S/PV.5127Resumption1 Security Council

The President (spoke in French): I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Mali in which he requests to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite that representative to participate in the discussion without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Diarra (Mali) took the seat reserved for him at the side ofthe Council Chamber The President (spoke in French): I wish to remind all speakers of what I indicated at this morning's meeting, that is, that they should limit their statements to no more than five minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. Delegations with lengthy statements are kindly requested to circulate the texts in writing and to deliver a condensed version when speaking in the Chamber. Also, I will not individually invite speakers to take seats at the table or invite them to resume their seats at the side of the Chamber. When a speaker is taking the floor, the Conference Officer will seat the next speaker on the list at the table. I thank representatives for their understanding and cooperation. The next speaker on my list is the representative of Australia, to whom I give the floor.

Mr. Dauth (Australia): Mr. President, it is a pleasure to be here under your watch. Forgive me, I had understood that the Council was resuming at 3 p.m., not 3.30 p.m.; I apologize for having got that time wrong. Let me say also that I was somewhat disappointed not to have been able to speak before lunch. I had thought that those of us who were prepared to give statements within the prescribed limits should be rewarded, not punished. So I gave some thought over lunch to expanding my three-minute statement from three minutes to 30 minutes, to see how that would fly. But out of concern for my reputation - which I hope is well established - for giving very short statements, and out of my deep affection for you, Mr. President, I will stick to the three-minute version. Australia welcomes the Council's ongoing consideration of small arms and light weapons issues. The Secretary-General's latest report is a solid assessment of the Council's efforts over the past 12 months to address small arms issues within its mandate, highlighting achievements and gaps. We urge the Council to continue actively considering the security and humanitarian dimensions of the illicit small arms trade and their impact on stability in conflict and post-conflict situations. In particular, when imposing United Nations arms embargoes and establishing United Nations peacekeeping operations, the Council must be attuned to the impact of illicit small arms transfers. The Council's continued attention to small arms issues, particularly in the regional context, will strengthen the international community's resolve to increase pressure, through embargoes and monitoring mechanisms, on those responsible for illicit transfers. The Council cannot work on its own, alone, of course, in addressing the small arms threat. It is highly incumbent on Member States themselves to strictly enforce United Nations arms embargoes and to implement strong national export controls, including systems of end-user certification, to prevent the uncontrolled spread of small arms. Australia has been active in promoting effective measures against the illicit small arms trade in our region, including by co-hosting, in August 2004, with the Governments of Fiji and of Japan and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, the Third Pacific Islands Small Arms Workshop. The Workshop's practical focus on the implementation of model weapons control legislation endorsed by Pacific Island Forum leaders in 2003 is helping materially to institute a common regional approach to weapon control. The Workshop also promoted regional adherence to the United Nations Programme of Action. At the fifty-ninth session of the General Assembly, Australia led the adoption by consensus in the First Committee of a new resolution on preventing the illicit transfer of, unauthorized access to and the use of Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS), creating the first international standard on MANPADS. Australia urges Member States to implement the resolution by taking practical measures to control the production, stockpiling, transfer and brokering of MANPADS, and to enact or improve legislation to ban the transfer of MANPADS to non- State actors. Australia welcomes recent progress at the second session of the open-ended working group on the marking and tracing of small arms and light weapons and looks forward to the conclusion of an international instrument at the final session in July. A marking and tracing instrument will be a further concrete step in international efforts to better understand and control illicit transfers. Australia encourages Member States to take a pragmatic approach to the final round of negotiations to construct an instrument that is credible and implementable.

The President (spoke in French): I thank the representative of Australia for the kind words he addressed to me. The next speaker on my list is the representative of Nigeria, to whom I give the floor.

Mr. Wali (Nigeria): I wish to thank you, Mr. President, on behalf of the Nigerian delegation for your initiative in organizing this important debate. It affords the Security Council an excellent opportunity to address the global threat of illicit arms trafficking. We look forward to a successful and fruitful conclusion of the debate under your able guidance. My delegation also wishes to thank the Secretary-General for his report on small arms. Illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons constitutes a major impediment to peace, stability, security and economic development in many developing countries, especially in Africa. Over the past decade alone, the use of illicit small arms and light weapons has caused more than 20 million victims in Africa, many of whom were civilians - women and children. An estimated 2 million children have been killed, 5 million people have been handicapped, 12 million have been left without shelter and as many as 17 million have either been displaced or become refugees. Indeed, in Africa, the ever-expanding illicit trade in small arms is thriving at the expense of the continent's youth. As a consequence, a whole generation of African children is being inducted into a culture of violence marked by injury and violent death. The Government of Nigeria therefore welcomes all of the efforts made by the international community to tackle this problem. Let me re-emphasize the importance of the early and full implementation of the 2001 United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects. In doing so, I wish to underline Nigeria's commitment to the December 2000 Bamako Declaration on an African Common Position on the Illicit Proliferation, Circulation and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons. It is noteworthy that the positions expressed in the Declaration continue to be validated by events unfolding around the world. Nigeria views as a positive development the conclusion, two weeks ago, of the second substantive session of the Open-ended Working Group mandated to negotiate an international instrument on tracing illicit small arms and light weapons. It is our expectation that the Group's final session in June will result in a firm agreement on a legally binding instrument that will address global concerns on that important matter. That is the only way that the international community can demonstrate a true commitment to this problem. Indeed, we believe that such an outcome will have a positive impact on the forthcoming Biennial Meeting of States to Consider the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, which is to take place in July, as well as on the review conference on the Programme of Action that is to be held next year. One of the greatest difficulties in controlling the illicit proliferation of small arms is their easy accessibility to non-State actors. In appreciation of that problem and of the need for concerted action, President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria has, in clear terms and in various forums, including the General Assembly, drawn attention to the need for global action to control the trade in small arms and light weapons. We believe that the failure of the international community to hold arms manufacturers, their agents and brokers to account has been largely responsible for the uncontrolled illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Africa, with its attendant consequences on the continent. That situation should not be allowed to continue. Four months ago, in the First Committee of the General Assembly, the Nigerian delegation called on the international community to intensify efforts to investigate and identify the link between the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and the illicit exploitation of natural and other resources, particularly those of affected countries in Africa. We are therefore pleased to see that that was one of the recommendations contained in the Secretary-General's report (S/2005/69). However, we urge the Security Council to ensure the full implementation of the findings and recommendations of its panels of experts and monitoring mechanisms that have so far investigated such links. Nigeria shares the view of the Secretary-General that the failure of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes in many post-conflict situations is due principally to the non-inclusion of such programmes in ceasefire agreements and in the mandates and budgets of United Nations peacekeeping operations. We therefore urge the Council to ensure a secure funding basis from the assessed budget for peacekeeping that would guarantee the return of ex- combatants to their communities under planned reintegration activities, as required by Security Council resolutions. That should include specific measures for the collection and disposal of illicit and surplus arms. In addressing the threat posed by illicit small arms trafficking, there is a need to enhance cooperation between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, on the one hand, and the Department for Disarmament Affairs, on the other. We believe that strengthening the role of the Coordinating Action on Small Arms mechanism would lead towards that goal.

