UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON THE ILLICIT TRADE IN SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS IN ALL ITS ASPECTS

Statement by H.E. Ms Penny Wensley Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations

10 July 2001

Introduction

Mr President

The destabilising spread, accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons has contributed to or directly caused human suffering and death, economic loss and political instability. The most vulnerable among us - women and children in the world's least developed countries - are the first to feel the devastating effects of the uncontrolled flow of these weapons. This United Nations conference is a significant opportunity for the international community to demonstrate its determination to address the scourge of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.

In Australia's view, the successful conclusion and adoption of the Program of Action will mark a significant achievement towards alleviating the problems caused by the illicit small arms trade. The Program will establish an effective framework for future activities at the national, regional and international levels, and spur further international efforts.

Australia's approach

Mr President

While Australians are fortunate in that we have been largely spared the devastating impact of illegal arms trafficking, the Australian Government has been an active player at the national, regional and international levels in supporting measures to curb the illicit small arms trade. In July 1999, the Australian Government released a national policy on small arms. This policy acknowledged that the small arms problem encompassed a diverse range of issues, including personal and national security, arms control, disarmament, law enforcement, legal, governance and human rights. In Australia's view, tackling this complex raft of issues requires complementary efforts at national, regional and international levels to generate an effective international response. To this end, we believe that the Program of Action will be an invaluable document, providing a framework for coordinated national, regional and international action. Australia is particularly pleased by the weight given in the Program of Action to regional activities which can, and already do, serve as building blocks for a broader international efforts.

Examples of practical activities that Australia has initiated include:

At the national level

• The implementation of effective national import and export control procedures.
• The imposition of strict national firearms legislation, requiring all firearm owners to hold a licence to possess such a weapon, and all firearms to be registered against that licence. Firearms owners in Australia must also demonstrate a genuine reason for ownership. The introduction of this legislation in 1996 has had a demonstrable impact in reducing the number of violent crimes and firearms-related incidents in Australia.
• Australia supported the designation of 9 July 2001 as Small Arms Destruction Day. In line with national policy and consistent with the international community's efforts, Australia has destroyed nearly 25,000 firearms over the past year.

At the Regional Level

• Funding for humanitarian projects in our region covering the demobilisation and reintegration of ex-combatants (including child soldiers), post-conflict reconstruction, and reform and capacity-building of police, judicial and penal systems in conflict-affected areas.
• Hosting, in May this year, a workshop for Pacific Island countries to provide practical advice on the implementation of legislation for a common regional approach to weapon control.

At the International Level

• Australia has committed strong support to the UN international process, and the development of a "Program of Action" containing practical and implementable measures to address the small arms problem.
• Australia is committed to continuing a pro-active and forward-looking approach to alleviating the problems posed by small arms, with a particular emphasis on regional level activities.

The small arms problem in the Asia-Pacific region

Mr President

A key focus for Australia has been to highlight and address the small arms problem in our own region. The spread and availability of small arms impacts in a real way on our region's economic viability, political stability and the quality of life of its people. Increased lawlessness, criminal activity, and social upheaval are three real effects of the illicit trade in small arms in the Asia Pacific region. In an effort to build cooperation on small arms issues within the Asia-Pacific region, Australia has proposed that members of the ASEAN Regional Forum agree to a non-binding declaration or statement on small arms, and we will continue working towards this objective.

Australia has also targeted the small arms problem in the South Pacific region. Through the involvement of law enforcement officials, we have supported the efforts of the Pacific Islands Forum in developing a common regional approach to weapon control, encapsulated in a document called the "Nadi Framework". The Nadi Framework is based on the premise that: possession and use of firearms is a privilege conditional on the overriding need to ensure public safety; and public safety will be enhanced by imposing strict controls on the import, possession and use of firearms and other related materials.

To build on the Nadi Framework, in May this year Australia hosted a small arms workshop for Pacific Island Forum members states, attended also by Japan and the United States. The workshop allowed Forum members to provide direct input into enhancing the draft model legislation, to ensure it meets their needs. The workshop also emphasised the importance of safe and effective custody of official weapons and included on-site visits to official Australian armouries to demonstrate best practice in stockpile management. Participants agreed on the need for appropriate activities to follow-up the workshop, which would focus on implementation and enforcement of the model legislation, including through capacity-building measures and infrastructure development. In particular, the Governments of Australia and Japan have agreed to cooperate and coordinate efforts to build on the progress made at theAustralian-hosted workshop in May, to help Pacific Island countries to control the availability of small arms and ensure the maintenance of peaceful, stable and viable societies.

The Program of Action

Mr President

We should not underestimate the significance of the Program of Action - it will be the first international document dealing with the small arms issue, and it will act as a basis and inspiration for future efforts. It is imperative that we successfully conclude the Program of Action at this conference - missing this opportunity would set back our collective efforts to address the adverse humanitarian and socio-economic impact of small arms.

In Australia's view, the present draft Program of Action is a comprehensive and balanced document that reflects well the diverse interests of UN member states and will be a useful basis for future activities at the national, regional and international levels. Although each country undoubtedly believes the document could be improved in different ways, we should recognise that the draft Program of Action has already been subject to considerable debate and compromise over the course of three formal preparatory meetings. In terms of our negotiations over the next two weeks, Australia believes it is important to preserve the balance and integrity of the draft Program of Action. We urge delegations to remain focused on the important goal of adopting the Program of Action, and to conduct our negotiations in a spirit of cooperation and with a willingness to show flexibility and compromise. Certainly, the three preparatory meetings and useful "Informal Paper" prepared by the Chairman of the preparatory process, Ambassador Dos Santos of Mozambique, have helped us to identify those areas of the text where there is broad agreement and those which remain contentious. For our part, Australia is confident that, drawing on the leadership of our conference President, Ambassador Reyes, and other senior conference figures (Ambassador Donowaki of Japan and Sir Michael Weston of the United Kingdom), we will end this conference with the adoption of a meaningful and comprehensive Program of Action.

Conclusion

Mr President

As this international conference amply demonstrates, the need to control the illicit trade in small arms is no longer a neglected area of the international humanitarian and disarmament agenda. Although this conference is in some ways the culmination of recent international efforts, it also marks the beginning of a new era of international cooperation to combat the effects of the illicit small arms trade. It is up to us now to ensure that our efforts coalesce into a strong outcome at this conference - namely, the adoption of the Program of Action.

We must also acknowledge the invaluable role of NGOs which have worked tirelessly over many years to help bring us to where we are today. Successful implementation of the Program of Action will require resources, commitment and vision by all UN member states and interested NGOs in the coming years. Our commitment to controlling the spread and availability of small arms and light weapons cannot end until the lives of the innocent and vulnerable are no longer threatened by the law of the gun.

Thank you Mr President.