Vol. 533 No. 3
89 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has been in a position to influence international opinion with a view to reducing the extent to which arms and military hardware are available to the various warring factions on the African continent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8585/01]
The promotion and support of international efforts to secure appropriate safeguards on sales and trans fers of armaments is a key priority of Irish foreign policy. We wish to end destabilising accumulations of arms which can increase the potential for violence in areas of tension, including on the African continent. We are actively engaged on this issue in the EU context and wherever like-minded countries share this goal, particularly at the United Nations. In the run up to the United Nations conference on illicit trafficking in small arms in all its aspects, we participate actively in several fora which are setting ambitious goals for the conference.
In 1998, all the European Union member states agreed to a strict code of conduct regarding the export of conventional arms. Ireland played an active role in the formulation of this code. Criterion three of the code prohibits member states from exporting goods which would provoke or prolong conflicts in the country of final destination, and criterion four specifically refers to the preservation of regional peace, security and stability.
In 1999, the United Nations Disarmament Commission, under the chairmanship of Ireland, adopted guidelines on conventional arms control/limitation and disarmament, with particular emphasis on consolidation of peace. These highlighted the fact that the excessive accumulation of small arms and light weapons, the absence of control to arrest it, and the illicit arms trade continue to have a negative effect on the internal security and socio-economic development of affected states. This is particularly the case in many African conflicts.
The United Nations Security Council is concerned, in particular, with the prevention of conflict and, therefore, the issue of the excessive or improper trade in arms is relevant in this context. Our approach, as a member of the Council, is informed by the policy that we are already following in this area. Ireland holds the chairmanship of the Angolan Sanctions Committee, and it is the responsibility of this committee to ensure that the United Nations sanctions against the UNITA rebels in Angola, which includes an arms embargo, are observed by all nations.