The President (spoke in French): I thank the representative of Nigeria for the kind words he addressed to me. I now call on the representative of Senegal.

Mr. Niang (Senegal) (spoke in French): I would like to say how pleased my delegation is, Sir, to see you presiding over the work of the Security Council this month. We also wish to congratulate you very warmly on your commendable initiative to hold an open debate on the subject of small arms. We would also like to thank Mr. Nobuyasu Abe, Under-Secretary- General for Disarmament Affairs, for his very relevant presentation this morning. Never in the history of humankind has the world suffered so much from the horrors of the proliferation of, and illicit trafficking in, small arms and light weapons. Easy to use, durable and easily available on the black market, such weapons - whose number is now estimated to be over 500 million - due to the lack of an adequate constraint mechanism, easily make their way into illicit trafficking, fuelling conflict, perpetuating crime and fostering mercenary activities. It has been estimated that, from 1990 to 2001 alone, such weapons resulted in the deaths of more than 4 million innocent people, mostly women and children, and caused massive population displacements, condemning people to live in itinerant poverty, in grave violation of international humanitarian law. The lethal character of these weapons has sadly been proved in West Africa, where they have been recycled from conflict to conflict by death merchants whose activities have increased the fragility of the economic and social fabric of the States in which they operate. It is for that reason that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) deems the fight against the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons to be one of the fundamental priorities of its common policy. That is also the reason why we established a moratorium on the manufacture, import and export of small arms. As mentioned in the report (S/2005/69) of the Secretary-General, with the cooperation of the United Nations Development Programme and the Programme for Coordination and Assistance for Security and Development, the States of the subregion have mobilized themselves to transform the moratorium into a legally binding instrument. In that connection, I continue to believe that ECOWAS will be able to count on the ongoing support of all its partners, foremost among which is the United Nations. My delegation believes that, once adopted by ECOWAS, such an instrument will serve as a strong subregional pillar in the legal architecture on small arms that the international community must establish. Senegal therefore voices the ardent desire, shared by the majority of States, for a successful conclusion, as soon as possible, to the international negotiations on two binding legal instruments in the sensitive areas of the tracing of, and brokering in, small arms and light weapons. Were they to be concluded, those two instruments would address the concerns underlying several of the Secretary-General's 12 recommendations. Here, I would mention recommendations 1 and 2, on tracing; recommendation 6, on the links between the illicit trafficking in weapons and the illegal exploitation of resources; recommendation 9, on the export and transfer of small arms; and recommendation 12, on transparency in armaments. Beyond those, my country supports all the relevant proposals made in the report of the Secretary- General, which include two proposals that have particularly drawn Senegal's interest. The first, which pertains to the regional and subregional aspect of the problem, entails the establishment and implementation of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes while at the same time ensuring that doing so does not suffer as a result of insufficient resources. My country would therefore like to see a line item on DDR programmes as part of the peacekeeping operations budget. The second point pertains to scrupulously observing Security Council arms embargoes. However, my delegation believes that here there must be a clear mechanism to detect violations and punish violators. Furthermore, my delegation would have been even more satisfied with the excellent report introduced today if its recommendations had included an item on cooperation to strengthen capacity-building in combating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in countries and regions suffering from this scourge, as well as to address the limited financial and human resources available for that task. The proposals for action to which I have referred should be implemented as soon as possible, in order to quickly defeat this multinational criminal enterprise that has been wiping out innocent lives and to hasten the dawn of a world that is more prosperous by virtue of being safer and more peaceful.

The President (spoke in French): I thank the representative of Senegal for the kind words he addressed to me. I now call on the representative of Venezuela.

Mrs. Nunez de Odreman (Venezuela) (spoke in Spanish): On behalf of the delegation of Venezuela, allow me to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela considers that the issue of small arms and light weapons is of the utmost importance. We are as concerned about it as all the other members of the international community. We believe that the indiscriminate and illicit use of such weapons and their unbridled proliferation are increasing insecurity. We stress the need for effective efforts to resolve the problem of small arms and light weapons through administrative measures and legislation, and we call on manufacturers and on the nations possessing the largest arsenals to make significant reductions in the production of and trade in conventional weapons - which constitute the main source of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. All of this is linked to the public harm caused by the trade in those weapons, in addition to its ties to such criminal activities as organized crime, drug trafficking and terrorism. However, that must not undermine the right of self-determination, taking into account the special situation of peoples that have been subjected to colonial domination or other forms of domination and foreign occupation, and recognizing the right of those peoples to adopt legitimate measures to ensure their inalienable right to self-determination, as noted in the report of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. In that regard, we agree with the recommendations outlined by the Secretary-General in his report, in particular recommendation 1 on the negotiations being pursued in the Open-ended Working Group to negotiate an international instrument to enable States to identify and trace, in a timely and reliable manner, illicit small arms and light weapons, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 58/241. We also agree that States are endowed with the right to manufacture, import and stockpile small arms and light weapons to meet their legitimate defence and security needs. We believe that such operations represent the sovereign right of nations to equip themselves. In that respect, we believe it appropriate in this forum to denounce the uncertainty expressed by spokesmen of the Department of State of the United States of America regarding the purchase of Russian equipment by my Government. We wish to make it clear that the purchase and provision of equipment to our national armed forces serve two purposes: to support the civil population and to defend the national sovereignty. We categorically reject the statements made by the spokesmen of the United States Department of State to the effect that the weapons purchased by my Government could fall into the hands of international criminals. Those statements are exaggerated, tendentious and aimed at persuading international public opinion that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a country that shelters criminals and terrorists, and not a sovereign State endowed with the legitimate right to defend itself and to purchase any weapons it deems necessary to maintain its territorial integrity and to defend its sovereignty. Reiterating the comments made by the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Mr. Hugo Chavez Frias, we also believe that the United States has no authority to question the purchase of equipment and we urge it not to intervene in the internal affairs and to respect the sovereignty of States. We also ask the Council to remain vigilant for any measure aimed against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is complying with and implementing measures established under the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. In that regard, I note here in the Security Council that Venezuela submitted its national report last year. Regionally, we have complied with the norms established under the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacture and Trafficking in Weapons, Munitions, Explosives and Related Materials, adopted by the Organization of American States. We also participated in the meeting in South Africa of the group of experts mandated with drafting the Andean Plan to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its Aspects, and we are signatory to the Quirama Declaration on that issue.

