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THE EMINENT PERSONS GROUP ON CURBING ILLICIT TRAFFICKING IN SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS

EPG at UN Conference July 10-21 EPG at PrepCom II Albrecht Muth Addresses OAU EPG Relaeses 2000 Bamako Communique EPG Releases 2000 Washington Communique Michel Rocard Addresses  UN On Small Arms Consultative Document The Secratary General's Report

The Eminent Persons Group (EPG) is an independent  international commission of 20 world leaders meeting in their personal capicity, under the co-chairmanship of Mr. Alpha Oumar Konare, the President of Mali, and Mr. Michel Rocard, the former Prime Minister of France. The commision endeavors to advance elements of a comprehensive plan of action to curb illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons. To this end, and with the 2001 UN conference on small arms trafficking in mind EPG, with its global scope and reach, seeks to increase transparency, accountability and common standards in relation to the transfer of small arms and light weapons. Towards that end, EPG advances a cooperative regulatory approach aimed at promoting a small arms control regime (SACR). SACR should rest on at least two pillars: On the preventive side, such a regime should consist of (1) a Small Arms Register, (2) strengthened national controls, including import and export regulation, and (3) an international code of conduct. On the reduction side, SACR should consist of weapons collection programs, reconstruction programs and conflict prevention strategies. As an immediate, practical steps towards an official register, one could usefully be set up on a private basis by competent NGOs. The EPG has begun consultations to this end with charitable foundations, NGOs and interested governments. The commission will present its report to the 2001 UN conference.

Members of the Emenient Persons Group

Alpha Oumar Konare, the President of Mali (Co-Chair) Michel Rocard, former Prime Minister of France  (Co-Chair) Ambassador Celso Amorim Permanent Representative of Brazil to the UN at Geneva , formerly Foreign Minister of Brazil Lloyd Axwonrthy, former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Canada Ambassador Jonathan Dean, Union of Concerned Scientists, formerly Chief US Arms Negotiator Mitsuro Donowaki, Special Assistant to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Vice President of the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, Ambassador Rolf Ekeus, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, former Ambassador of Sweden to US Amadou Kebe, Permanent Observer of OAU to the UN William Eteki a Mbomoua, President, Red Cross of Cameroon formerly secretary-general of the OAU and Foreign Minister of Cameroon Nabil Fahmy, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the United States Dianne Feinstein, United States Senator Ambassador Thomas Graham Presiddent Lawyers Alliance for World Security formerly Chief US delegate to 1995 NPT Review&Extension Conference Amadou Kebe, Permanent Observer of OAU to the UN Imran Khan, Pakistani Opposition Leader Andrej Kozyrev, former Foreign Minister, Russian Federation Ambassador Peggy Mason, Chair, UN Governmental Expert Panel on Small Arms Brokering formerly Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament Affairs Robert S. McNamara, former US Secretary of Defense, President of the World Bank and the Ford Motor Co. Dr. Sola Ogunbanwo, Nigerian Representative to the 2000 NPT Review Conference David Owen, Member, House of Lords former U.K. Foreign Secretary P. V. Narasimha Rao, former Prime Minister of India Ambassador Mohamed Sahnoun, Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on Africa Salim Ahmed Salim ,Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity Eduard Shevardnadze, President of Georgia Michael Weston, Vice Presdient of the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, former Permanent Representative of the UK to the Conference on Disarmament

Contact EPG

A. Muth Director, EPG D. Davis Director, EPG