and technologies to irresponsible end users and for irresponsible end uses. 54. A proposal was made to increase the transparency of arms transfers by expanding the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms to include small arms. ... South Pacific Forum, 9-11 March 2000 56. ...(b) to improve public safety by improving strict controls on the import, possession and use of firearms, ammunition, other related materials and prohibited weapons; ... Meetings convened by States or groups of States Great Lakes Region and Horn of Africa, 12-15 March 2000 (Nairobi Declaration, A/54/860-S/2000/385) 58. Under the Declaration, participants decided ...to exercise effective control over the possessions and transfer of small arms. The participnts urged source countries to ensure that all manufacturers, traders, brokers, financiers and transporteurs of small arms and light weapons were regulated through licensing, ... G-8, 12-13 July 2000 68. ...expressed its commitment to maintaining effective national export control and enforcement systems to prevent the illicit transfer of small arms from, via or in its territories. Replies received from Governments China, 5 June 2000 ... The primary approach to combating illicit trafficking in small arms should therefore be the formulation at the national level of preventive measures suited to the specific conditions of the country or region involved. Whether they export or import small arms, States should exercise strict control over the production, trade, use, possession, stockpiling, import and export of small arms through legislative, administrative and other means. ... ... Relevant Chinese laws contain detailed provisions governing the production of and trade in small arms, and set forth a policy for strictly controling the export of small arms in order to prevent the diversion of legal arms to illegal channels. Colombia, 17 May 2000 ... Colombia feels that if an international instrument is to help prevent and ultimately eradicate the illicit trafficking in arms it will be necessary to focus on the following aspects: - Strengthening of national laws and administrative procedures on the control of small arms and, in particular, the laws regarding the possession, use and transfer of such arms; ... - Establishment of necessary mechanisms to control and monitor all the links in the chain of the trade in such arms, from the production to the distribution, sale and marketing thereof; ... - Transparency in the acquisition and trade of those arms; ... - Cooperation and coordination between the countries that produce, those that export and those that import small arms, in order to reduce the supply and demand for such arms; ... - Regional and international organizations, which must promote the establishment of a global regime to prevent and combat illicit trafficking in arms; ... ... to ensure that the trade in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition is caried out only under strict control at the points of export, import and transit. Need for a global regime The actions mentioned reflect the international community´s growing concern about the effects of the proliferation and illicit trafficking in small arms on peace, security and he social and economic development of many countries and regions. However, this concern has not been reflected in the atitude of some countries which, woing to the absence of a global regime to regulate and monitor the production, distribution, export and import of such arms, continue to permit the transfer of such arms without restriction, thereby making it easy for outlawed groups and individuals to gain access to the small arms market and promoting the corruption of those who take advantage of these circumstances to secure great profits. Jordan, 1 June 2000 ... (b) Establishment of a regional register and of data banks in order to elucidate the scale of the problem. ... Continued