The President (spoke in French): I thank the representative of Venezuela for her kind words addressed to me. I now call on the representative of Turkey.

Mr. ilkin (Turkey): At the outset, allow me to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council and to express our appreciation for the convening of this important open debate on an issue that greatly affects us all. I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report, as well as Mr. Abe for his excellent introduction of it. The report indicates that important progress has been made in various fields of concern, though there is still much to do. Turkey has already aligned itself with the statement made by the representative of Luxembourg on behalf of the European Union. I will therefore briefly expound on a certain aspect of the issue of small arms. Today, we all recognize that the excessive accumulation and uncontrolled spread of small arms and light weapons pose a significant threat to international peace and security, as well as to the social development of many countries. The issue is not merely about arms control and disarmament. It has many aspects, including humanitarian issues, organized crime and terrorism. The threat weighs no less than that of weapons of mass destruction and requires concerted and resolute action by all United Nations Members. We took a significant step forward with the adoption in 2001 of the United Nations Programme of Action, which still stands as the only globally recognized framework. Yet, there is no international legal instrument for dealing with the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. In that context, I would like to underscore the importance of the work of the Open-ended Working Group, which is currently negotiating an international instrument on the marking and tracing of small arms and light weapons. Turkey hopes that the instrument to be agreed will contain all of the elements needed to guarantee its effectiveness. That can be achieved if our efforts lead to an instrument which has a legally binding and comprehensive nature covering all kinds of such weapons, including their ammunition. We therefore call upon all United Nations Members to take firm and resolute action to curb that global scourge. The illicit proliferation of small arms requires the development of long-term strategies. In that respect, we also acknowledge the role of the Security Council in making small arms a focus of global attention and action. Turkey will continue to support all efforts and to advocate enhanced international cooperation to combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small and light weapons in the framework of the United Nations and in other forums.

The President (spoke in French): I thank the representative of Turkey for his kind words addressed to me. I now call on the representative of Indonesia.

Mr. Jenie (Indonesia): My delegation is gratified that, once again, the Security Council is meeting in an open format to discuss the multifaceted challenges posed by small arms and light weapons, which involve security, humanitarian and development dimensions. In that regard, I would like to thank Under-Secretary- General Abe for introducing the report as the basis of our discussion. As is widely acknowledged, in many regions of the world, the excessive availability and misuse of small arms and light weapons have led to violent conflicts, unabated crime and gross violations of human rights, which have contributed to immense suffering and a pervasive sense of insecurity. Over 500,000 people continue to be killed each year and millions more are wounded by small arms and light weapons. The horrendous toll in human lives and countless injuries reflects the fact that, in reality, small arms and light weapons are actually weapons of mass destruction. As we reassess the nature and scope of violence in a number of conflicts in the world today, it is clear that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, particularly those that are illicitly and illegally transferred, constitutes the primary reason for addressing the problems posed by their illegitimate acquisition. Such illegal activities have not spared any country or region. A sizeable number of those transfers are directed at our region, thereby endangering stability at the national and regional levels. In Indonesia, such unlawful smuggling of small arms and light weapons has posed grave threats to our territorial integrity by fostering separatist movements and promoting criminal activities. Hence, their unregulated circulation is no longer tenable and, in fact, would be detrimental to our national interests, in particular our internal stability. Furthermore, like other South-East Asian countries, Indonesia tends to view this problem in the context of transnational crime because it is generally recognized in our region that arms smuggling is interlinked with cross-border crimes, such as terrorism, money-laundering and drug trafficking. At the global level, it is pertinent to recall the Millennium Declaration of 2000, by which Member States collectively decided "to take concerted action to end illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons, especially by making arms transfers more transparent and supporting regional disarmament measures". (General Assembly resolution 55/2, para. 9) Thus, as we approach next September's high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly to review the Declaration, the coordinating and consultative role of the United Nations has been crucial and is bound to take on greater significance. In recognizing the continued efforts to deal with the critical problems posed by the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, the Security Council has undertaken numerous measures to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, as set out in the 2001 United Nations Programme of Action. While those measures have led to positive results in some areas of the world, the problem has persisted in others, with the potential to ignite ever greater disasters. This has therefore become a concern of the international community. Next year, the United Nations will once again host a conference to review the follow-up to and implementation of the 2001 Programme of Action. Preliminary discussions on the relevant issues have already begun, including possible agreements on legally binding measures, marking and tracing, brokering, export controls, civilian possession and the role of non-State actors. My delegation welcomes the report of the Secretary-General contained in document S/2005/69 and is gratified to note that substantial progress has been achieved in some key areas. However, we deem it essential that efforts be undertaken in other areas as well. In that regard, allow me to address some of the report's recommendations that we consider very important. On recommendation 4, we share the widely held view on the need for greater interaction between the General Assembly and the Security Council to deal with the threats posed by illicit transfers of small arms and light weapons. While no structured mechanism between the two organs has been established, we will support continued efforts to develop a coherent policy and a comprehensive strategy of the United Nations on small arms and light weapons. In post-conflict situations, as reflected in recommendation 7, we underscore the importance of implementing programmes related to disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), in particular as an essential part of the mandates of peacekeeping operations. In that context, we welcome the work initiated by the Secretariat to develop a set of policies, guidelines and procedures for planning, implementing and monitoring DDR. With regard to recommendation 12, given the voluntary nature of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, we are gratified to note the remarkable progress made with respect to participation in two reporting instruments which have contributed greatly to confidence-building and security among Member States. Nonetheless, in our view, the Register needs to be further developed in order to attract the widest possible participation. Finally, we commend the work undertaken by the Open-ended Working Group on tracing illicit small arms and light weapons, which has recently completed its second substantive session. With regard to the nature of an instrument on that matter, we fully recognize the existence of differing views among Member States and will endeavour to resolve them at the next substantive session, to be held in June this yean We are also aware that the 2001 Programme of Action is a politically binding document which was adopted as a result of consensus. However, taking into account the increased danger posed by the illicit acquisition and transfer of small arms and light weapons, an international instrument of a legally binding nature for tracing such weapons has indeed become imperative. In conclusion, we believe that small arms and light weapons continue to pose a grave threat to human security throughout the world and that they will not go away without impetus from the highest levels and without stronger unity of effort, including on the part of the Security Council. The United Nations - and its organs, such as the General Assembly and the Security Council - is naturally the body under whose auspices comprehensive strategies can be developed and where such efforts should be coordinated. It stands to reason that all of us should give the Organization the support and resources it needs to be able to achieve the objectives that we have set for ourselves.

