Pasi Patokallio chairs UN Small Arms Conference
12 July, 2005
Approximately 100 000 people die annually in conflicts on different parts of the world, most of them killed with small arms. Using or threatening with small arms also prevents the delivery of humanitarian aid in many places and forms a serious obstacle to development cooperation. "Thus small arms can be considered mass destruction weapons", said Ambassador Pasi Patokallio, Finland's representative, who was nominated the chairman of the UN conference on small arms on Monday, 11 July, in New York. The conference continues until 15 July.
The mission of the conference is to evaluate the implementation of the international Programme of Action on the spread and illicit trade of small arms, which the UN adopted in 2001. Most typically small arms are those intended for military use, such as assault rifles and mortars.
According to Patokallio there has been progress in the implementation of the UN programme. A special protocol has been approved as a part of the multilateral agreement on organised international crime. It came into affect at the beginning of July and is aimed at preventing the illicit trade of firearms. A document on better marking and tracing of small arms was negotiated a fortnight ago within the UN. It will be discussed in the general assembly in autumn.
According to Patokallio tighter international intervention in the operations of the suppliers of weapons and an international agreement on the norms of legal trade on small arms will be among the current affairs in the future.
Further information: First Secretary Janne Taalas, Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations, New York, tel. +1 212 355 2100