Szeged, Hungary
17-18 November 2000
 

Roundtable Meeting on Tackling Small Arms Diffusion in South Eastern Europe: Conclusions

On 17th and 18tth of November 2000 over 50 representatives and experts from governments, international organisations and civil society in most of the countries participating in the Stability Pact were present at a seminar on tackling small arms diffusion in South Eastern Europe. The seminar was organised by Saferworld (London), the Szeged Centre for Security Policy and co-hosted by the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The opening statements were made by H.E. Janos Herman Deputy State Secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Hungary and H.E Bozidar Prelevic Minister of Interior of the Republic of Serbia, highlighting the relevance of the issues on the agenda for regional security.

Participants warmly welcomed the recent changes in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. A democratic Yugoslavia will be an important partner in regional and international efforts to prevent and reduce small arms diffusion.

 

Problems and challenges

In discussing the nature and extent of the problem of small arms diffusion in South Eastern Europe and the effectiveness of existing responses, there was general recognition by the participants that:
  • The uncontrolled proliferation and illicit trafficking of small arms is fuelling crime, exacerbating conflict undermining reconciliation and peace-building efforts, and obstructing economic and social development in South Eastern Europe;
  • Economic and social development the rule of law, and democratic governance are essential for long term solutions to small arms problems; 
  • Although the wide availability and diffusion of small arms is a concern throughout the region the problems are particularly acute in certain areas;
  • Efforts are required to counter cultural acceptance of violence and illicit gun use;
  • The various programmes already launched by the different international organisations (such as the UN, OSCE, NATO EAPC and the EU) and those under the auspices of the Stability Pact in particular, have provided a useful working framework for developing local, national and regional-level solutions. However, these programmes need to be reviewed and adjusted to reflect the lessons learned and the changing demands of the new security environment, especially the reintegration of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia into the international community;
  • Civil society is deeply affected by the problems associated with small arms and efforts to tackle these problems should involve close co-operation with civil society and NGOs;
  • The drive for solutions should come primarily from the governments and societies of South Eastern Europe. However, the international community (including governments, international organisations and NGOs) have an important role to play in facilitating and supporting local, national and regional initiatives.

Proposals

A large number of proposals and ideas for addressing the problem of wide availability and diffusion of small arms in the region were discussed. The participants welcomed the fact that governments have already expressed on several occasions their willingness and commitment to co-operate and to take appropriate steps to tackle the diffusion of small arms in the region. However, participants considered that it is important now to develop a comprehensive and coherent programme of measures to address this problem. Some of the elements and priorities identified by the participants are outlined below.

Strengthening legal controls on the accumulation and transfer of small arms

  • Promote and develop agreement among governments in the region to apply appropriate restraint in relation to arms transfers in and through the region. Governments outside of the region need to apply similar restraint. To achieve these ends it will be important for all countries to apply a strict interpretation of the criteria contained in the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, the Sofia Declaration of December 1999 and the forthcoming OSCE Document on small arms and the UN Firearms Protocol;

  • Take measures to reduce the risk that transfers of arms in and through the region find their way into the possession of unauthorised users;

  • Strengthen national import and export controls and identify and adopt common minimum standards and ‘best practice’ (e.g. by exchanging information and through consultation and training amongst government officials);

  • Build on the Sofia Declaration on end-use/end-user certificates to curb arms diversion;

  • Ensure adequate stockpile management (of weapons held by national police, paramilitary and military forces,) and develop accurate inventories of state-held small arms;

  • Enhance transparency and parliamentary scrutiny of the legal trade and production of small arms;

  • Develop mechanisms for regular information exchange between governments on matters such as: arms transfer and production regulations, lists of authorised manufacturers and dealers; and

  • Ensure adequate regulation and control of civilian possession, ownership, sale and use of small arms. 

Enhancing the operational capacity of governments to prevent and combat illicit arms trafficking

  • Establish systems to ensure adequate marking and record keeping for all small arms and develop mechanisms for co-operation in tracing lines of supply of weapons of concern;

  • Undertake capacity-building programmes to enable border guards, customs, police and judiciary to detect and prosecute criminals engaged in illicit trafficking (e.g. by improving channels of communication between officials, and by training programmes on a bilateral or multilateral basis);

  • Take appropriate measures to ensure adequate security of official and authorised stocks of small arms and ammunition;

  • Develop mechanisms for information exchange between governments to help prevent diversion of legal transfers to unauthorised destinations.

Promoting the removal of weapons from society and destruction of surplus and confiscated weapons

  • Promote and support national and local weapons collection programmes. However, participants stressed the need to review existing and past weapons collection programmes, and develop future programmes on the basis of lessons learned;

  • Identify and use existing facilities in the region to destroy surplus and confiscated weapons and ammunition;

  • Develop information exchange mechanisms on confiscated, collected and destroyed small arms;

  • Launch and develop further public awareness raising campaigns.


The way forward: the Szeged Small Arms Process

The participants suggested that the next step is the development of a comprehensive and coherent ‘Action Programme’ to tackle small arms diffusion in South Eastern Europe. In order to develop and implement this ‘Action Programme’ and in recognition of the achievements of the Szeged Process in building support for the democratic forces in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the participants agreed to initiate an informal process to be known as the ‘Szeged Small Arms Process’.

Initially, this ‘Szeged Small Arms Process’ will involve the development of a consultation document on the elements of the ‘Action Programme’, for further discussion at a subsequent meeting in Szeged. This consultation document will draw on: the proposals discussed during this roundtable; and the recommendations contained in the documents agreed on small arms by the international community, including the declaration, principles and the initiatives agreed within the Stability Pact. In this context the participants welcomed the invitation by H.E. Bozidar Prelevic Minister of Interior of the Republic of Serbia, for a visit by an expert group to Serbia in early 2001.