The President (spoke in French): I thank the representative of Indonesia for the kind words he addressed to me. I call next on the representative of the Republic of Korea.

Mr. Kim Sam-hoon (Republic of Korea): Allow me, Mr. President, to convey to you my heartfelt appreciation for your leadership in conducting this open debate of the Security Council on small arms and light weapons. The scourge of small arms and light weapons is abominable, but it is an unavoidable issue that deserves the attention and care of the international community no less than that of weapons of mass destruction. My delegation is happy to note that the Security Council, as the organ with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, continues to address this issue with unswerving determination and vigour. We also commend the Secretary-General for his tireless efforts to deal with the question of small arms and light weapons, specifically through the 12 updated core recommendations contained in his report to the Security Council (S/2005/69). The Republic of Korea attaches great importance to the ongoing negotiations to develop an international instrument to enable States to identify and trace illicit small arms and light weapons quickly and reliably. We are pleased to note that, through dedicated and intensive discussions, considerable progress was made at the first and second substantive sessions of the Open-ended Working Group on that matter. We hope that the Working Group will resolve all the outstanding issues, including the nature of the instrument and the question of ammunition, and that it will reach a successful conclusion at its June negotiating session. A viable and effective international instrument on marking and tracing, working in tandem with the existing relevant international instruments, including the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and the United Nations Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons, would be a powerful tool in preventing and eliminating the scourge of illicit small arms and light weapons in both conflict and criminal situations. We encourage the Security Council to devote a share of its attention to the issue of illicit brokering in small arms and light weapons. Pending the outcome of the work of a group of governmental experts on illicit brokering, to be established by the Secretary-General by 2007, we would welcome an opportunity to participate in any meaningful discussions to further study and identify the nature, scope and character of illicit brokering in small arms and light weapons. In that regard, we appreciate the efforts of the Department for Disarmament Affairs in convening open-ended informal forums on this issue. While we support all 12 core recommendations, we attach particular importance to the following points. First, we are of the View that smooth and effective implementation of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes in post-conflict situations is of the utmost importance, especially in connection with United Nations peacekeeping operations. We also support regional initiatives in that regard. We believe that DDR is not only crucial to freeing affected regions from the yoke of illicit small arms and light weapons but also essential for reordering and rehabilitating societies in distress. Secondly, if we are to cut off the sneaky routes of illicit arms transfers and stop the illicit flow of arms to conflict zones, we must achieve full compliance with all relevant Security Council resolutions on sanctions. Thirdly, we recognize the need to identify further the links among the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, the illicit exploitation of natural and other resources and the trade in illegal drugs. We share the view that innovative measures should be developed to prevent precious natural resources from becoming a source of revenue for sinister purposes. Fourthly, we recognize the urgent need for States to establish legislative and other measures, including the use of authenticated end-user certificates, to ensure effective control over the export and transit of small arms and light weapons. We believe that well established export-control systems, together with sound legislative structures, are imperative for combating and eradicating the illicit transfer of small arms and light weapons. Last but not least, we also support broader participation in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and the United Nations System for the Standardized Reporting of Military Expenditures. In particular, we welcome the expanded coverage of the Register to include man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS). The reckless use of MANPADS by terrorists is an increasing threat to global security, and this concern should be duly reflected in the Register. The Republic of Korea's active participation in the worldwide campaign against illicit small arms and light weapons is well known. We would be happy to share our knowledge, expertise and technology for the safe and responsible management of firearms. In addition, we are eager to contribute further to eliminating or lessening the problem of small arms and light weapons in those regions most seriously affected. In this vein, we plan this year to invite renowned African experts to our country to deepen mutual understanding on this issue and to seek ways for us to work towards the noble goal of ending the problem of illicit small arms and light weapons in Africa.

The President (spoke in French): I thank the representative of the Republic of Korea for the kind words he addressed to me. The next speaker is the representative of India, to whom I give the floor.

Mr. Sen (India): As we are speaking in the Council for the first time this year, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the presence of the new members of the Security Council - Argentina, Denmark, Greece, Japan and Tanzania - and to extend our good wishes to them. We would like to thank you, Mr. President, for having convened this open debate of the Security Council on small arms, although we would like to reiterate our view that thematic debates should have no place in the Security Council and that they are best left to the General Assembly. We are particularly aware of the complexity and lethality of the proliferation of the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons. Over the past two decades, thousands of innocent civilians in India have fallen victim to the acts of terrorists, who use such illicitly obtained weapons for their nefarious activities. Since 1990, the Government of India has seized close to 40,000 such weapons whose markings indicate, unmistakably, external origin. We remain deeply concerned that small arms and light weapons continue to pose a grave danger to the security of States. Such weapons have disrupted political stability and social harmony, derailed pluralism and democracy and hampered growth and development. They have also fuelled international terrorism and internal conflicts. In some regions, there is a clear linkage with the trade in narcotic drugs and the illicit exploitation of natural and strategic resources. In others, they have fuelled civil strife and civil war. Their indiscriminate and irresponsible use, particularly by non-State actors, has caused enormous humanitarian concern that is evident in its most potent form in Africa, particularly in some of the countries of Central and Western Africa. India welcomes the report of the Secretary- General contained in document S/2005/69, on ways and means by which the Security Council could contribute to this issue. We have been closely following this issue in both the General Assembly and the Security Council and remain committed to supporting all international endeavours to curb and eradicate the illicit traffic in such weapons. India has had the privilege to chair the Group of Governmental Experts on small arms and light weapons. We are also actively participating in the Open-ended Working Group currently negotiating an international instrument to enable States to identify and trace in a timely and reliable manner illicit small arms and light weapons. We accord a high priority to that exercise. Efforts towards evolving an instrument on the marking and tracing of illicit small arms and light weapons should be seen in the context of the overall implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action adopted in 2001. An important underlying theme of our collective effort is to help in the international effort to combat terrorism. Indeed, the Programme of Action highlighted the fact that the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons fuels crime and terrorism. We believe that such an instrument would contribute substantially to the efforts to combat terrorism. We are happy to note the reference to the report of the Monitoring Group in paragraph 12 of the Secretary-General's report, which states that "combating weapons smuggling must definitely be an active part of the fight against terrorism", and adds that all States should be encouraged to adopt the measures incorporated in the United Nations Programme of Action. Illicit trade occurs because of illicit production, or because licit production or licit stocks enter the grey and black markets, thus swelling the illicit weapons market. These weapons end up in the possession of criminals, exacerbating problems for law enforcement agencies and - worse - get into the hands of unscrupulous arms brokers, ending up in areas of conflict and in the hands of extremists and terrorists. The Programme of Action recognizes that stringent measures are needed to ensure that there are effective controls over legal transfers of small arms and light weapons. India follows a strict policy with regard to the export of small arms and light weapons that includes the requirement for end-user certificates on a Government-to-Government basis and a ban on exports to countries that are under a United Nations arms embargo. It is our hope that all other States will also undertake the obligation not to supply such weapons to non-State actors, insist on authenticated end-user certificates to ensure effective control over the export and transit of such weapons, and not seek exemptions for State-to-State transactions or for transactions related to national security priorities. The international community, for its part, must also ensure that the trade in arms flows only through channels authorized by both the exporting and the importing Governments. India remains committed to seeking stronger and more binding mechanisms to ensure cooperation for our collective security. The final instrument that emerges from the Open-ended Working Group on marking and tracing should reflect not only the concerns and priorities of all Member States but also the expectations of the wider international community. While States are committed to the eradication of the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects, that commitment can be effectively translated into concrete action and tangible results only if it is backed by a legal obligation. We also believe that arms are only the means of delivery and that it is the availability of illicit ammunition that allows them to be used as instruments for spreading violence and committing terrorist acts. India, therefore, ideally favours a legally binding instrument and the inclusion of ammunition and explosives within the scope of the instrument in order to tackle the issue in a comprehensive manner. In conclusion, the boundaries between crime, conflict and terrorism are blurred in the context of illicit small arms and light weapons. Trafficking in illicit arms straddles not only organized crime, but conflicts and the activities of terrorist and insurgent groups who may be aided and abetted either directly by States or indirectly through individuals who are part of State structures. We therefore believe that obligations undertaken by Member States under the instrument must include all small arms and light weapons, whether they are manufactured for Government or private use or for export on a State-to-State basis.

