Note: Here is an excerpt of the small arms section of Reaching Critical Will's "First Committee Monitor" which reports on the activities of the UN General Assembly First Committee (disarmament).  Especially note the initial conclusion that the First Committee's action revived the UN small arms process after the failure of this June/July's Small Arms Review Conference.

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http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/1com/FCM06/week5.html

Reaching Critical Will (First Committee Monitor)

The First Committee Monitor

Final Edition....(Excerpt of small arms section)

Small Arms and Light Weapons

Many states saw the First Committee as an opportunity to revive the UN SALW process after the failure to agree a substantive outcome document at the July 2006 United Nations Small Arms Review Conference (RevCon). Brazil said, “[t]he General Assembly should adopt a decision in order to ensure a proper framework for the continuous assessment of the implementation of the Programme of Action (PoA), as well as measures to strengthen it.”

In a statement to the committee, the RevCon President, Ambassador Kariyawasam of Sri Lanka, blamed its failure on various factors, including states' lack of confidence in the UN's ability to address disarmament issues; the unresolved issues of transfers to non-state actors and civilian possession of small arms; and an unreasonable interpretation of the consensus rule. At the First Committee, five of the six SALW resolutions required a vote, but all were overwhelmingly supported, with the United States as the lone opposition vote on any small arms resolution.

The annual “omnibus” resolution (A/C.1/61/L.15/Rev.1) on small arms was adopted with 172 votes in favor, 1 opposed (the US), and no abstentions. This resolution confirms a 2008 date for the next meeting of the UN small arms process, as stipulated in the PoA. The overwhelming support for this resolution completely justified the cosponsors’ decision to break consensus.

“Towards an Arms Trade Treaty” (A/C.1/61/L.55), one of the most high-profile and ultimately successful resolutions of the First Committee, was adopted with 139 votes in favor, 1 opposed (the US), and 24 abstentions. Although small arms are only one category of the conventional arms regulated by a future Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), their misuse is causing more devastation than any other weapons. This was recognized by Jamaica, which focused on small arms in its speech prior to the vote on the resolution.

“Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus” (A/C.1/61/L.26), which calls for a Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) in 2008 to “consider further steps to enhance cooperation with regard to the issue of conventional ammunition stockpiles,” was adopted with 164 votes in favor, 1 opposed (the US), and 1 abstention (Japan). A separate vote on OP7, which calls for the establishment of the GGE, was similarly successful with 163 votes in favor, 2 opposed (the US and Japan), and no abstentions. After the vote, Japan explained that they could not vote in favor as they were skeptical of the utility of the GGE at this time, and questioned the judgment of expanding the UN budget to accommodate it. However, many states support the development of a separate process on ammunition control, especially since ammunition has had an uncertain place within the existing SALW process. While it was included in the PoA, it was removed from the scope of the 2005 Tracing Instrument.

The “Transparency in Armaments” (A/C.1/61/L.38) resolution, adopted with 141 votes in favor, none opposed, and 23 abstentions, invites states to provide information on international transfers of SALW when they report to the UN Register of Conventional Arms, as recommended by the 2006 GGE. This is an important step in promoting transparency, since existing international customs information does not provide reliable information on the quantities of small arms transferred, only the value.

Emphasizing the need for UN peacekeeping operations to engage in disarmament activities, the “Consolidation of peace through practical disarmament measures” (A/C.1/61/L.37) resolution was adopted with 158 votes in favor, no abstentions, and 1 opposed (the US). This resolution also encourages states, including those donors comprising the Group of Interested States, to support international, regional, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in their post-conflict disarmament efforts. Additionally, the “Assistance to States” (A/C.1/61/L.25) resolution, was adopted without a vote for the ninth year in a row. This resolution encourages cooperation between civil society and states, in particular on National Commissions on SALW, and calls upon the international community to provide financial and technical support to both states and civil society in their efforts to curb the illicit trade in SALW.

Both of these resolutions recognize the valuable contribution made by civil society, also emphasized by Nigeria, which commented on the “prominent role” of the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), the global network of NGOs working against gun violence, in its speech prior to the vote on the ATT resolution.

In her presentation to the First Committee, Rebecca Peters, Director of the IANSA, highlighted the devastating effects of the proliferation of SALW. Speaking of the murder of peace activist Dr. Vincent Makanju, a Nigerian IANSA member shot dead on 11 October, she underlined the important role the UN SALW process must play in preventing similar tragedies.

Two new SALW initiatives were outlined during the First Committee. Canada hosted an informal side event with states and NGOs to discuss a meeting on controlling international SALW transfers, to be hosted by Switzerland, June 18-22, 2007 in Geneva. Intended to be complementary to the formal UN SALW process, this meeting will “identify and/or refine global principles to govern the transfer of SALW throughout the world,” and will discuss further the principles proposed by government experts at an international meeting on transfer controls in Nairobi, April 2006.

The other initiative is being led by Switzerland, which intends to coordinate a core group of 10 states to follow-up the “Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development,” adopted at a Ministerial Summit in June 2006. The group will encourage states to join the declaration; promote research addressing the links between armed violence and development; and work with donor and recipient countries to integrate armed violence prevention into development programs.

The results of the First Committee are extremely promising, indicating the value of rejecting the distorted interpretation of consensus used to date during the UN Small Arms process. The PoA has been used as a starting point for states to reform policies and practices in combating the proliferation and misuse of SALW. The resolutions at First Committee have ensured that this process will continue and expand into some key areas where PoA commitments require further elaboration. Building on the achievements of this First Committee will ensure that progress at the UN will not fall behind regional and national progress.

There is still much work to be done, with up to 1,000 people killed at gunpoint every day. As the Secretary-General remarked in his opening statement to the 61st General Assembly, “[i]n far too many parts of the world – especially the developing world – people are still exposed to brutal conflicts, fought with small but deadly weapons.” (Emphasis added)
 
- Mark Marge, International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) ....