about unexploded ordnance, she hoped that the relevant protocol in the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons would help make progress in that area.  She also called on delegations to continue discussing munitions and how they could be prevented from becoming explosive remnants of war. In conclusion, she said that making people safer from armed violence must be the benchmark by which all global efforts were evaluated.

BONIFACE LEZONA (Congo) said the spread of small arms and light weapons had interfered with proper use of the land, thereby constituting a major impediment to development.  In addition, they had exacerbated the poverty affecting not just victims, but also victims’ families and communities.  Voicing support for the Ottawa Convention and African efforts to eradicate landmines, he noted that in 2003, with help from Canada, his country had organized a workshop to raise awareness of the Convention, and had destroyed 5,136 landmines, that had been in its military arsenal.  He also told delegates that an expert mission had been sent to evaluate a zone in his country where demining efforts were badly needed.  Before concluding, he stated that, because of his concerns over anti-personnel mines, his delegation had decided to co-sponsor the draft resolution on the Ottawa Convention (document A/C.1/59/L.40).

JACKIE SANDERS (United States) said that her country was pursuing negotiations for a ban on the sale and export of landmines at the Conference on Disarmament.  Its approach to the issue of landmines was a multifaceted one.  It also believed that the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons was well suited to address the issue of landmines.  It was, therefore, working with a group of governmental experts of the Convention parties on the issue.  The Conference on Disarmament was the appropriate forum for arms negotiations and was well suited to addressing the issue of landmines.  The ban on the sale and export of landmines being sought by her country would make no distinctions and would cover areas not addressed in the Ottawa Convention.  In that regard, it would not detract from the Ottawa convention.  Her country hoped that its negotiating partners would agree to such a ban.

B.O. OWOSENI (Nigeria) said that the consequences of illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons were particularly serious in African countries.  It had resulted in the destruction of social and economic infrastructure and had fuelled conflicts.  As conflicts got prolonged, the need for weapons also grew. Those weapons were the weapons of choice in most conflicts in Africa.  Their proliferation had also hindered international humanitarian efforts.  His country hoped for the early implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action on those weapons.  The Bamako African Declaration contained Africa’s position on the issue of small arms and light weapons.  That Declaration was as valid today as when it was adopted.

He said that the greatest difficulty in Africa was easy accessibility of small arms and light weapons to non-state actors.  The suppliers and producers of those weapons should limit sale to governments and to entities that were properly licensed.  The failure of the international community to hold the producers and suppliers to account was responsible for the high level of illicit trafficking in Africa.  Control of the sale of those weapons from source was the best approach to checking illicit trafficking.  Most African states in lacked the capacity to enforce within their own countries.

He said that many African countries had undertaken various initiatives at different levels to address the common challenge of the illicit arms trade.  Those efforts were made out of deep concern over the devastating effects of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons on peace and security and sustainable development on the continent.  Unfortunately, Africa had recorded little achievement in controlling the illicit trade in concrete terms since the United Nations Conference on the subject in 2001.  Rather, the continent had witnessed continued proliferation of those weapons resulting, in some cases, to greater problem of political instability and armed conflict.  The greatest difficulty encountered by African countries was the lack of international cooperation particularly from arms suppliers and manufacturers who maintain the continued influx of small arms into the region.  There was need for the international community to seriously address that aspect.

In addressing the threat posed by illicit arms trafficking, there was a need for a cooperative relationship between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department for Disarmament Affairs, in other words, between the Security Council and the General Assembly, he went on.  While the Security Council had responsibility for peacekeeping operations and arms embargoes, as well as other political measures relating to countries in conflict, the Department for Disarmament Affairs was seized with practical disarmament measures, including responsibility for regional centres for peace and disarmament.  The two departments had an interest in weapons collection and destruction in post-conflict areas.  A greater integral approach involving the two departments was absolutely essential for success in post-conflict peace-building initiatives.