The President (spoke in French): The next speaker is the representative of Zambia, on whom I now call.

Mr. Mpundu (Zambia): On behalf of the Zambian delegation, allow me to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency for the month of February. My delegation has full confidence that your immense experience and diplomatic skill will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the work of this supreme body of our Organization. My delegation wishes to commend the Secretary- General for his report on small arms, contained in document S/2005/69. The issue of small arms and light weapons should not be viewed as a light one, as some suggest. Although they are light in nature, small arms are capable of inflicting enormous suffering on innocent people and destroying property. The question of illicit arms deals, therefore, must be tackled vigorously by all Member States if the world is to attain meaningful peace and security for all. It is gratifying to note that Member States have recognized that the world today is faced with this common problem, which requires a common solution. Governments have a collective responsibility to ensure that peace and security prevail within and beyond their borders by cooperating with one another. Zambia shares the view of the rest of the international community that concerted efforts at national, regional and international levels can be most effective in addressing the problem of small arms and light weapons. One of the most effective and practical ways in which to deal with the menace of the illegal trade in small arms and light weapons is through destroying them. In that context, my Government has formulated a deliberate policy in which it offers amnesty from prosecution to anyone who surrenders an illegal firearm or provides information leading to the recovery of such a firearm to the police. In return, that person receives payment of up to the equivalent of $55. Since the amnesty was announced, my Government has seen more than 3,000 firearms surrendered to the police. Some of those firearms were burned at the ceremony on 17 July 2003. Since its independence in 1964, Zambia has been a sanctuary to many refugees fleeing armed conflicts in their countries, especially during the wars of liberation in the Southern African region. Some of the former combatants entered Zambia with their weapons and later either sold their arms cheaply to criminals or exchanged them for food. Subsequently, the weapons were used in the commission of crimes. As a result of that proliferation of arms, my Government enacted a law to regulate civilian firearm ownership, called the Firearms Act. The Act prescribes strict control over the licensing of firearms and limits the number of permits to civilians to 600 per year. It also restricts dealers' sales of arms to licensed Zambians alone and limits the amount of ammunition they can sell to them at any given time. At the regional level, Zambia has been active in the Southern African Development Community's programme on small arms and light weapons through the Southern African Regional Police Cooperation Organization (SARPCO), which was established in October 1995. My Government continues to encourage non-governmental organizations and civil society to get involved in the dissemination of information in this noble fight, which will enhance national and regional security and ultimately the welfare and safety of our people. I should like to conclude by reaffirming Zambia's commitment to the fight against the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects. Although Zambia does not manufacture or export arms, it has been a victim of fraudulent end-users at the hands of international arms-dealer cartels. In that regard, the Zambian Government calls for stronger and more effective controls in the export, import, transit and retransfer of small arms and light weapons. It is our considered view that the manufacturing and exporting countries are in a better position to control the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons than the recipients.

The President (spoke in French): I thank the representative of Zambia for the kind words he addressed to me. I now call on the representative of Norway.

Mrs. Juul (Norway): Allow me first to thank the Secretary-General for his substantial and informative report on small arms. The report's many concrete recommendations to the Council deserve our close attention and support. Norway aligns itself with the statement made by the Permanent Representative of Luxembourg on behalf of the European Union, but I will make some supplementary comments. We are constantly reminded that illicit small arms and light weapons undermine conflict prevention and peace-building efforts. Illicit arms transfers to conflict regions continue at a disturbing rate. As pointed out in the report, such transfers are very often linked to the illicit exploitation of natural resources as well as to the trade in illegal drugs, creating a vicious circle of instability and crime-based economies. That undermines political stability as well as economic and social development and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. Norway believes that the Security Council has a key role to play in this respect. Preventing, combating and eliminating the uncontrolled spread of small arms and light weapons must be a core element of the Council's peace efforts. More attention should be focused on the need for effective arms embargoes. The Council can certainly do its part through the establishment of special monitoring mechanisms and other measures. However, we must not forget that arms embargoes cannot be implemented effectively without the cooperation of Member States. The Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects remains the key global instrument in dealing with the issue of small arms. It is encouraging to see that national implementation of the Programme of Action is well under way and that many regional organizations are giving high priority to it. We believe that regional efforts are of particular importance in the light of shared challenges and similar experiences in dealing with the issue. Norway has assisted such efforts in a number of regions and will continue to do so. Civil society representatives have shown themselves to be constructive partners in that regard. Norway strongly supports the efforts of the Open- ended Working Group to Negotiate an International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons. We are pleased with the progress made at the second session of the Working Group in New York recently, but we regret the continuing disagreement on the status and scope of the instrument. To our mind, it is imperative that the instrument be legally binding. We also believe it should cover ammunition, given that that issue is so closely linked to the use and misuse of small arms and light weapons. The issue of brokering remains essential in our efforts to deal effectively with the destabilizing effects of illicit small arms and light weapons. We welcome the focus on brokering in the Secretary-General's report in relation to its relevance both in the fight against terrorism and in ensuring effective arms embargoes in conflict areas. We need as much transparency as possible in that area. Norway is pleased that the recent report by the High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change noted the threat to stability posed by small arms and light weapons and recommended that Member States expedite and conclude negotiations on legally binding agreements on the marking and tracing, and the brokering and transfer, of small arms and light weapons. In our view, the issue of small arms and light weapons deserves to be further highlighted in the follow-up to the High-level Panel's report. The Security Council and the Secretariat should continue their discussions of questions related to small arms. We believe it would be useful to consider whether any of the particular issues raised in the report's recommendations could lend themselves to a more focused debate in the Council at a later stage. The interaction between the Security Council and the General Assembly on the issue of small arms and light weapons should also be looked at. We welcome the Secretary-General's recommendation that the two organs establish a committee to look into how they could work together in that area. We all agree on the seriousness of the issue of illicit small arms and light weapons, but we still have a way to go when it comes to developing effective international cooperation to meet the challenges involved. This debate should serve to remind us of the challenges and should encourage us all to work more effectively to deal with them.

