Statement by H.E.Dr. Kuniko INOGUCHI
Permanent Representative of Japan
to the Conference on Disarmament
At the 2003 Regional Seminar on
Implemting the OSCE Small Arms Document
and
The UN Program of Action
on Small Arms and Light Weapons
In All Its Aspects
Bucharest
24 February 2003
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Government of Romania for organising this regional seminar on Implementing the OSCE Small Arms Document and the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, and for inviting me to participate in the seminar. My appreciation also goes to the Government of Canada and Italy and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Forum for Security Co-operation, namely OSCE for co-sponsoring this regional seminar.
It is my great honour, as Chairperson-designate for the First UN Biennial Meeting on small arms and light weapons (SALW) which will be held from 7 to 11 July this year in New York, to address this distinguished audience at the opening session of the seminar.
The illegal transfer of SALW and the excessive accumulation of these weapons is a particularly dangerous destabilising factor in post-conflict situations, as it disrupts humanitarian aid operations and hinders rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. Furthermore, it makes recurrence of war easier. Every year more than 500,000 (five hundred thousand) people are killed or injured by these weapons, thus they are often called de facto “Weapons of Mass Destruction.” The problems of SALW are multi-dimensional and interlinked, and, since the majority of victims are often women and children, a gender element is also involved. In order to combat complex and difficult problems related to SALW, a comprehensive approach is essential.
The Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (the PoA) outlines comprehensive national, regional and global strategies in combating the problem of SALW, as well as a sound follow-up process to the July 2001 UN Conference on SALW. The First UN Biennial Meeting on SALW, which I will chair, is an important part of the follow-up process and is primarily focused on information exchange. The key words of the Meeting are “ownership” and “cooperation.” “Ownership” implies that all parties concerned, such as individuals, states (especially affected countries), and civil society bodies, recognize the problem of SALW as their own and act accordingly, with a sense of responsibility. “Cooperation” means those parties concerned who may stand in different positions help each other and work together toward the same goal of combating the problem of SALW. This whole process will facilitate the implementation of the PoA in a more efficient and effective manner, thus contributing to the reduction of the number of victims of SALW. I am committed to making a difference in this field.
As this seminar will focus on the implementation of the UN Programme of Action and the OSCE Small Arms Document with an emphasis on tracing/marking and import/export control, I would like to touch on these issues briefly.
In the year 2001 Japan, together with Colombia, South Africa and more than 120 co-sponsors, submitted the resolution of Small Arms and Light Weapon in all its aspects (56/24 V). By its resolution the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to prepare a study to examine the feasibility of developing an international instrument to enable States to identify and trace, in a timely manner, illicit small arms and light weapons. Thus a group of governmental experts has been established and it is expected that this group will present its final report to the General Assembly in this autumn. As a member of this group, Japan is continuously and actively contributing to it.
In this context, OSCE Document on Small Arms and Light Weapon gave us useful precedent case. Section II of this document, adopted on November 2000 sets out various provisions for marking and record keeping at the national level and OSCE participating states agree to ensure that all small arms manufactured on their territory after 30 June 2001 are marked in such a way as to enable individual small arms to be traced.
In the field of Export Control, the OSCE has also a uniquely advanced position. In recent years, an increasing number of States have committed themselves to common regional or international standards for assessing the transfer of SALW and other arms such as OSCE Principles Governing Conventional Arms Transfer (1993), the EU Code of Conduct on Arms exports (1998), Miyazaki initiative (2000), the OSCE Document on SALW (2000) and the Wassenaar Arrengement’s Best Practice Guidelines for Exports of SALW. Though export control has a variety of aspects, let me take one of the elements, export criteria, for example. As a part of OSCE document, the participating States established and agreed to follow common criteria governing the export of SALW. The common criteria were identified as an important element in helping to combat illicit trafficking and prevent destabilising accumulations of small arms. The document sets out the principles; norms and measures aimed at fostering responsible behaviour by the participating States in their transfers of small arms. Large part of the above mentioned initiatives are deprived of the practices accumulated though OSCE experience.
I just picked up only two examples from the complex of numerous SALW problems, it is evident that OSCE’ s experience in these fields will give us useful inputs in order to consider further steps to irradiate illicit SALW problems.
In my opening statement, I would like to ask you to kindly bear in mind the following three points:
Firstly, please submit your national reports on the implementation of the PoA well in advance of the Meeting so that sufficient time can be given for necessary preparation. In this connection, I would like to remind you that the UN Secretariat, through note verbale (DDA/3-2003/TSA) of 13 January, requested such reports be submitted, on a voluntary basis, by 30 April and, to the extent possible, that they follow the structure of the PoA;
Secondly, I would like to encourage you and your government officials to speak of the significance of small arms disarmament in relevant speeches and statements so as to make this issue a priority in the field of disarmament. I would also like to request the attendance of relevant officials from your government at the Meeting;
Thirdly, I would like to point out that mass media can also play a significant role in increasing publicity on the issue of SALW and on the importance of the forthcoming Biennial Meeting.
It is my sincere hope that this seminar will provide an opportunity for all participants to exchange different views and to share experiences from the EAPC OSCE and the stability PAC. I also hope that each of you will take an active part in the discussions and establish personal ties between participants. I am confident that this seminar will help facilitate the preparatory work for the Biennial Meeting which I believe is under way in each Member State. I will make myself available as Chairperson-designate, throughout the seminar, to answer any questions you may have with regard to the First UN Biennial Meeting.
Thank you very much and “va multumesc.”