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Emminent Persons Group
Press Release
April 1, 2002

M. T. KALASHNIKOV Joins Eminent Persons Group

Washington, D. C., April 1, 2001. Lieutenant-General Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov, whose name is synonymous with the development of the automatic assault rifle, has joined the Eminent Persons Group in its efforts to eradicate the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons outside legitimate State regulatory control.

"As major designer of the automatic small arms spread (absolutely beyond my desire) over many countries of the world, I am deeply concerned about the clandestine trafficking in the weapon, which bears my name, to the terrorist and criminal organizations and groups," said General Kalashnikov. "While creating the AK-47 machine gun I sincerely believed that this weapon would be used only for defense of my country," the Chief Designer of the "Izhmash" Public Company, said upon joining the international commission under the co-chairmanship of former OAU Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Salim and Malian President Alpha Oumar Konare.

"I agree with the Members of the Eminent Persons Group that the export of small arms and light weapons shall be regulated by international rules and those who violate their provisions shall be subject to stern sanctions," said General Kalashnikov. He underscored the need for "relevant services of the United Nations to circulate to the producing states annual lists of countries, to which the delivery of certain types of weapons is prohibited." Moreover, the General called upon "peacekeeping forces in conflict-torn areas to be permitted to confiscate the arms belonging to the opposing side and to destroy them on site."

General Kalashnikov joins the Eminent Persons Group at a critical juncture in the Group's diplomatic effort to advance the UN Secretary-General's agenda for eradicating the potential for diversion from the licit trade to illicit traffic. More than 90% of illicitly trafficked small arms originate in the licit trade. Mr. Annan states in the Millennium Report: "Small arms must be brought back under the control of States, with States being made accountable for their transfer."

Within the Paris process, the Eminent Persons Group is engaged with governments and civil society, including manufacturers and NGOs, on measures aimed at helping implement the Programme of Action adopted by last year's UN Conference on the Illicit Trade on Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.

"The preeminent role of General Kalashnikov in manufacturing circles the world over will greatly enhance the prospects for success within the Paris process, said Albrecht Muth, the Executive Director of the Eminent Persons Group. "We are hard at work to use more efficiently means already available: to ensure stricter national control on small arms and light weapons transfers, to promote in practice serious international cooperation in curbing illicit trade of this type of weapons, to recognize its marking on reciprocal basis. The Eminent Persons Group is confident that with General Kalashnikov's leadership within the Paris process manufacturers will live up to their responsibility," Muth said.

"I believe that the Paris process can really make a tangible contribution to prevention of uncontrolled proliferation of small arms and light weapons. Russia will carefully study the proposal of the Eminent Persons Group to convene in 2003 an international conference of countries and manufacturers of small arms and light weapons," said Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.

General Kalashnikov joins Ambassador Grigory V. Berdennikov, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to International Organizations in Vienna, on the Eminent Persons Group. Among the other members of the Group are: Ambassador Sha Zukang, the Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to International Organizations in Geneva; Ambassador Rakesh Sood, the Permanent Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament and Ambassador Nugroho Wisnumurti, the Permanent Representative of Indonesia to International Organizations in Geneva.

The Governments of the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States, among others, support the Group's efforts within the Paris process.