The President (spoke in French): I now call on the representative of Moldova.

Mr. Grigore (Republic of Moldova): I would like to begin by congratulating you, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the current month, and for presiding over this important debate. We are also thankful to Mr. Nobuyasu Abe, Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, for his comprehensive presentation. The Programme of Action adopted at the 2001 United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects emphasized the multidimensional nature of this issue and the real threat that the illicit trade in these weapons poses to the security of Member States and entire regions. We welcome the Security Council's continuing consideration of the issues related to the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. The Republic of Moldova also welcomes the report of the Secretary-General in document S/2005/69 on the ways and means in which the Security Council could contribute to dealing with the question of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. The report continues the tendency of critical analysis of the situation, acknowledging the significant progress achieved in various fields of concern and underscoring a series of actions that the Council and the General Assembly may take on the issue of small arms and light weapons. My delegation shares the conclusion of the High- level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change that much more needs to be done in the area of arms control and disarmament regimes, particularly in relation to the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. The Panel's recommendation on the acceleration and conclusion of legally binding agreements on the marking and tracing, as well as the brokering and transfer, of small arms and light weapons is echoed by Recommendation 1 of the Secretary General's report, and we hope that upcoming events, such as the meeting on the Programme of Action and the 2006 Review Conference, will be marked by tangible results. The Moldovan Government is strongly committed to the implementation of the Programme of Action and is undertaking all the necessary efforts in this respect. The Republic of Moldova has developed an export control system that is largely compatible with European standards, and it has aligned itself with other efforts made at the regional and subregional level to establish mechanisms to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms. Small arms, light weapons and landmines were identified as the primary weapons in most civil wars in the 1990s, and those arms are still one of the main causes of human suffering throughout the world. And while some conflicts - with the active involvement of the international community, and primarily due to the efforts of this body - were solved and affected countries returned to the path of development and prosperity, others are still making enormous efforts to resolve difficult situations that are aggravated by the presence of huge amounts of weapons. Regretfully, the unresolved conflict in the eastern regions of Moldova, which are controlled by a separatist regime, continues to pose a serious threat to the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of my country, as well as to the stability of the whole region. That region remains an area of illegal production of different types of light weapons and trafficking in small arms. Those weapons end up in the possession of criminals, extremists and terrorists, thereby exacerbating problems for law-enforcement agencies, fuelling corruption and cross-border smuggling, helping to finance criminal networks and diminishing the international efforts to combat terrorism and transnational organized crime. Due to the lack of control by the constitutional authorities over the Transdniestr segment of the border between Moldova and Ukraine, there are no guarantees that the illegally produced or trafficked armaments are not reaching other conflict zones. Furthermore, small arms trafficked from this region often lack serial numbers, which makes them ideal for organized criminals and terrorist networks. The close cooperation of the Governments of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, with the assistance of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the European Union, will substantially contribute to the prevention and elimination of illicit trafficking and will facilitate the identification of an appropriate solution for this problem. The presence of large, unaccounted stockpiles of foreign weapons and munitions in the eastern part of the Republic of Moldova complicates the efforts to solve the political conflict and is particularly risky because of the constant danger that they may be stolen for use by the separatist paramilitaries or sold off along with illegally produced armaments. From this perspective, the Government of the Republic of Moldova considers it important that an international assessment be made to assess the stocks of armaments of the foreign troops stationed on our territory and of those belonging to the illegal paramilitary units from the eastern districts of the Republic of Moldova. Foreign troops stationed without the consent of the host State are subject to complete and unconditional withdrawal, in accordance with international commitments. I would like to conclude by mentioning that the Security Council can provide valuable support to initiatives aimed at negotiating an international legal instrument to identify and trace illicit small arms and light weapons, as well as to national and regional efforts to curb the proliferation and illicit trafficking of these weapons, and the Republic of Moldova will fully support these activities.

The President (spoke in French): I thank the representative of the Republic of Moldova for his kind words. I now call on the representative of Costa Rica.

