The Scope and Implications of a Tracing Mechanism for Small Arms ...

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31 In this final section, we consider the implications of an international arrangement or mechanism for tracing illicit SALW, including the question of its possible scope and content. This discussion builds on the findings of the four technical studies and the previous sections of this paper. 47 1.6.2 Scope and Purposes of an International Mechanism for Tracing Illicit SALW An international mechanism for tracing illicit SALW would be part of the follow-up to the 2001 UN Small Arms Conference. As such, one of its main purposes would be to promote the implementation of relevant Programme of Action commitments, especially to strengthen and facilitate inter-State cooperation in identifying and tracing illicit SALW in a timely and reliable manner. It would be global in scope and aim to complement, reinforce and promote consistency with relevant provisions in regional agreements, including the OAS Convention, the OSCE Document and the SADC Protocol. It should also make use, where appropriate, of existing national, regional and international organizations and institutions, including relevant UN bodies, Interpol and the World Customs Organization. The relationship between a new international tracing mechanism for SALW and the Firearms Protocol requires careful exploration. As discussed in section 1.2, in practice there is substantial overlap in the scope of the Protocol and the UN Programme of Action. The definition of a “firearm” in the Firearms Protocol is broad and covers many types of SALW. While the Protocol is primarily concerned with the prevention, investigation and prosecution of illicit SALW manufacturing and trafficking—specifically where these offences are transnational in nature and involve an organized criminal group—its scope is probably wide enough so as to make it relevant to most of the problems that the UN Programme aims to address. This implies that a new international tracing mechanism for SALW must in practice contribute to the implementation of both the UN Programme of Action and the UN Firearms Protocol. It would be a “selfstanding” mechanism within the broad framework of the UN Programme, and also a mechanism that facilitates tracing cooperation in the context of the Firearms Protocol. Crucially, it could also help to ensure that the commitments and processes relating to marking, record-keeping and tracing in the UN Programme and the Firearms Protocol remain in close alignment.
32 An international tracing mechanism for SALW could contribute to the overall purposes outlined above in several ways. It could aim to: • clarify and develop international standards, procedures and mechanisms to ensure and strengthen international cooperation in tracing illicit SALW; • clarify, develop and strengthen international standards for SALW marking and record-keeping; • establish or facilitate processes for identifying and promoting best practices and lessons learned in respect of SALW marking, recordkeeping and tracing; • establish or support mechanisms, institutions and programmes to promote the implementation of commitments and best practices relating to marking, record-keeping and tracing, including international cooperation and assistance. Since each of these aims is important, it may be wise to design an international tracing mechanism that could potentially contribute to all of them. In the first instance, commitments agreed within the mechanism would apply within the framework of the UN Programme of Action. However, in order to maintain overall coherence, any new standards could also be adopted as part of the UN Firearms Protocol. In considering the priorities for an international tracing mechanism, it is important, however, to focus on the near future. The international standards for marking and record-keeping contained in the UN Firearms Protocol and the UN Programme of Action emerged after difficult negotiations. Their limitations and weaknesses do not derive from a lack of attention or knowledge, but rather reflect the limits of international consensus at this stage. Thus, it may not be realistic or desirable to immediately re-open these debates. A better, initial approach might instead involve clarifying standards and procedures for cooperation in tracing illicit SALW—an issue which was largely neglected due to a lack of time during negotiations. Alongside this, international programmes to promote cooperation and assistance in implementing existing standards for marking and record-keeping, and to identify and disseminate best practices, would probably be widely acceptable. These would not only be useful in their own right, but could
Page 1 and 2: UNIDIR/2002/20 The Scope and Implic
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS Page Preface. . . . . . .
