STATEMENT BY H.E. DR. KUNIKO INOGUCHI

AMBASSADOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF JAPAN

TO THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT

Geneva, 5th June 2003

Mr. President,

Distinguished delegates,

Allow me at the outset, Mr. President, to congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency. Clearly, the Conference has been going through an extremely difficult period without a program of work for more than four consecutive years now. I do not believe that this is the time for blaming each other on failure, but rather it is a time for deep reflection on possible solutions to the current stalemate. I assure you of our full support for any efforts you are able to make to lead us in the right direction. I hope that such efforts made by you and the subsequent Italian president will lead to more favorable conditions for the Conference as I take my presidency in August.

Mr. President,

As Ambassador de la Fortelle mentioned, the G8 Evian Summit chaired by President Jacques Chirac of France ended this Tuesday. The chair’s summary contained the phrase, “we welcomed the upcoming meeting of States on the illicit traffic in small arms to be held at the United Nations in New York in July 2003.” A similar reference was also made in the summary of the G8 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Paris on May 22-23. The meeting on small arms referred to in both summaries is “the First Biennial Meeting of States” to “consider national, regional and global implementation of the Programme of Action” that was adopted at “the 2001 United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects”. Japan believes that this Biennial Meeting will be an important occasion to gather momentum in promoting the further implementation of the Programme of Action.

As chair-designate of the Biennial Meeting, I would like to call the attention of the Conference to this reference, which shows the steadfast commitment of G8 member States to tackling this issue of such a high and urgent priority. It is also my pleasure to see this reference made at the highest G8 level, particularly given that I have been encouraging all States to deal with this issue as a priority in the field of disarmament. I renew my will to reflect such high political commitment of member States of the United Nations, including the G8 countries, in discussions to be held at this meeting.

Mr. President,

Allow me also to take this opportunity to explain the informal preparatory work I have done thus far in the capacity of chair-designate towards the July meeting. Since last December I have conducted several open-ended, as well as bilateral and group, consultations both in Geneva and New York. Through these consultations procedural issues, such as agenda, timetable, and rules of procedure, have been discussed. I have also been suggested by member States to produce a factual summary of the meeting under my responsibility as chair. I have made utmost efforts in this preparatory, lead-up process, and I am confident that a substantial common ground has been created on these points.

I also intend to devote a few sessions for discussions on themes referred to mainly in Chapter III, entitled “Implementation, international cooperation and assistance” and other parts of the Programme of Action. I am hearing positive responses to this proposal. Although the exact formula of the thematic debate is still under consideration, I hope to be able to share my ideas in this regard with States in due course.

I have encouraged all States to submit their national reports on their implementation of the Programme of Action to the UN DDA, and so far, to my knowledge, the DDA has received some thirty-nine reports. I would also like to further encourage those who have not yet done so to submit their reports as early as possible so that not only the chair, but also all States, can share them in advance to the meeting.

I am going to New York later this week to informally meet my distinguished bureau member candidates from Canada, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Iran, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia and Uganda. I look forward to a productive meeting in preparation for the July meeting.

I would also like to stress the important role the mass media can play in enhancing public awareness of events in the Conference room and on the field in connection with small arms. I will therefore as chair-designate endeavour to alert the international press community on the forthcoming meeting and promote their understanding on the issue.

Finally but not least, I invite all States to send high-level representatives to the meeting in accordance with the political importance attached to the global efforts to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects.

Thank you.