Summary: October 11, 2002: Statement by H.E. Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj, Permanent Representative of Denmark to the UN, on behalf of the European Union, at the open meeting of the Security Council, on Small arms (New York)
Mr. President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Associated Countries - Cyprus, Malta and Turkey as well as the EFTA country of the European Economic Area - Iceland, align themselves with this statement.
Mr. President,
Thank you for convening this open debate of the Security Council.
Currently more than 500 million small arms and light weapons are estimated to be in circulation world-wide. The uncontrolled accumulation and spread of these weapons have devastating political, social, economic and humanitarian consequences. The issue calls for urgent international action. The European Union would like to emphasize the importance of addressing the problem at all levels: national, regional and international. Today's debate in the Council is therefore timely and indeed
necessary.
Mr. President,
The EU actively seeks to alleviate the human suffering caused by these weapons. First and foremost, we need to counter the illicit trade and proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
The European Union played an active part in the 2001 United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons. We engaged constructively in the elaboration of the UN Programme of Action. We had hoped for a stronger Programme. Especially we would have liked to see firmer commitments in regard to export control, stockpile management, marking and tracing, as well as brokering." However, we must now look ahead. In this regard, the EU welcomes the emergence of new partnerships
between States, civil society and NGO's as a follow-up to the Conference.
The European Union actively pursues a prompt implementation of the Programme of Action. It is not only a disarmament issue. The problem is "multi-dimensional" and should be addressed accordingly. We remain committed to an effective, ambitious and continuous follow-up process leading through the bi-annual meetings in 2003 and 2005 towards the Review Conference in 2006. The EU stands ready to assume responsibility in this process. The meeting in 2003 will be the first occasion to take stock of
progress made. Stocktaking must be dynamic and operational. The outcome should include proposals for strengthening and further developing the measures contained in the Programme of Action. Legally binding commitments on marking and tracing, as well as brokering could be further pursued. This must be followed-up in 2005. Only thus will we be able to achieve concrete results and further our initial goals at the 2006 Review Conference.
Mr. President,
The EU commends the Secretary-General for his report on Small Arms. We welcome his recommendations. They are well founded, constructive and merit implementation. We remain convinced that initiatives by Member States, the UN General Assembly, the UN Security Council and all relevant bodies and organs must be mutually reinforcing.
On behalf of the European Union I would like to thank the Security Council for its decisions and actions so far in regard to small arms and light weapons. The EU encourages the Security Council to continue its ongoing efforts, and to add impetus to implementation at the operational level.
Mr. President,
As a first step, the EU would propose that the Security Council concentrate its effort on a limited number of the recommendations in order to ensure concrete effects. The Security Council should focus on:
Firstly, the Council should encourage Member States to enforce all its sanction resolutions, including those imposing arms embargoes. And it should call for investigation of alleged violations of the embargoes.
Secondly, the Council should continue to strengthen provisions in its mandates for peacekeeping operations on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants, as well as measures for collection and destruction of illicit and surplus weapons.
Finally, the Council should establish monitoring mechanisms under each relevant Council resolution in order to further ensure implementation.
The European Union for its part stands ready to contribute and support the efforts towards a world free of illicit trade and proliferation of these weapons.
Mr. President,
The EU Joint Action on small arms and light weapons constitutes the overall framework for EU policy within this field. It stipulates a set of principles and measures that the EU will pursue in relevant international and regional fora. And it contains provisions for technical and financial assistance. The Union is continuously developing the Joint Action in the light of experience. So far we have had success in a wide variety of projects. But we can improve - and we will do so. Therefore, the EU
in July 2002 decided to extend the scope of the Action's application to include ammunition.
We look forward to and welcome any initiatives on strengthening our common efforts in the fight against the spread of small arms and light weapons in an effective and lasting way.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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