Press Release (2001) 104 9 July 2001

Press Release on the United Nations Conference NATO welcomes the opening today of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade of Small Arms and Light Weapons in New York, and also welcomes the initiative to mark this event by making today "Small Arms Destruction Day". NATO actively supports all international efforts to come to grips with the uncontrolled spread and destabilising accumulation of small arms and light weapons. In November 2000 the EAPC set up the PfP Trustfund for the destruction of Anti Personnel Landmines, which has now been extended to munitions and small arms and light weapons. Projects have been launched in Albania, Moldova and Ukraine. The EAPC stands ready to assist any PfP nation which expresses an interest in the field of small arms and light weapons destruction.

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