Nebenzya: Russia ready to contribute to global fight against trafficking of light weapons

Moscow is ready to share its experience in fighting the trafficking of light weapons and small arms with the interested countries, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said, addressing a UN Security Council meeting, according to Itar Tass.

According to him, the trafficking of light weapons and small arms is the result of excessively liberal laws and loopholes in export control regulations. Nebenzya pointed out that the countries that had accumulated excessive stocks of light weapons and small arms often sought to sell the excess instead of recycling it, and paid little attention to cross-border arms trafficking.

 Russia “has quite a well-developed national laws in terms of the fight against the trafficking of light weapons and small arms” and is ready “to share its experience and most effective practices with the interested countries,” the diplomat pointed out.

“The fight against the trafficking of light weapons and small arms, as well as efforts to ensure the safe storage of stocks and recycle excesses, are the prerogative of countries and an integral part of their sovereignty,” Nebenzya emphasized.

“This is the reason why cooperation between all countries on the UN General Assembly’s platform is crucial, along with the further implementation of measures developed within the UN Action Program, first and foremost at the national level,” the Russian envoy said.

Source: Itar Tass