§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts in(a) the EU, (b) USA and (c) developing countries concerning the forthcoming UN conference on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. [1302]
§ Mr. BradshawThe first ever UN Conference on Small Arms in July will signal a step-change in the international community's efforts to combat the uncontrolled spread and misuse of small arms that are the primary instruments of death and injury in conflicts and criminal acts worldwide. The UK has been actively engaged in the conference process both in its national capacity and within the EU.
FCO has been in frequent and close consultation with EU partners, both bilaterally and through the regular EU working groups which discuss these issues.
We also have many formal and informal contacts with the UK, for example in various arms control regimes and working groups, through which officials are able to discuss the subject of small arms and light weapons and other related issues. We also had contact with the US during the meetings in the preparatory process for the conference itself.
165WThe Government attach particular importance to contacts with developing countries, as these include a large number of states most affected by the effects of small arms and light weapons. In February this year the UK hosted a small arms and light weapons policy brainstorming seminar to which a wide selection of countries was invited. The then Foreign Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook), addressed that meeting. We also hold regular EU Troika meetings with SADC (Southern African Development Community), and participated in an EU/SADC meeting in the margins of the third PrepCom. In addition, the EU Presidency will be organising consultations between the EU and SADC, Latin American countries and others during the early stages of the conference. The subject has been a regular agenda item for a wide variety of bilateral meetings over the past year. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw), discussed prospects for the conference with the South African Foreign Minister.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will be attending the UN conference on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in July; and if he will make a statement. [1303]
§ Mr. BradshawMy right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will not be attending the conference. The United Kingdom will be represented by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development, who has taken a close interest in the issue and in the preparatory process for the conference since it was initiated.
The UK attaches considerable importance to supporting efforts to reduce the uncontrolled spread and use of small arms and light weapons. It has actively undertaken numerous initiatives, bilaterally and in line with the 1998 EU Joint Action on Small Arms. These include:
on west Africa, work on the implementation of the ECOWAS Moratorium, focusing, in the UK-authored "next steps" report of 2000, on building political will;on Cambodia, UK facilitation of an EU-funded visit in August 2000 by the Legal Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister;on southern Africa, UK support for EU moves to bolster the EU/SADC process and its regional action programme.The UK also co-ordinated work leading to the November 2000 adoption of an OSCE Document on Small Arms, a significant regional contribution in itself and a major confidence-building step towards the UN conference.
The UK hopes that the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects will agree a practical and constructive programme
166W
Month Venue Event September 6–7 Bruges External Trade Council (Ministerial Informal) 8–9 Genval Gymnich 14–16 Leuven and Louvain-la-neuve Environment Council (Ministerial Informal) 16–18 Alden Biezen Agriculture Council (Ministerial Informal) 22–23 Liège ECOFIN (Informal) 24–25 Brussels Agriculture Council 27 Brussels Internal Market, Consumers and Tourism Council 27–28 Brussels Justice and Home Affairs Council of action with sufficient political support to give an impetus to sustained follow-up and implementation. We are working with our EU partners to this end.