EU Presidency Statement - Small Arms and Light Weapons: Linkages

Linkages (terrorism, organised crime, trafficking in drugs and precious minerals)

Mr Chairman,

1. I have the honour to take the floor on behalf of the European Union. The acceding countries Bulgaria and Romania, the candidate countries Croatia* and Turkey, the countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro, the members of the European Economic Area, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, as well as Moldova and Ukraine, align themselves with this statement.

2. The EU considers that the fight against proliferation of small arms and light weapons should form an integral part of a comprehensive counter terrorism strategy.

3. We thank the UN Secretary-General for the inclusion of a proposal to define terrorism in his report early on this year. A strong political signal from Heads of state and government at the September Summit would be beneficial to swifter progress in agreeing on a legally binding definition of terrorism.

*Croatia continues to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process

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• EU Presidency Statement - Small Arms and Light Weapons Prep Comm (9/1/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement - Small Arms and Light Weapons: Human Development (15/7/2005)
• EU Presidency Statement - Small Arms and Light Weapons: Import/Export Control and Illicit Brokering (14/7/2005)
• EU Presidency Statement - Small Arms and Light Weapons: Weapons Collection and Stockpile Management (13/7/2005)
• EU Presidency Statement - Small Arms and Light Weapons: Marking and Tracing (13/7/2005)
• EU Presidency Statement - Small Arms and Light Weapons: Capacity-Building, Resource Mobilisation and Institution Building (13/7/2005)
• EU Presidency Statement - UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (11/7/2005)
• Déclaration de la Présidence de l'Union européenne - Armes légères (17/2/2005)