Press release of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Ljubljana, 13 March 1999
N° 2

"We agreed that national, regional registers and even a Mediterranean Register, of the production and exportation of small arms would considerably facilitate armaments control. Conscious that that would also help to create a climate of confidence, we recommend their establishment". This was one of the principle recommendations figuring in the report of the Third Thematic Preparatory Meeting of the IIIrd CSCM which took place on March 12 and 13 1999, in Ljubljana.

Meeting at the National Assembly of Slovenia, the 48 members of the 19 national parliaments and the 5 associate participants, as well as the two observers present in Ljubljana felt that the question of small arms deserved their fullest attention, not only during their work chaired by the Speaker of the Inter-Parliamentary Group of the host country, M. Jelko Kacin, but also once returned to their respective countries. "It is important that we insist on transparency in all matters regarding the production and trade of these arms. This is an essential condition if our legislation in the field - if it is adequate - is to be respected.

The parliamentarians thus followed proposals put forward by the expert, Professor Vicenç Fisas, holder of the UNESCO Chair on Peace and Human Rights (Universidad autónoma de Barcelona). Professor Fisas drew particular attention to the fact that small arms are estimated to have taken 26 million victims since the end of the Second World War and, today, it is an alarming fact that 40% of trade in these arms is clandestine.

The representatives of the Mediterranean coastal States and the non-coastal States whose economic, political and strategic life is directly linked to the Mediterranean also stressed that priority should be given to adapting their respective legislations making the holding of an official authorisation for the purchase of any firearm obligatory. " If we are to prevent illegal use and misappropriation, it is important that we establish effective machinery to verify the authenticity of certificates of final destination of these arms. We should also take action to reinforce the capacity to control flow of arms and to aid those of our States which, even having undertaken to do so, have neither sufficient economic nor technical means to do this."

The representatives of the Member parliaments of the CSCM present in the Slovene capital also decided to work towards the adoption of a convention on small arms. "We noted that a world campaign for the elimination of these arms, inspired by the Campaign which culminated in the adoption of the Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel mines will be launched next May in the Hague. It is important that we join in this mobilisation and that, as representatives of the people, we relay it to the national and international political institutions." The parliamentarians also added: "We are fully aware that the prevention of conflicts cannot be understood in purely military terms. It is thus the structural roots of the situation which, as parliamentarians we are beholden to address in priority." The participants at the Ljubljana Meeting also stressed the need to the make the Mediterranean a region free from arms of massive destruction: "This implies not only the destruction of existing stocks, but also a freeze on armament production. Some of us have called for international verification, and even the dismantling, of production units."

The Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Geneva-based world organisation of parliaments, currently has 136 affiliated national Parliaments and 4 associate regional parliamentary assemblies. The IPU also has a Liaison Office with the UN in New York : tel. (1.212) 5575880. Contact: Ms. Luisa Ballin, IPU Information Officer. Tel: (41 22) 919 41 16 or 919 41 27, fax (41 22) 919 41 60 or 733 31 41, e-mail: lb@mail.ipu.org or cd@mail.ipu.org.