Page 5: v Chapter 4 Structures and Institut
Page 8 and 9: viii point of diversion, thus inhib
Page 11 and 12: ACRONYMS ATFUS BATF BPA CFR CFR CIC
Page 13 and 14: xiii VIN WFSA WIES WR Vehicle Ident
Page 15 and 16: 2 and lines of supply of illicit SA
Page 17 and 18: 4 First, if a weapon has been invol
Page 19 and 20: 6 The UN Programme of Action includ
Page 21 and 22: 8 1.3 MARKING 1.3.1 Introduction A
Page 23 and 24: 10 uniquely identify each productio
Page 25 and 26: 12 • Ensure, at the time of trans
Page 27 and 28: 14 • increasing the resistance of
Page 29 and 30: 16 The UN Firearms Protocol, in its
Page 31 and 32: 18 component of this project is to
Page 33 and 34: 20 They clarify whether a weapon is
Page 35 and 36: 22 Though such systems have great p
Page 37 and 38: 24 have a more prominent role to pl
Page 39 and 40: 26 That said, national intelligence
Page 41 and 42: 28 training and technical assistanc
Page 43: 30 This highlights one of the most
Page 47 and 48: 34 Some of the necessary elements a
Page 49 and 50: 36 on sources and lines of supply o
Page 51 and 52: 38 In promoting international assis
Page 53 and 54: 40 3 Programme of Action to Prevent
Page 55 and 56: 42 25 This section draws on discuss
Page 58 and 59: 45 BIBLIOGRAPHY Berkol, Ilhan, Mark
Page 60 and 61: CHAPTER 2 WHAT TO MARK AND WHAT TO
Page 62 and 63: 49 tracing method for all SALW (con
Page 64 and 65: 51 Figure 2: : The different sub-ca
Page 66 and 67: 53 In order to better grasp the pro
Page 68 and 69: 55 SALW include weapons of war, def
Page 70 and 71: 57 The following questions should t
Page 72 and 73: 59 All of this data, while useful f
Page 74 and 75: 61 2.5 WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR IN
Page 76 and 77: 63 traced, but which ones? Precisel
Page 78 and 79: 65 Table 1: Firearms recovered in c
Page 80 and 81: 67 explosives belts and dozens of t
Page 82 and 83: 69 This data provides an interestin
Page 84 and 85: 71 weapons belonging to illicit cir
Page 86 and 87: 73 imagine being able to effectivel
Page 88 and 89: 75 case of Switzerland, it would be
Page 90 and 91: 77 electronics in animal identifica
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81 10 Small Arms Survey, Annuaire s
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APPENDIX 1 83
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APPENDIX 3 85
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87 the army weapon is capable of au
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90 significance, hence in general t
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92 3.1.2 Sanitization Removal or ob
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94 Chinese Type 56-1 Unique Identif
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96 verify that the imported weapons
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98 weapons. There are risks involve
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100 China Type 56 Russia AK47 Russi
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102 channels, with the protection o
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104 3.1.9 Comments Countries seekin
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106 as a result, potentially tip-of
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108 2. All markings must be made pe
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110 shared encryption standard. The
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112 Domestic record-keeping varies
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114 Nevertheless, whilst the Wassen
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116 individual weapon, should as a
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118 • “Consolidation”—4 x 2
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120 With the scope of the Protocol
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122 The South African authorities a
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124 • (Tracing) Details of all st
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126 tracing Chinese weapons. Conseq
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128 circulating information by fax
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130 Tracing requests are normally c
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132 encourage countries along the t
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134 close enough to provide adequat
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136 3. If Interpol is not up to the
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138 which restrict the amount of in
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140 9 It was notable during negotia
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142
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144 There are other reasons as well
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146 Laws Firearms are a durable com
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148 This last point should not be u
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150 the future a firearm tracing qu
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152 There are several important ele
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154 Canada, nearly all transfers re
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156 accuracy and man-hour effective
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158 industry practices. An effectiv
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160
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162 manner in national (and possibl
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164 routine stockpile management. A
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166 International regulations on th
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168 2. The definitions of weapons,
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170 enable national authorities to
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172 serial number of the firearm. T
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174 9. Explosives: the recommendati
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176 • The States parties undertak
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178 • The following is establishe
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180 International regulations on th
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182 • The participating States ag
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184 The Convention on Plastic Explo
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186 5.3.1 European Joint Action The
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188 years in July 2001. In December
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190 • States must make efforts to
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192 a greater degree of harmonizati
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194 this may lead to the undesirabl
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196 28 Or at least difficult or imp
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198 49 Speech by Mr. Koffi Adjouman
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200 in its capacity as President of
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202 Table 1: Scope of the Seven Pri
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204 Table 1 (continued) Characteris
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206 Characteristics of the marking
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208 Characteristics of the marking
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210 Characteristics of the recordke
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212 Characteristics of the record-k
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214 Table 4: Comparison of the Stan
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216 Characteristics of the exchange
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218
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