Review of Register of Conventional Arms

EXPERT REVIEW OF REGISTER OF CONVENTIONAL ARMS IN GENEVA, 16 TO 20 FEBRUARY

NEW YORK, 13 February (Office for Disarmament Affairs) – A group of governmental experts will hold its first week-long meeting in Geneva starting Monday, to review the continuing operation of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and its further development.  The group is expected to report to the United Nations Secretary-General later this year.  The group was established pursuant to General Assembly resolution 63/69.

Established in 1992, the Register is a voluntary reporting instrument that covers seven major categories of conventional arms:

1. tanks;
2. large-calibre artillery;
3. combat vehicles;
4. combat aircraft;
5. attack helicopters;
6. warships;
7. and missiles/missile launchers.

The emphasis of the instrument is on international transfers of arms; however, participating Governments are also encouraged to provide data on

1. procurement through national production and
2. military holdings in those seven categories.
3. Moreover, Governments are now encouraged to declare their transfers of small arms and light weapons.

But, if a Government has nothing to declare on international transfers in a calendar year, a simple “nil” report may be submitted instead.

So far, 173 States have submitted reports to the Register at least once since 1992.

The governmental experts are expected to examine a range of issues that include

1. the current scope of the Register and
2. its existing procedures and
3. operation with a view to its further development.

Eighteen Member States, representing different regions and subregions, have been invited to participate in this review, which is being chaired by Ambassador Martin García Moritán of Argentina.

For further information, contact Yuriy Kryvonos (tel.:  1 917 367 1096, e‑mail:  kryvonos@un.org) or (Gillian Goh, tel.:  1 917 367 2904, e‑mail:  gohg@un.org) at the Conventional Arms Branch, Office for Disarmament Affairs.