OSCE agrees to fight the spread of small arms and light weapons

VIENNA, 28 November 2000 - A far-reaching agreement to combat the spread of small arms and light weapons has been adopted by the OSCE Forum for Security and Co-operation. The OSCE Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons sets real norms and concrete measures for monitoring the spread of weapons in the OSCE region and will be reviewed by the OSCE Ministerial Council today.

The OSCE Foreign Ministers are committed to actively responding to "destabilising the accumulation and uncontrolled spread of these weapons." They have agreed to exchange information on exports and imports of small arms and light weapons within the OSCE region.

The OSCE participating States will combat illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons by prosecuting illegal manufacture, marking small arms and destroying or marking any unmarked weapons. New standards for licensing and documentation for import, export and transit have also been established, among other measures. The document also contains a menu of activities for OSCE field activities.

For the full text of the document, see the OSCE website at www.osce.org. For further information contact the Press and Public Information Section of the OSCE Secretariat, tel.: (+ 43-1) 514 36 180 or e-mail: info