General Assembly

Concluding its week-long session today, the Fifth Biennial Meeting of States on small arms and light weapons adopted by consensus an outcome document that highlighted the international community’s renewed commitment to preventing, combating and eradicating the illicit trade.

Representatives of international, regional and non-governmental groups discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the United Nations small arms action plan, with many urging States to fully implement the 2001 instrument and others cautioning against infringing legitimate business and personal rights, as the Fifth Biennial Meeting of States continued its session today.

International cooperation and assistance in capacity-building and technology transfer were key to the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to counter the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, delegates concurred as the fifth Biennial Meeting of States moved into day three of its session.

New weapon design and production methods — including the use of “3D” printing and non-traditional materials, such as polymers — had the potential to profoundly influence how weapons were marked and traced, and records kept, delegates heard today as the Fifth Biennial Meeting of States to combat the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons moved into day two of its session.

Against a backdrop of fragile security, illegal guns, grenades and rocket launchers had ripped communities apart while fuelling terrorism, and would require strong collective efforts to halt their spread, delegates heard today as the fifth Biennial Meeting of States to combat the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons opened its 2014 session.

The Bureau of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People issued the following statement today:

ANKARA, 13 May — The International Meeting held a discussion this afternoon on the international community’s role in promoting a just solution, examining the question of Jerusalem in relation to permanent status negotiations, international approaches to that issue, and the role of the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, other international organizations and non-State actors.

The International Meeting on the Question of Jerusalem this morning, on its second day, heard from experts and discussed the current situation in Jerusalem, including measures taken by Israel, land expropriation and settlements, as well as social and economic issues.

The International Meeting on the Question of Jerusalem, which opened in Ankara, Turkey, earlier today, continued its discussion on the status of Jerusalem under international law this afternoon.