Mr. Stagno Ugarte (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): Mr. President, we are pleased that under your presidency the Security Council once again has recognized the harmful impact of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and consequently has decided to include this item on its agenda. This body has already adopted a number of valuable recommendations, such as the request that all States use end-user certificates in their arms transfers. There was an appeal to weapons-exporting countries to shoulder greater responsibility, an invitation to establish national registers of arms brokers and an appeal for sanctions against those who violate arms embargoes. The implementation of all of all of these recommendations is essential but not sufficient. The action of the international community in the area of small arms and light weapons must go far beyond marking and implementing existing arms embargoes. It is now time to look at the problem of small arms from a human rights perspective. It is now time to ban the transfer of military materiel and personnel and financial and logistic support to those States whose military units or security forces participate in systematic violation of human rights. It is now time to ban the sale of weapons to those who do not respect democratic principles or who have not ratified the main human rights instruments and international humanitarian law. We should ask ourselves seriously if the 191 Member States of the United Nations have the political will to regulate the international trade in weapons in order to eradicate those practices, transfers and sales that, due to a lack of transparency and conscience, have irresponsibly contributed to the proliferation of death and the violation of the entire range of human rights. In the past five decades we have not seen the exercise of responsibility stemming from Article 26 of the Charter, although that explicitly recognizes the link between disarmament and development by entrusting this body with establishing arms control systems in order to promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security with the least diversion for armaments of the world's human and economic resources. In a world of limited resources where all States must establish spending priorities it is incomprehensible that developing countries - which include my own - spend 22 billion dollars a year to purchase weapons, when that amount would enable us to achieve the Millennium Development Goals with regard to universal primary education and to reducing infant mortality, for example. The overstockpiling and underdevelopment equation is a sad reality, which, unfortunately, continues to drain many of our peoples. Security is not achieved by increasing the number of weapons, as history has shown far too often. It can, however, be achieved by righting wrongs, overcoming deficiencies, pursuing shared objectives and disseminating universal values. However, with a few exceptions, we have followed a path based on a misunderstanding of security, which has left us completely vulnerable to poverty, ignorance and epidemics. We have given priority to a kind of security that has consumed a considerable portion of the limited resources available and has hampered and halted development. In 2001 alone, more than 16 billion units of ammunition were manufactured - that is, more than 2 bullets per person on the planet. That means that we all are targets and that, every minute of every hour of every day, a person dies. While we welcome and are grateful for the Secretary-General's report, and we fully agree with its 12 recommendations, we regret the fact that no reference is made therein to the need to draft an international and legally binding instrument that would put an end to all irresponsible sales and transfers of weapons which contribute to violations of international humanitarian law and of human rights. Because we are sickened and horrified at the bloodshed and its unconscionable nature, we decisively and enthusiastically support the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), and we appeal to all Member States that are committed to transparency in the arms trade and to full respect for of human rights to support that preventive instrument. The ATT sets a series of limitations on the arms trade that are based on existing obligations under international law and on expected use. It encompasses existing obligations stemming from the Geneva Conventions, the Mine-Ban Treaty and the Convention on Genocide, with a View to the incorporation of those criteria into the national legislation of each State. It is time to put an end to the irresponsible trafficking in weapons, and time to empty the arsenals of illicit weapons. To date, nine Member States, including a permanent member of the Council, have publicly expressed their support for such an initiative, and Costa Rica is honoured to be one of them. As a basic principle, the draft framework convention establishes that authorization is required for all arms transfers. The text further stipulates a number of restrictions on transfers that devolve directly from existing obligations on States under international humanitarian law, such as the ban on the use of weapons or weapons whose effects are deemed to be indiscriminate or excessively cruel. Additionally, the draft establishes a number of bans on weapons transfers when it is foreseeable that they will be used in violation of the Charter of the United Nations, to commit serious violations of human rights or of international humanitarian law, or to perpetrate genocide or crimes against humanity. The ATT does not seek to create new obligations. It seeks simply to spell out categorically the logical and necessary consequences of existing norms and principles. In addition, the draft calls for the adoption of innovative precautionary measures that, in principle, should be borne in mind in authorizing any arms transfer. We hope that this draft will become a model for internationally binding agreements that, once adopted, will facilitate coordinated and specific action aimed at regulating arms transfers. The Security Council must devise new mechanisms to ensure compliance with arms embargoes. The most recent report of the Secretary- General makes clear once again that compliance with recommendations on embargoes continues to fall short. We need only recall that, in 2001, 54 countries were linked to transfers or resales, in express violation of existing arms embargoes. In the meantime, the sanctions committees established by the Security Council to verify compliance with those embargoes were incapable of taking more effective action. But sanctions committees are political bodies that do not have the technical capacity for genuine verification. For that reason, we deem it necessary to consider creating within the Secretariat a mechanism that would proactively monitor the implementation of arms embargoes and provide technical support to the political work done in the sanctions committees.

The President (spoke in French): I thank the representative of Costa Rica for the kind words he addressed to me. The next speaker on my list is the representative of Mali, to whom I give the floor.

Mr. Diarra (Mali) (spoke in French): Mr. President, allow me to express my delegation's satisfaction at your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council during this month of February. Moreover, my delegation is grateful to Benin for having initiated this debate on the topic of small arms, which is so very important to our African continent. It has been a little more than a year since the Security Council considered and adopted a statement on this issue. The report submitted by the Secretary- General on 7 February 2005 (S/2005/69) evaluates the progress achieved since 2004 in the implementation of the 12 recommendations contained in his previous report of 20 September 2002. I should like here to thank Under-Secretary- General Abe for his presentation of the report. Regarding recommendation 1 - on the development of an international instrument to enable States to identify and trace, in a timely and reliable manner, illicit small arms and light weapons - the second session of the Open-ended Working Group, under the chairmanship of Ambassador Anton Thalmann of Switzerland, made progress in discussions on the standards that should apply in this area in future. We look forward with interest to the conclusion next June of the Working Group's efforts. We welcome also the contribution made by the United States and Canada to the strengthening of the Interpol Weapons and Explosives Tracking System, and we call on other countries to act along those lines. That system could provide expertise in the framework of the legal instrument that is in the process of being negotiated. My delegation supports the establishment of a mechanism to coordinate assistance to Member States in implementing the United Nations Programme of Action of July 2001. Strengthened interaction between the General Assembly and the Security Council in combating the proliferation of small arms could be a way of ensuring better cooperation aimed at the adoption of a long-term strategy. The Secretary-General has proposed the creation of a small committee to study ways and means of achieving such cooperation. That practical proposal could be taken into consideration. The illicit exploitation of natural and other resources in conflict areas exacerbates crisis situations by increasing the demand for arms and intensifying their illicit proliferation. My delegation believes, however, that in post-conflict situations - that is, at a time when weakened States need resources to consolidate their institutions and programmes - embargoes on natural resources should be relaxed, if not lifted, in order to enable the country to make use of them. Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes have made noteworthy progress, as noted in the report of the Secretary-General. My delegation welcomes the work done since 2004 by the inter-institutional working group on DDR to elaborate policies, guidelines and procedures for the establishment of such programmes. My delegation believes that the Security Council should give due consideration to the reintegration aspect and ensure that it is covered by the budget for peacekeeping operations. That involves the reintegration of former combatants in their communities and taking account of the needs of their dependents. Similarly, my delegation believes that regional management of DDR programmes make it possible to prevent transborder movements of combatants among neighbouring countries in areas of conflict. The adoption of legislative and other measures, including end-user certificates, is part of the international and regional cooperation framework that includes the responsibility of supplier and user States to prevent the diversion of such weapons for illegal purposes. In that connection, the ECOWAS subregion is working closely with the United Nations Office for West Africa in order to agree measures to be taken to implement the Secretary-General's recommendations. A programme of work for the two institutions covering the period 2004-2005 has been agreed. That cooperation will benefit the new ECOWAS Small Arms Project (ECOSAP) established by ECOWAS in October 2004 to replace the Programme for Coordination and Assistance for Security and Development (PCASED). In order to limit the illicit proliferation of small arms and ammunition, we must strictly implement all the Security Council embargoes on weapons and related materiel. The establishment of monitoring bodies to support the work of sanctions committees is an operational measure that should be supported by strengthening the technical capacity of countries bordering areas of conflict. The growing participation by States in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and the United Nations standardized instrument for reporting military expenditures is a positive trend that should be encouraged. At the national level, the contribution of the Republic of Mali to the fight against the illicit proliferation of small arms and related materiel includes the strengthening of our law on arms and munitions in order to include the international commitments our country has assumed. On the bilateral level, Mali has established a border commission with each of its seven bordering countries to establish a framework for cooperation to combat arms trafficking. At the subregional level, the ECOWAS Moratorium on Small Arms, which was renewed in 2004, should be made a legally binding instrument. The recent creation of a Small Arms Unit in its Executive Secretariat and the technical support provided by PCASED also strengthen cooperation between the States of West Africa. Our subregion is also benefiting from the valuable support of the United Nations Office for West Africa. My delegation calls for the strengthening of that cooperation. On the continental level, my country reaffirms its commitment to the Bamako Declaration of December 2002 and to the September 2002 Algiers Plan of Action. Finally, at the international level, the conduct of my country is determined by the July 2001 United Nations Programme of Action, the negotiations under way to agree an international instrument to identify and trace illicit small arms and the resolutions and statements of the Security Council on the subject.

