| EMINENT PERSONS GROUP To Convene at United Nations Headquarters New York City, New York, July 18-20, 2001 The Eminent Persons Group will convene at UN Headquarters, New York, July 18-20, as guests of Secretary-General Kofi Annan The EPG Headquarters convocation is manifestation of the Group’s close collaborative efforts with the Secretary-General in advancing a global small arms nonproliferation regime, as set forth by the Secretary-General in the Millennium Report. In building further upon the Secretary-General’s meetings with high-level EPG delegations under Michel Rocard on February 29, 2000, and Lloyd Axworthy on March 23, 2001, the convocation will aim to help lend momentum to the success of the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons, which convenes at UNHQ, July 9-20. Small arms proliferation constitutes a serious threat to global peace and prosperity and is part of a worldwide “security malaise” where violence has become more pervasive. In that, small arms proliferation is one element of a greater arms race, while simultaneously inducing a massive humanitarian toll. The challenges posed by small arms proliferation require most urgent attention and should be faced in conjunction with other arms control measures to reduce the threat of and eventually eliminate weapons of mass destruction. EPG is highly appreciative of the Secretary-General’s call for small arms control as “a necessary first step towards the nonproliferation of small arms” and views its efforts as complementary to and supportive of Mr. Annan’s resolute efforts to make meaningful progress in the near term in bringing small arms and light weapons under legitimate State control. Heralding the Secretary-General’s visionary leadership the Eminent Persons Group supports Mr. Annan’s call for small arms to be “brought back under the control of States, with States being made accountable for their transfer.” To this end, and with the objective to ensure that goal-oriented action emanate from the Conference, EPG calls for concrete measures to be taken in the areas of small arms marking, record keeping and tracing; brokering and norms for transfer under international law. Meeting in Bamako, Mali, December 18-19, as guests of President Konare, Members of EPG affirmed their commitment to: ? Supporting Secretary-General Annan’s call for a global small arms nonproliferation regime and the call for States to be held accountable for small arms transfer. ? Advocating the eradication of illicit small arms proliferation and trafficking by, inter alia, curtailing the potential for diversion/ leakage from the licit trade. ? Calling for enhanced transparency and accountability in small arms transfer, harmonization and strengthening of national legislation on export and import and an international code of conduct. ? Calling for indelible marking of small arms, identifying country of origin, manufacturer and year of production. In advancing the objectives of the Bamako Communiqué of EPG, the Group has been actively engaged in building a Coalition of NGOs and States in support of concrete measures on marking and tracing, brokering and norms for transfer. The Secretary-General supports EPG’s efforts to build such a Coalition and believes that the Group can play an important role towards than end. Within this context, important meetings have been held with NGOs and States in London, June 18, and with industry and States in Paris, June 26. On the basis of the Chairmen’s Report of the London Meeting of NGOs and the Chairmen’s Report of the Paris Meeting with Industry, EPG affirms its calls for increased transparency and accountability in small arms production and transfer by virtue of marking and tracing and norms for transfer as integral parts of an industry, voluntary self-regulation system. Given the extent of divergent views on critical substantive issues pertaining, inter alia, to Conference scope, definitions, and treaty-making mandates, bringing to bear the tangible results of both the London and Paris meetings upon the Conference, could prove critical to Conference success. The presence of members of EPG throughout the Conference may help infuse a new qualitative element into Conference deliberations and diffuse issues of contention. During the convocation, members of the Eminent Persons Group will review progress made in the Conference on the basis of the London and Paris Chairmen’s Reports. EPG will throughout consult extensively with NGOs, Member States, industry, the Conference President and senior UN officials on how best to assess the efficacy of the Programme of Action in terms of its impact upon eradicating the potential for leakage/ diversion from the licit trade to illicit traffic. Members of EPG will review, revise and adopt the New York Communiqué. Also, there will be follow-on meetings to the London and Paris meetings. |
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