§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response the United Kingdom Government have made to the note verbale of the Secretary-General of the United Nations of 23 January 1996, pursuant to UNGA 49/75M of 15 December 1994, which sought the views of member states on effective ways and means of collecting weapons transferred illicitly. [8997]
§ Mr. Tony LloydThe then Government submitted their reply on 30 April 1996 to the Secretary-General's note verbale of 23 January 1996 which referred to UNGA 50/70J. This resolution, dated 12 December 1995, superseded resolution 49/75M of 15 December 1994.
We are fully committed to helping to tackle problems caused by illicit arms transfers. To this end, we strongly support the EU programme for the prevention and combating of illicit trafficking in conventional arms which was agreed on 26 June 1997 and intend to take it forward during our presidency of the EU in the first half of 1998.