NADIRA MANGRAY (Guyana) said the many security threats that faced the world today -- including such diverse challenges as HIV/AIDS, the shipment of nuclear waste through the Caribbean, and transnational organized crime -- required a holistic and global response.  After all, many of the threats were linked to each other.  Focusing on the connection between illegal arms transfers, drug trafficking and terrorism, she expressed hope that the international instrument on the marking and tracing of small arms and light weapons, which was currently being negotiated, would help vulnerable countries, such as her own, to combat such threats.

Expanding upon that instrument, she said it would be made stronger if it took into account technical input from existing specialized United Nations bodies. Further, it should consider the links between disarmament and development, since many small States did not have the technical or financial capabilities to deal with the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.  Coming from a small country, she said she attached great importance to the maintenance of international peace and security.  That was why her Government had recently acceded to such treaties as the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Before concluding, she lauded the United Nations Regional Centres for Peace and Disarmament, saying that, given the valuable work they had conducted vis-à-vis landmines, they might be able to help combat the threats posed by small arms and light weapons as well.

FATHIA DJAMA OUDINE (Djibouti) said much progress had been made in controlling the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.  Nevertheless, the battle was far from being won.  Given the very high number of such weapons in global circulation, illegal trafficking posed a serious danger to civilians and a major destabilization force in all States.  Acknowledging that the trade itself might not be the primary cause of conflict, she, nevertheless, insisted that it still contributed to human suffering and the hampering of peace negotiations.

Noting that Africa was especially affected by the scourge, she said that small arms and light weapons were often available at low prices on the black market.  Promoting a vicious circle, the weapons diminished security, which in turn, created more demand for them, she explained.  She also noted that they exacerbated and prolonged conflicts and had forced a whole generation of children to grow up in a culture of violence.  Such factors had led her Government to co-sponsor the draft resolution on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (document A/C.1/59/L.43) and establish a national focal point in that area, she said.  Voicing support for negotiations on an international instrument on marking and tracing, she expressed the conviction that even more such instruments were needed to combat the scourge.

GERHARD PFANZELTER (Austria) said that anti-personnel mines were weapons that did not discriminate between combatants and innocent civilians.  They caused terrible human suffering long after the end of armed conflicts and constituted a serious impediment to post-conflict reconstruction and development.  Austria strongly urged those States that had so far remained outside the Ottawa Convention to re-evaluate their position and to join the growing broad consensus of the international community and accede to the Convention.

He noted that, during the past five years, there had been a lot of progress towards the implementation of the Convention’s humanitarian, development and disarmament objectives.  More than 37 million stockpiled mines had been destroyed, meaning that more than 126 states no longer possessed that weapon.  Trade in anti-personnel mines had virtually ceased and production, as well as use, of that weapon was markedly reduced.  However, anti-personnel mines continued to be used and to cause many thousands of new victims each year.  Universalization of the Convention remained a challenge.  The Nairobi Summit would be an opportunity to bring the landmines issue back into public consciousness; renew and reinforce political and resource commitments to successfully implement the Convention; reiterate the responsibility to clear mined areas and assist victims; establish a comprehensive and concrete plan of action for the next five years; and increase worldwide acceptance of the Convention.

GEOFFREY SHAW (Australia) said that his country had been an active player in supporting measures to curb the illicit small arms trade and had been working closely with regional partners to address the challenge of small arms proliferation in the Pacific region.  This year, it collaborated with Fiji, Japan and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific in holding a regional small, arms seminar focused on implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action and on the model weapons control legislation developed by the Pacific Islands Forum.  That seminar was an important step in a sustained effort by Australia to bring about better regulation and practices to deal with the most serious proliferation issue in the region.

He welcomed the considerable progress so far made in negotiations for an instrument on marking and tracing of small arms and light weapons and said that his country looked forward to the successful conclusion of those negotiations. Australia also recognised the importance of regulating the activities of arms brokers in order to combat the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. Commencement of negotiations on brokering would be an important international priority, once marking and tracing negotiations had been concluded.  On the Ottawa Convention, he said that his country welcomed the recent accession by Estonia and Papua New Guinea and looked forward to the forthcoming review conference as an opportunity to review progress over the past five years and to shape future directions for mine action.

