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Georgian Envoy’s Statement on Illicit Arms Trade

Statement Made by H.E. Revaz Adamia Permanent Representative of Georgia to the United Nations at the First Biennial Meeting of States to Consider the Implementation of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects at the National, Regional and Global Levels

New York, July 8 2003

Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me start out by stating how much importance we attach to ongoing multilateral efforts in search of ways to prevent and eradicate of the malice of illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons and the challenges they lead to. The key to the success of our joint efforts must lie in sharing of experiences among the member states on difficulties, as well as the best remedies to this global problem.

Georgia is currently on the way of establishing proper system to deal with the issue of small arms. My Government attaches great importance to this task, which is necessitated by number of serious security threats and challenges the country faces.

Up to now, Georgia has adopted number of legal instruments regulating production, trade and transfer of small arms and light weapons, including laws on fire arms, on export control of arms, military equipment and dual-use products. Interagency Commission of the National Security Council on Military-Technical Cooperation has been established, which provides obligatory recommendations to the Ministry of Justice – designated body issuing licenses on export, transit, re-export and import of arms. In addition, number of presidential decrees has been issued regulating export-import of armament, military equipment and ammunition. This is the legal framework governing current national practice in arms trade policy.

Georgia fully shares common concern that the problem of uncontrolled accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons pose real threat to human security and peace, igniting violence and conflicts and hindering peace-building.

Georgia’s experience underlines importance of stockpile management and security. This experience, in its essence, is conditioned by major strategic change in the region, as well as international realm – dissolution of Soviet Union. Present reality gives us vivid examples of importance of stockpile management of arms possessed not only by state, or by central government, but, even more importantly, by those forces operating beyond such control.

In regard of the above, I would like to draw your attention to several major challenges Georgia faces on the national as well as regional and global levels.

1) Russian military forces:

This factor itself has two dimensions: regular military and “peacekeeping”.

As for regular military dimension of presence of Russian military forces in George, one has to notice that there are three bases left: in Akhalkalaki, Batumi and Gudauta. It also should be mentioned that the latter base is located in the breakaway region of Abkhazia, adding substantial concern regarding uncontrolled proliferation of arms. Unfortunately, no progress has been made in deciding the fate of these military bases, as agreed during Istanbul OSCE Summit of 17 November 1999.

Our main problem with these bases is connected specifically to illicit, uncontrolled spread of small arms and light weapons in the region. According to our law enforcement and special agencies, these bases have turned into the major source of arms and weapons for different secessionist, criminal or terrorist groups. Unfortunately, these bases do not come under effective control of their central command and, as I have already indicated, are located in the areas with lucrative black market for illicit arms trade. We may declare confidently that these three bases pose major threat to the security of Georgia in terms of dissemination of arms to destabilizing forces in the country as well as in the region.

Another dimension of presence of Russian militaries in Georgia is existence of CIS, in fact Russian, peacekeeping forces in Georgia – in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region, territories controlled by secessionist regimes. There are rather suspicious links between these forces and those separatist regimes. Strangely enough, they even do not try hard to conceal such connections – for example, local secessionist regime in Tskhinvali region used small arms and light weapons along with heavy military armament belonging to Russian peacekeepers when celebrating the so called “Independence Day” in September 2002. This fact is an open and blunt violation of numerous agreements on peaceful resolution of the conflict reached since 1992.

2) White Spots:

As mentioned above, there are two post-conflict territories in Georgia, which are beyond of control of central government – Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region (former “South Osetia”). These territories are out of control, both from the point of locally existing stocks of small arms and light weapons, as well as their dissemination. Here, indeed, we face rather an awkward situation – having uncontrolled regimes with the territories virtually uncontained, as there is no border protection from the side of Russian Federation, which both of them are adjacent to. Moreover, inhabitants of these territories are granted visa free regime by Russian authorities and enjoy possibility of unhindered movement over the border.

These two factors together with inadequate customs/border control, especially in the north, at the Caucasus gorge, clearly present challenges and concern in terms of illicit trade and spread of small arms and light weapons, destabilizing security situation in the country.

3) Regional challenges

Georgia is situated in a rather volatile region rich in conflicts and paramilitary groups of various nature – separatists, criminals, and terrorists – feeding high demand for all kinds of armament, primarily small arms and light weapons. My country has unfortunate experience of mass influx of refugees from Chechnya purposefully channeled to Georgia causing humanitarian problems as well as security challenges.

After this rather brief diagnosis of situation in Georgia regarding control over manufacturing, storing and trading small arms and light weapons and the problems they lead to, let me summarize by listing some points to remedy the situation:

a) Assistance in stockpile management and security – though substantial progress has been made by different agencies possessing small arms and light weapons to secure them, there still remains much to be done;

b) Initiation and financial support of small arms collection and destruction programs – especially important in and around conflict zones. Georgia has experience of such project successfully implemented in Tskhinvali region. Efforts in this direction should be enhanced;

c) Assistance in border/customs control – despite efforts of the Georgian Government and vital assistance of our friends, the country’s northern border is poorly protected. This is the field where international cooperation is crucial as borders always have two sides and cooperation with the neighbors will significantly enhance security. However, third parties, be it individual countries or regional and international organizations, can make substantial contribution by assisting in capacity building of border guards and customs as well as promoting regional cooperation;

d) Assistance in capacity building of different law enforcement and special services, such as governmental bodies, police, the judiciary, special security services, etc.

e) Urging Russian Federation that the CFE Treaty is the cornerstone of the security system in Europe and the commitments undertaken, Istanbul Summit commitments among them, should be fulfilled.

f) And the most important – assistance in peaceful resolution of the conflicts in the region.

Thank you.

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