The President (spoke in French): I thank the representative of Mali for his kind words addressed to me. I now call on Mr. Nobuyasu Abe to respond to comments that have been made.

Mr. Abe: Ijust have a few words to say. I would like once again to express my thanks for the opportunity provided today by this open debate on the question of small arms. I also wish to thank the delegations that expressed words of encouragement to the Secretariat for the continuation and intensification of our work. Those of us in the Secretariat - its departments and branches - will be intensifying our work with renewed vigour. We shall also be strengthening our coordination within the Secretariat and with the related agencies.

The President (spoke in French): I thank the Under-Secretary-General for his statement. Following consultations among the members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council. "The Security Council welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of his recommendations to the Council entitled 'Small arms' (S/2005/69) of 7 February 2005, and reaffirms the statements of its President of 19 January 2004 (S/PRST/2004/1), of 31 October 2002 (S/PRST/2002/30), of 31 August 2001 (S/PRST/2001/2l) and of 24 September 1999 (S/PRST/1999/28). "The Security Council recalls its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security. In this regard, the Security Council recognizes that the dissemination of illicit small arms and light weapons has hampered the peaceful settlement of disputes, fuelled such disputes into armed conflicts and contributed to the prolongation of such armed conflicts. The Council reaffirms the inherent right of individual or collective self- defence in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations and, subject to the Charter, the right of each State to import, produce and retain small arms and light weapons for its self-defence and security needs. "The Council encourages the arms- exporting countries to exercise the highest degree of responsibility in small arms and light weapons transactions according to their existing responsibilities under relevant international law. It also encourages international and regional cooperation in identifying the origin and transfer of small arms and light weapons in order to prevent their diversion, in particular to Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. The Council welcomes the significant steps that have been taken by Member States and international and regional organizations in this regard. The obligation of Member States to enforce the arms embargo should be coupled with enhanced international and regional cooperation concerning arms exports. The Council encourages Members to undertake vigorous actions aimed at restricting the supply of small arms, light weapons and ammunitions to areas of instability. "The Security Council takes note that the United Nations Second Biennial Meeting of States to consider the implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects will be held July 2005, and encourages Member States to fully cooperate with the Chair of the Meeting to have a successful outcome. "The Security Council notes with appreciation that regional actions on illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects have been strengthened in recent years, and encourages the continuation of assistance at national, regional and international levels that would fit the needs of Member States to implement the recommendations contained in the Programme of Action adopted by the July 2001 United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. "The Council welcomes the ongoing efforts by the open-ended working group established by General Assembly resolution 58/241 of 23 December 2003 to negotiate an international instrument to enable States to identify and trace, in a timely and reliable manner, illicit small arms and light weapons, and calls upon all Member States to support all efforts aimed at this purpose. It expresses the wish that the ongoing work within the group will lead to a positive conclusion at its third session as scheduled. "The Security Council welcomes the adoption of General Assembly resolution 59/86 of 10 December 2004, by which, among other things, it requested the Secretary-General to continue broad-based consultations on further steps to enhance international cooperation in preventing, combating and eradicating illicit brokering in small arms and light weapons with a View to establishing a group of governmental experts to consider the issue. "The Security Council welcomes the inclusion of man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) on an exceptional basis in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms. "The Security Council further encourages Member States that have not already done so to establish the necessary legislative or other measures, including the use of authenticated end- user certificates, to ensure effective control over the export and transit of small arms and light weapons. "The Security Council renews the support given to the plan of ECOWAS to strengthen the moratorium signed in Abuja on 31 October 1998 on the import, export and manufacture of small arms and light weapons and to replace it with a mandatory convention. It welcomes the decision by the European Council on 2 December 2004 to significantly support this initiative and calls upon all States and organizations in a position to do so to support this endeavour. "The Council calls upon all Member States to enforce all Security Council resolutions on sanctions, including those imposing arms embargoes, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, and to bring their own domestic implementation into compliance with the Council's measures on sanctions. The Council calls upon all Member States to continue to make available to the sanctions committees all pertinent information on any alleged violations of arms embargoes and to take appropriate measures to investigate such allegations. The Council urges Member States in a position to do so to provide assistance to interested States in strengthening their capacity to fulfil their obligations in this regard. "The Security Council underlines that the issue of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons must be addressed together with the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process in the post-conflict phases. The Council recognizes that DDR is closely linked with the long-term peace and security in a post- conflict situation and recalls that a growing number of peacekeeping missions contain the DDR element as part of their mandate. In this regard, the Council stresses the importance of a comprehensive international and regional approach to DDR that is not limited to the political and security aspects of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants, but addresses also its social and economic aspects, including special needs of child soldiers and women. "The Security Council, while bearing in mind that the issue of the illicit small arms and light weapons has a multidisciplinary nature, encourages Member States in a position to do so to provide assistance and support to the United Nations Coordinating Action on Small Arms mechanism. "The Council continues to recognize the need to engage the relevant international organizations, non-governmental organizations, business and financial institutions and other actors at the international, regional and local levels to contribute to the implementation of arms embargoes and to the wider objective of preventing illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons. "The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to update the Council on 28 February 2006 for its earliest possible consideration of the implementation of all the recommendations contained in his report entitled 'Small arms' of 20 September 2002 (S/2002/1053)." This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2005/7. There are no further speakers inscribed on my list. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 5p.m.