LAZARUS AMAYO (Kenya) said landmines were among the “most inhumane weapons devised by man”.  After all, if they did not kill their victims, they maimed them, thus depriving them of their livelihoods and leaving them destitute.  In that context, he voiced support for the draft resolution on the Ottawa Convention (document A/C.1/59/L.40).  For its part, his country had played a major role in mine clearance efforts in the Horn of Africa, and would be hosting the first review conference for the Convention next month.  Noting that many countries had become parties to the instrument, he lamented that universalization had still not been achieved.  He also stated that only through the total elimination of mines could the menace they posed be obliterated.

Focusing on the review conference, he expressed hope that it would adopt a powerful declaration and action plan, which would recommit parties to halt the production on landmines and mobilize resources to help affected countries with mine clearance and victim rehabilitation.  He also said that he expected the conference to highlight Africa as the world’s most mine-affected continent and help Africa play a leading role in resolving the crisis.

DORU COSTEA (Romania) said his country had recently held a ceremony in which it had destroyed one million landmines  That destruction had taken place one year ahead of the deadline set out by the Ottawa Convention, he noted.  He also told delegates that the countries of his region, South-East Europe, had met to discuss challenges to, and methods of, implementation of the Convention.  Such regional cooperation could serve as an example to other regions still struggling to rid themselves of murderous legacies, he said.  Regarding the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, he told delegates that his country was working to ratify protocol V, on explosive remnants of war.  On small arms and light weapons, he voiced support for stronger export controls, agreements on brokering, and mechanisms on marking and tracing, and expressed hope that such topics could be agreed upon within the United Nations framework.

GLAUDINA MTSHALI (South Africa) said that the proliferation and excessive accumulation of small arms and light weapons continued to pose a threat to the security and stability of many nations, inhibit their development and undermine good governance.  The human suffering caused by those weapons needed to be addressed urgently, in a particular and action oriented manner.  Her country attached great importance to the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to eradicate the trade in small arms.

She believed that for a tracing instrument on illicit arms and light weapons to be effective and practical, it was important that its scope be as comprehensive in nature as possible and that it not be restricted to State-owned small arms and light weapons, but should extend to civilian-owned weapons of that nature.  The working group negotiating an instrument on that question should examine how it could include in such an instrument the issue of marking, record-keeping and tracing of ammunition and explosives, as it was widely accepted that those formed part of the problem associated with small arms and light weapons.

Much progress had been made in eradicating anti-personnel mines, she continued.  South Africa believed that the upcoming review conference of the Ottawa Convention should evaluate those achievements and also recognize the challenges during the next five years.  Critical to those challenges was the need for the international community to intensify efforts to mobilize resources to clear mined areas and to assist those that had become victims of that lethal weapon.

YOSHIKI MINE (Japan) said that his country hoped most states would reinforce the United Nations Programme of Action on small arms and would make efforts to strengthen national, regional and international action to tackle the problem.  As part of its effort, Japan had helped organise a recent seminar on small arms and light weapons for the South Pacific.  His country welcomed the convening of the working group on marking and tracing of small arms and light weapons.  It also welcomed the broad-based consultation by the Secretary-General to advance international cooperation in eradicating illicit brokering in small arms and light weapons.

He described the upcoming review conference of the Ottawa Convention in Nairobi as a watershed event and said that it should review the major progress that had been made and identify the challenges to the implementation of the Convention in the years to come.  The crucial task before the conference was to promote the universality of the Convention.  Japan had actively directed its energy and resources towards mine action, including in Cambodia, and would continue to do so.

RAVI PRAKASH VERMA (India) said the indiscriminate and irresponsible use of small arms and light weapons, particularly by non-State actors, had disrupted political stability and social harmony, derailed pluralism and democracy, hampered growth and development, and fuelled terrorism and internal conflicts.  While the 2001 Programme of Action was a step in the right direction, he, nevertheless, expressed disappointment that delegations had not agreed to adopt measures to prevent the sale of arms to non-State groups.  That issue would need to be addressed during future meetings, he stressed.

