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Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, let me welcome you attending this seminar. My particular gratitude goes to the Saferworld as well as to the Lithuanian Centre for Human Rights for their initiative to organise this event. The seminar gives us an excellent opportunity to share our experience in various fields of arms control and to seek strengthening our co-operation.In the world of today, arms export control remains a key issue on the international security agenda. A major concern of the international community is to curb and prevent illegal spread of arms, by creating and implementing sound and effective mechanisms and procedures of arms export control. We have to take full account of the fact that the most widely distributed sector of global defence industry is the industry of small arms and light weapons. World-wide, there are more than 550 million small arms and light weapons and the annual value of legal trade in small arms is estimated at 4-6 billion US dollars. Usually, small arms and light weapons are designed, produced, and procured in response to demand by governments or civilians. Apart from that, there is a huge amount of illegal trade that is believed to represent 20 per cent of the total trade in small arms. In some regions we are witnessing a destabilising accumulation of small arms and light weapons, which endangers individual states and whole regions thus affecting global security and stability. Small arms and light weapons can enter the illicit market at many stages in their life cycle: from manufacturing, to export, import, and end use. Arms are sold, re-sold, perhaps stolen, diverted, and maybe legally or illegally transferred many times. Ultimately, they are used and re-used, during or after conflicts. At each juncture in this complex chain of legal or illegal transfers, people – brokers, insurgents, criminals or organised groups – are active participants in the process. Trafficking in small arms represents a vicious circle where political, economical, humanitarian and social dimensions are closely interrelated. This is why the problem must be approached only from a broad, multidisciplinary perspective. Even if small arms and light weapons constitute a relatively new issue on the security agenda, many international organisations – the European Union, United Nations, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, NATO – during the last few years have concerted their efforts in seeking solutions in order to prevent illicit trafficking. Several documents have been adopted, namely the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Export as well as Joint Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, OSCE Document on small arms and light weapons, UN Programme of Action, UN Firearms Protocol supplementing the Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and many others. Lithuanian experts took an active part in drafting many of these international instruments.Lithuania is committed to combating the proliferation and misuse of small arms. To this end, we have been working intensively with the UN, EU, OSCE and NATO, aiming at stringent national legislation and developing sound export controls, strengthening border control and improving stockpiles management. We have fully committed ourselves to the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports. Accession to the EU will enable us to take full advantage of the denials notification system that will increase the possibilities of information exchange. This year we will start exchanging information on the export and import of small arms and light weapons under the OSCE Document. This Document addresses the problem of small arms in all its aspects. There is a strong focus on improving controls of legal manufacture and transfers, on marking, record keeping, and harmonisation of import, export, and in-transit procedures.A comprehensive arms export control is a complex area. The export control should cover not only arms transactions but should also reinforce implementation of international embargoes or sanctions imposed by UN, OSCE or EU. In this area we have to carefully think on dual use materials as well as on the necessity to avoid supply of these goods for the states or entities of concern. In this respect, the primary responsibility goes to states themselves. Truly effective arms transfer and end-use controls must begin with comprehensive and stringently enforced national controls, but such vital building blocks are not sufficient in themselves. Regional and international control dimensions are required. On the numerous occasions, there has been stressed a need for trans-national controls as well as for setting up common standards for licensing transfers and end-user certificates. Building up such best national and multilateral practice enables us to elaborate the key elements of a harmonised international end-use control regime. For the achievement of real progress in arms export control, all endeavours undertaken by one state should be supplemented and strengthen by trans-border co-operation, by building confidence and sharing of information with neighbouring states. All this co-operation should be considered from a crime prevention perspective. It has also much to do with international concerted efforts against terrorism. This seminar provides us a perfect opportunity for further discussion on each of the aspects related to possible means and ways of our co-operation. Transparency is a cornerstone of national, regional and international accountability. Inter-governmental exchange of information, including confidential exchanges, can contribute in a number of important ways. Firstly, one could think of effective co-operation among police, customs, intelligence agencies or arms transfer licensing authorities. We should consider how to enhance mutual confidence in order to improve capacity to trace and prevent diversion to unauthorised or destabilising purposes, including sanctions breaking activities. Secondly, one could think of co-operation in implementing states’ commitments to prevent arms proliferation as well as other international obligations such as full respect for UN, EU or OSCE arms embargoes. And, finally, one could discuss on how the development of appropriate national monitoring, record keeping and information management systems could be stimulated by this co-operation. The public awareness on the need to curb the illegal arms trade constitutes one important part of a broad frame of arms export control. Taking into account the impact of use of illicit arms on the society, increasingly, non-governmental actors have a significant role to play in proposing and influencing policies in this area. Ladies and Gentlemen,I am pleased to welcome this seminar, which should be, I strongly believe, one step forward to increase co-operation, transparency and confidence building among neighbouring countries. The experience gained will contribute to improving national and trans-national measures in the field of arms export control.Thank you.