<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Note: The First Committee of the UN General Assembly is where disarmament
issues are discussed. This is a partial account of the small arms discussion.
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Report on the United Nations 54th First Committee General Debate: Part One
by Sharon Riggle
….Conventional Arms
Receiving much detailed attention by delegations is the proposal for a
conference on "Illicit Traffic in Small Arms". General debate speeches were
uncharacteristically detailed regarding this item, as negotiations are
underway to flesh out the intensive preparatory process for this conference,
which will most likely take place in mid-2001. There are numerous proposals
by delegations on the scope, timing, duration, mandate, location, etc., of
both the conference and the preparatory process. A key political concern,
however, is over scope. Many non-aligned countries would like the conference
to focus solely on the "illicit trafficking" aspects of the problem, while
other countries, among them some western delegations, would like to broaden
out the debate and look at all related problems inherent in sending small
arms across borders. The phrase "in all its aspects" was added on to mentions
of a small arms and light weapons conference at the demand of some
delegations in order to keep the scope broader than merely dealing with
strictly illegal aspects….
Sharon Riggle, Director of the Centre for European Security and Disarmament,
Brussels, has been covering the 54th Session of the United Nations First
Committee in New York on behalf of the Acronym Institute. The next issue of
Disarmament Diplomacy (41) will contain a full report of the resolutions and
voting patterns in the First Committee and UNGA. A selection of related
documents can be found on the Acronym Institute website: http://www.acronym.org.uk
[/quote]
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"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!
issues are discussed. This is a partial account of the small arms discussion.
______________________________________________________________________
Return to List of Contents
Report on the United Nations 54th First Committee General Debate: Part One
by Sharon Riggle
….Conventional Arms
Receiving much detailed attention by delegations is the proposal for a
conference on "Illicit Traffic in Small Arms". General debate speeches were
uncharacteristically detailed regarding this item, as negotiations are
underway to flesh out the intensive preparatory process for this conference,
which will most likely take place in mid-2001. There are numerous proposals
by delegations on the scope, timing, duration, mandate, location, etc., of
both the conference and the preparatory process. A key political concern,
however, is over scope. Many non-aligned countries would like the conference
to focus solely on the "illicit trafficking" aspects of the problem, while
other countries, among them some western delegations, would like to broaden
out the debate and look at all related problems inherent in sending small
arms across borders. The phrase "in all its aspects" was added on to mentions
of a small arms and light weapons conference at the demand of some
delegations in order to keep the scope broader than merely dealing with
strictly illegal aspects….
Sharon Riggle, Director of the Centre for European Security and Disarmament,
Brussels, has been covering the 54th Session of the United Nations First
Committee in New York on behalf of the Acronym Institute. The next issue of
Disarmament Diplomacy (41) will contain a full report of the resolutions and
voting patterns in the First Committee and UNGA. A selection of related
documents can be found on the Acronym Institute website: http://www.acronym.org.uk
[/quote]
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"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!