Non Proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament
Small Arms and Light Weapons
Introduction
The destabilising accumulation, spread and misuse of small arms and light weapons contributes to the breakdown of law and order in many regions, including in the Asia Pacific, which, in turn, adversely affects the prospects for good governance, human rights and socio-economic development in many countries. Australia and other members of the international community recognise the need for early, concerted action to address the problems posed by small arms and light weapons.
United Nations Programme of Action
A United Nations international conference on the illicit arms trade in all its aspects was held in July 2001. The Conference adopted by consensus the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects (Programme of Action), providing the framework to combat the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons at national, regional and international levels.
To support implementation of the Programme of Action, and in cooperation with the United Nations, Australia hosted a regional meeting for Pacific Island countries and Timor Leste in Sydney 22-23 June 2009. The meeting was attended by UN, Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, and government officials, civil society representatives, and the Chair-designate of the 4th Biennial Meeting of States (BMS-4) on the Programme of Action, HE Ambassador Pablo Macedo of Mexico.
Arms Trade Treaty
In 2006 Australia co-authored UN General Assembly Resolution 61/89 “Towards an Arms Trade Treaty” (ATT) which established a Group of Government Experts (GGE) to examine the parameters of an Arms Trade Treaty. The GGE, of which Australia was one of 28 members, met three times during 2008 and agreed that the UN should undertake further work on an ATT to establish common standards for the international arms trade. In UN General Assembly Resolution 63/240 (2008) the UN agreed to undertake further work on an ATT through an Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) which commenced its activities in New York in March 2009. Australia actively participated in the two OEWG meetings held in March and July 2009.
Australia co-authored the 2009 UN General Assembly First Committee Resolution on an ATT (L.38/Rev 1) which received overwhelming support, with only one negative vote, on 30 October. The Resolution proposed that the four OEWG meetings scheduled for 2010 and 2011 be considered as Preparatory Committee meetings for a United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty to be held in 2012, with a fifth Preparatory Committee meeting to be held in 2012 to decide procedural matters for the Conference.
The First Committee Resolution was approved by the UN General Assembly on 2 December 2009 as Resolution 64/48. The Resolution received 151 votes in favour, with one opposing vote, and 20 abstentions.