Reaching Critical Will
First Committee Monitor
First Edition - 8-12 Oct 2007
(Small arms excerpt)

http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/1com/FCM07/week1.html#SALW

Small Arms and Light Weapons

The General Debate offered an opportunity for many delegations to reiterate their commitment to fighting the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (SALW), and their commitment to work within UN multilateral structures to do so. Almost all states who spoke about the issue affirmed that the 2001 Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Transfer of Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects offers an effective and relevant basis for work on the issue.

The July 2006 Review Conference on that Programme of Action (PoA) did not conclude with any substantive outcomes, and the Republic of Korea, Qatar, and others took the opportunity to reiterate their disappointment. However, many states also said they were hopeful of continuing with substantive work, looking towards the 2008 Biennial Meeting of States (BMS) for further discussion on PoA implementation.

Several delegations referenced this year’s draft omnibus resolution on small arms, which will be co-sponsored by Colombia, Japan, and South Africa, and will form the basis of preparation for work at the 2008 BMS. New Zealand, the African Group, and others are looking forward to this meeting, which will consider the national, regional, and global implications of the PoA. At this meeting, states will have an opportunity to report on implementation measures they have taken on the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (often referred to as the “marking and tracing mechanism”).

The Non-Aligned Movement, Republic of Korea, and Kenya highlighted the work of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Illicit Brokering, which released a report in June 2007. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Sergio Duarte said he hoped the GGE recommendations would be heeded.

Some delegations raised other SALW-related issues. The representatives from El Salvador and Venezuela called for munitions to also be part of work on SALW.

Argentina, New Zealand, Cambodia, Angola, Philippines, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and others framed the importance of combating the illicit trade in SALW in humanitarian terms. Ambassador Viotti of Brazil said, “Easy access to small arms and light weapons exacerbates conflicts, facilitates violent crime and terrorism, impedes post-conflict reconstruction and undermines long-term sustainable development.”

Some statements emphasized work done on an informal basis, and outside the UN structures as well. The European Union and New Zealand delegations praised an informal meeting in Geneva convened by Canada and Switzerland on transfer control principles, and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Sergio Duarte praised the work of the Geneva Process, which is an informal process that brings together civil society and governments to sustain the work on the PoA. The Philippines' Ambassador recognized “the role of civil society in addressing the issue of trafficking of these types of weapons through various mechanisms designed to establish and promote a culture of peace.”

- Gabriel Morden-Snipper, Quaker United Nations Office