H.E. Mr. Moch. Slamet Hidayat Director-General for Multilateral Affairs Department of Foreign Affairs Republic of Indonesia 26 June 2006 | My delegation would be supportive of language that would ban the transfer of SALW to non-state armed groups. We believe that no armed group outside of the State should be allowed to bear weapons. We also believe that regulating civilian possession of SALW will enhance our effort to prevent its misuse. In our view, the issue of ammunition should also be addressed in the context of the PoA because in the absence of ammunition, small arms and light weapons pose no danger. |
Ambassador Gilbert Laurin Deputy Permanaent Representative of Canada to the UN 26 June 2006 | Tremendous gains can be made by States through simple measures such as the implementation of a licensing regime that establishes clear criteria for the lawful ownership and use of firearms. |
Robert G. Joseph Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security United States 27 June 2006 | The U.S. Constitution guarantees the rights of our citizens to keep and bear arms, and there will be no infringement of those rights. The United States will not agree to any provisions restricting civilian possession, use or legal trade of firearms inconsistent with our laws and practices. Many millions of American citizens enjoy hunting and the full range of firearm sports, and our work will not affect their rights and opportunities. As an officer of the Executive Branch of my government, I took an oath to protect the Constitution -- a duty that is an honor to uphold. I suggest you read the whole thing. |
Mr. Petr G. Litavrin Deputy Head of the Delegation of the Russian Federation 27 June 2006 | In order to prevent the uncontrolled proliferations of SALW, their diversion into the illicit trade and in the hands of terrorists the following measures, in our view, could be useful:.....4. A ban on transfers of all types of SALW to non-state actors, not only MANPADS. Such transfers increase the risk of weapons falling into the hands of anti-governmental groups, extremists, terrorists and criminal elements.. |
Conmany B. Wesseh Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Cooperation and Economic Integration Republic of Liberia June 27, 2006 | - About 10% of Liberia's 3 million population died from gun wounds or other means facilitated by the presence of arms;
- About 40% of the population became refugees with a higher percentage having been internally displaced at some point;
- About 5% bore arms one time or the other for violent purposes;
- The entire Liberian state experienced intermittent collapse with military, police and other security structures being personalized by rival warlords;
|
H.E. Mr. Luis Alberto Cordero Ambassador in Special Mission Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica June 27, 2006 | We are of the view that there is a need to strengthen regulations on civilian acquisition and possession of small arms and light weapons. Measures could include limits on the types and numbers of arms that civilians are allowed to acquire and possess, as well as strict requirements for licensing, authorization and registration. |
H.E. Mr. Le Luong Minh Amabassador Head of the Delegation Viet Nam June 27, 2006 | Under Vietnamese law, the Government fully managages the manufacture, repair and transportaion of weapons. The State has promulgated laws and other legal documents stipulating that small arms and light weapons and their equipments are only for the purpose of national defense and security, that the importation of weapons, except in cases permitted by the State, is prohibited and that the illegal acts of transporting, using, trading in and acquiring weapons and explosive materials constitute criminal offences. |
H.E. Mr. Manouchehr Mottaki Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran June 28, 2006 | A strict national control over the transfer of arms, based on the national legislations is a must in the implementation of the Programme of Action and such control can help prevent further escalations of the problem. |
H.E. Ambassador Maged Abdelaziz Permanent Representative to the United Nations Arab Republic of Egypt June 28, 2006 | Similarly, all states have the responsibility to enhance their national legislations leading to a strengthened regulation and control by the states' authorities on the transaction and possession of arms in their territories ... |
H.E. Ambassador Collin Beck Head of Delegation The Solomon Islands June 28, 2006 | Despite the above cited challenges, the commitment of the Government of Solomon Islands in implementing the POA is so much so that it has even banned the selling of toys guns sold in shops including collecting licensed arms for the purposes of rooting out a gun culture from growing in a small country. |
Svetlana Geleva State Counselor for Multilateral Affairs Ministry of Foriegn Affairs Republic of Macedonia June 29, 2006 | Currently we are also working on a new weapons registration and management system which has two components: registration of civilian owned weapons and stockpiles management. This will contribute to better control over civilian owned weapons, expedite resolution of criminal cases, enhance export-import control and ensure implementation of the UN Firearms protocol. |
H.E. Dr. Sylvester Ekundayo Rowe Ambassador/Deputy Permanent Representative Sierra Leone July 3, 2006 | Those who still do not understand or fail to understand the human, humanitarians, economic and social consequences of the illicit trade, circulation and use of these weaspons, let them go to Sierra Leone.Following the successful Community Arms Collection and Destruction (CACD) initiative conducted under the auspices of the Sierra Leone Police Force, we have the on-going UNDP-sponsored Arms for Development Programme which has succeeded in completely disarming forty (40) of the country's 149 Chiefdoms through voluntary exchange of arms for community development projects.Meanwhile, there is still a total ban on civilian possession of all forms of firearms. |
Ambassador Simeon A. Adekanye Deputy Permanent Representative of Nigeria July 3, 2006 | This Conference must recognize the change in the nature of conflicts, by which civil conflicts fought mostly by armed non-state actors have replaced the declining inter-State conflicts, thus exacerbating illicit arms transfer, the main source of arms supply for these actors. This current state of affairs sends a clear message to the members of the global community that illicit arms trade may not stop unless they act in concert to control its transfer to these unauthorized recipients. The Nigerian delegation, therefore, strongly urges this Conference to agree on elaboration of a legally binding international instrument to ban the transfer of all small arms and light weapons to these non-state actors. By so doing, we will have limited transfer of arms to only governments for their legitimate purposes. Nigeria believes that weapons of all types, nuclear as well as conventional, are dangerous in the hands of non-state actors, in particular terrorists. |
Mr. Victor Moraru Head of the Delegation Republic of Moldova July 3, 2006 | It is in this context that we would like the Review Conference to consider additional measures to increase the efficacy of the UN Programme, including prohibiting the transfer of weapons to non-State actors, a phenomenon that took place during the 1991-1992 military conflict in Moldova that led to the excessive accumulation of SALW and other weapons in the Easter part of the country, with negative implications for its territorial integrity, sovereignty, security and stability. |
Mr. Kenny Kapinga Deputy Commissioner of Police Botswana Police Service July 3, 2006 | It is wothy to note Mr. President that in Botswana, a maximum of 200 shotguns and 200 hunting rifles are allowed to enter the market on a yearly basis as per the quota set by the Arms Quota Board. Therefore, in essence, we have been destroying more firearms than we licensed to people in the past five years. |