Turning to efforts to negotiate an international, legally binding instrument on the marking and tracing of small arms and light weapons, he said such a mechanism should include ammunition and explosives.  He also called for a non-discriminatory, universal ban on landmines.  However, he acknowledged that mines sometimes played an important role in States’ self-defence strategies, especially when defending long land borders in inhospitable terrain.  Thus, the total elimination of mines should be accompanied by the availability of efficient, non-lethal and cost-effective alternatives, and any agreements should take into account States’ legitimate self-defence concerns.

KWANG-CHUL LEW (Republic of Korea) said the nature of the instrument on marking and tracing small arms and light weapons should be discussed in the spirit of cooperation, harmony and collective wisdom.  He also expressed support for global efforts to deal with brokering.  Telling delegated that his delegation had decided to co-sponsor the draft on the consolidation of peace through practical disarmament measures (document A/C.1/59/L.38), he noted that his country had already channelled funds through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to assist disarmament efforts in two African countries, and would consider how to assist even more States.  Voicing support for the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, he welcomed the adoption of its protocol V, which addresses the explosive remnants of war.  The entry into force of that protocol would greatly contribute to addressing humanitarian concerns.  He added that his delegation would once again co-sponsor the draft on that Convention (document A/C.1/59/L.54), which would be tabled by Sweden.

MURAT ESENLI (Turkey) said that the Ottawa Convention was a major achievement of the international community toward addressing the problem of landmines.  Non-governmental organizations had been a major participant in that achievement.  Despite the progress that had been achieved as a result of the Convention, there were still considerable challenges regarding universalization and full implementation of the Convention.  All States should, therefore, work to promote the Convention.  Turkey was hopeful that the upcoming review conference, to be held in Nairobi, would reiterate the international community’s commitment and the commitment of the States parties to the eradication of landmines.

VSEVOLOD GRIGORE (Moldova) said that his country attached great importance to Small Arms and Light Weapons and was strongly committed to the United Nations Programme of Action.  It was actively involved in efforts at the regional and subregional level, in order to establish mechanisms to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in such weapons.  It participated in various regional initiatives dealing with issues of cross-border illicit trafficking and organized crime.  It had also adopted a number of norms and mechanisms to ensure the development of collaborative actions to tackle cross-border crimes in South-East Europe, in cooperation with the Regional Centre for Combating Trans-Border Crime.

In March, the Government, in cooperation with the governments of Switzerland and the Netherlands and the South East Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, hosted an international conference on “Countering Small Arms and Light Weapons Trafficking in the Black Sea Region –- Improving Regional Standards”. That meeting brought together experts from 24 countries, international organizations and non-governmental organizations to discuss a set of issues on small arms trafficking, he added.

The unresolved conflict in the eastern region of Moldova, controlled by a separatist regime, remained a serious threat to the political and economic stability of his country and the security of the region as a while, he went on. The lack of control over the region and its borders strongly limited the Moldovan government’s implementation and enforcement of its commitments to restrain small arms and light weapons proliferation across the entire territory of Moldova.  The region remained an area of illegal production and trafficking of such weapons.  The Government stood on its position that the deployment of an international monitoring mission under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the European Union along the border between Moldova and Ukraine would substantially contribute to the prevention and elimination of illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons in that region of Moldova.

ALEH SHLOMA (Belarus) said he fully supported the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines.  That support was noteworthy, given the fact that his country had the world’s seventh largest landmine arsenal, which it had inherited from the Soviet Union.  Noting that the Ottawa Convention had entered into force in Belarus last March, he told delegates that his country was no longer producing, exporting or using mines.  However, having committed itself to destroying more than 4 million landmines in its arsenal within four years, his country needed support from the international community. That was especially important, since 3.6 million of those mines contained liquid explosives and could, therefore, not be destroyed by simple incineration or open detonation, due to ecological concerns.  In that context, he appealed to governments, international agencies and non-governmental organizations to help his country with its demining efforts.

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