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OSCE Mission Head welcomes Serbian government's efforts to remove illegally held weapons
BELGRADE 28 March 2003
BELGRADE, 27 March 2003 - Ambassador Maurizio Massari, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro, today welcomed the decree of the Serbian authorities, aimed at removing illegally held weapons from society. This decree, which came into effect yesterday, is in line with the spirit and provisions of the OSCE Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons, which commits all participating States to reduce the level and use of small arms.
Ambassador Massari described the illegal possession of and trafficking in small arms as one of the major security threats in the region. "The action of the Serbian government, therefore, is not only an important step towards increasing the security and safety of the citizens of Serbia, but also a contribution to regional stability in south-eastern Europe," Massari said.
Massari stressed that the weapons collected in this action, as well as those collected earlier, should be destroyed. He also recalled that the Mission earlier supported the process of destruction of small arms and light weapons in the country, such as the destruction of over 50,000 pieces of weapons by the Yugoslav Army in autumn 2001, implemented through a Stability Pact project.
"The OSCE Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons recommends the destruction of illicitly trafficked weapons collected by national authorities. The destruction of surrendered small arms, especially in public ceremonies, can help raise public awareness for the initiative and ensures that the weapons will not be used again," stressed the Ambassador.
The OSCE Mission stands ready to give its support to further arms collection and destruction programmes in Serbia and Montenegro and to co-operate, to that effect, with the domestic authorities and the Belgrade-based regional South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC).
Ambassador Massari described the illegal possession of and trafficking in small arms as one of the major security threats in the region. "The action of the Serbian government, therefore, is not only an important step towards increasing the security and safety of the citizens of Serbia, but also a contribution to regional stability in south-eastern Europe," Massari said.
Massari stressed that the weapons collected in this action, as well as those collected earlier, should be destroyed. He also recalled that the Mission earlier supported the process of destruction of small arms and light weapons in the country, such as the destruction of over 50,000 pieces of weapons by the Yugoslav Army in autumn 2001, implemented through a Stability Pact project.
"The OSCE Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons recommends the destruction of illicitly trafficked weapons collected by national authorities. The destruction of surrendered small arms, especially in public ceremonies, can help raise public awareness for the initiative and ensures that the weapons will not be used again," stressed the Ambassador.
The OSCE Mission stands ready to give its support to further arms collection and destruction programmes in Serbia and Montenegro and to co-operate, to that effect, with the domestic authorities and the Belgrade-based regional South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC).