Small Arms and Light Weapons

The availability, accumulation and uncontrolled flow of small arms and light weapons (SALWs) pose serious threats to peace, stability and reconciliation in the region. The Stability Pact pursues the objective of developing a co-ordinated regional approach to fight the excessive and uncontrolled circulation of small arms and light weapons in the region. It builds on the existing processes of, inter alia, the Wassenaar Agreement, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the European Commission, the OSCE and the United Nations.

Security Sector Reform

Initiatives in this sector are closely interconnected with efforts in the field of security sector reform which form an essential part of any strategy to fight the illicit spread of SALWs. Increasing the capacity of police and customs services to enforce arms trade laws through training, information sharing and regional cooperation deserves particular attention.

Regional Implementation Program

The Stability Pact has developed a Regional Implementation Plan that aims to take the political process a step further by providing a specific framework for next steps, the regional mechanisms for carrying them out and the donor resources required for comprehensive implementation. The Plan does not seek to compete or contradict existing international agreements and arrangements but to build upon them in the most practical way possible.
The Plan seeks to enhance regional cooperation, providing both information sharing and local standard setting geared toward direct project formulation and implementation. The Plan envisions the establishment of a Regional Clearinghouse (SEESAC) for SALW Reduction in Belgrade under UNDP auspices that would supply regional actors with targeted advice on formulating and implementing project proposals, while at the same time serving as a forum for information sharing.

South East European governments would establish a Regional Steering Group (RSG) consisting of "national focal points" to ensure the relevance, consistency and regional ownership of the work of the Clearinghouse. To support the results of these activities, donors will agree to establish a "Set Aside" fund of financial resources dedicated to project fulfillment.

The emphasis of this program is on moving forward with tangible projects resulting in a lasting reduction of Small Arms and Light Weapons in South East Europe, not on setting up new international structures and obligations.

Projects developed under the Plan would encompass all or some of the following clusters:

Preventing and combating illicit trafficking -- Promotion and development of local, national and regional agreements for cooperation in preventing illicit weapons trafficking; capacity building to detect and interdict illicit flows of arms across regional boundaries and borders; Development of a "lessons learned" framework on illicit arms trafficking including available details of illicit arms seized; stored and destroyed

Disarmament, and Demobilisation and Reintegration -- Development and implementation of effective disarmament, and demobilisationdemobilization and reintegration programmes and strategies, where needed and appropriate; .Development and implementation of measures to provide former combatants with alternative and productive sources of employment

Security Sector Weapons Management -- Enhancement of the Security Sector, including but not limited to the Armed Forces and police, capacity to collect, account for store and dispose of excess SALW; management of Security Sector weapons stockpiles, including physical security, record keeping, inventory management and adequate staff training, as well as disposal of any surplus.

Transparency and Accountability -- Development and implementation of measures to promote transparency in all decisions on small arms at all levels of government; Establishment and maintenance of complete national and regional inventories of arms and ammunition and related equipment held by security forces, other state bodies and civilians. Information exchange between governments on holdings and production of SALW; support for the universal marking of arms to enhance capacity to trace and monitor arms flows.

Public Awareness -- development and implementation of regional public awareness and confidence building programmes on the problems and consequences of the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons; development and implementation of specific national and community-based public information and awareness campaigns on the issues, especially security, surrounding the uncontrolled proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons

Legislative and Administrative Capacity -- development of a legislative and regulatory framework at the national level for Small Arms and Light Weapons manufacturing, distribution and brokering, including marking and tracing, registration, and licensing regimes as well as the full criminalization of illegal activities; review and strengthening of licensing and registration arrangements governing civilian possession of SALW; capacity for accelerated adoption and implementation of the UN Firearms Protocol, UN Program of Action for SALW and OSCE SALW Document; capacity to maintain comprehensive and adequate records on the manufacture, holding and transfer of Small Arms and Light Weapons; enhancement of the capacity of law enforcement authorities, including police, customs and border control, to prevent and combat illicit trafficking, combined with inter-state cooperation in this regard; Establishment and maintenance of an effective system of export and import licensing or authorisation for the transfer of all categories of Small Arms and Light Weapons, including development of an effective system of end-use controls and strengthened controls on transshipments of arms through the region.

Collection Storage and Disposal Programs -- provide support to appropriate national authorities to establish and implement a comprehensive Small Arms and Light Weapons collection program based on voluntary public surrender; setting up of national programs for the management, accounting, storage and transfer of collected weapons in a secure and effective manner; implementation of programmes of destruction of Small Arms and Light Weapons in a verifiable and sustainable fashion.

Increasing the Transparency of Arms Transfers

Against this backdrop, a number of South East European countries declared their readiness in Istambul on November 18, 1999 to destroy small arms and light weapons that are in excess of their legitimate needs or that are seized as a result of illicit trafficking. The countries also declared their commitment to secure remaining stockpiles. Under the auspices of the Stability Pact, the Government of Slovenia hosted a Workshop on Small Arms and Light Weapons in Ljubljana on 27 January 2000. Numerous initiatives were put forward for increasing transparency in the transfer of arms, for the destruction of surplus SALWs, for increasing cross-border and region-wide co-operation as well as for strengthening existing structures and related legislation in the countries of the region. Initiatives were also put forth for financial support for the provision of equipment and training to relevant enforcement agencies, for safe storage of SALW and ammunition, as well as for conversion of excessive or obsolete SALW production facilities.

Improving Export Controls

Under the auspices of the Stability Pact, Bulgaria hosted a regional conference on export controls on December 14-15, 1999. The primary objective of the conference was to increase cooperation and coordination among states in the region to prevent illegal arms flows and to develop effective control systems for arms and dual use goods. Participants declared their willingness to expand the sharing of information on transfers of arms, to refrain from irresponsible arms sales and to communicate the names of institutions and officials authorised to issue end-use/end-user certificates. They also expressed their readiness to develop harmonised information for such certificates. A comparative study on best practices for end use/end user certificates will be undertaken.