I am pleased to join in welcoming our newest Partner, the Republic of Croatia. The commitment of the Croatian government to democratic reforms and to respect its international undertakings has advanced prospects for stability, reconciliation and prosperity for the Croatian people and their neighbours.

Canada believes in NATO enlargement and encourages applicants to stay the course with the Membership Action Plan program.

I am pleased that the Partnership Council has taken on a number of pressing human security issues, including initiatives to combat small arms and light weapons and to deal with anti-personnel landmines. I would like to concentrate my remarks on the problem of the proliferation, misuse and excessive accumulations of small arms and light weapons.

This is not a marginal issue. It is a major threat to human security and a direct concern of the Alliance. NATO's Ad Hoc Working Group on this issue has a key role in developing concrete steps to tackle stockpile management and security and in the discussion on effective export controls.

The small arms seminars sponsored by the Netherlands and Bulgaria last November, the Swiss workshop on stockpile management in March, as well as the upcoming Swiss/Macedonian seminar on "Regional Co-operation in Southeast Europe and the Challenge of Small Arms," are all very constructive steps to dealing with this problem. In co-operation with Poland, Canada is planning an EAPC [Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council] seminar for September. We are also co-sponsoring with Bulgaria a seminar this October in Sophia to examine ways to destroy small arms. All this indicates that the members of the EAPC want to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem.

But the news is not all good. In Africa, from Angola to Sierra Leone to the Horn, small arms are being used to commit terrible acts of violence. Civilians are the primary victims. As much as 90 percent -- according to some estimates -- of the weapons used in these conflicts originated in munitions factories from countries represented at this table. Whether through ineffective export controls, corruption or illicit trafficking, these weapons have found their way to these regions in conflict. Many of us find ourselves having a surplus of small arms and light weapons. And I realize the pressure that NATO members are under to update their military equipment in order to conform with NATO standards. However, it is simply not acceptable to allow outdated equipment to cascade in the developing world.

Whether or not the governments in question have direct knowledge of where their surplus stocks end up is immaterial. If we are to be responsible, it is our job as international citizens to ensure that these illicit sources are blocked.

This means putting in place stronger export controls and enforcing existing measures. If these controls are rigorously enforced, it will put us in a position to begin to turn off the tap. And to ensure that the tap stays off, surplus stocks must be destroyed. Only then can we ensure that the North's outdated equipment does not become the tool of oppression and terror on the South.

I recognize that this is a difficult task. Canada is willing to help.

But, I also need to remind Partners that membership in this Alliance is granted by consensus. It would be difficult to persuade our Parliament to accept countries that have not done everything in their power to halt the excessive flow of surplus small arms to the developing world.

Each of us has a responsibility to ensure that small arms and light weapons no longer find their way into the hands of governments or warlords who use them for terrorism and conflict and to threaten the human security of innocent populations.

Thank you.

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Last Updated: 2006-10-30	Top of Page	Important Notices