Transcribed Statement of the Coordinator of
the Western Group of States the Ambassador of Sweden
M. Henrik Salander 3/9/01

Thank you Mr. President. It is my pleasure to extend, on behalf of the Western Group a warm welcome to all representatives of NGOs being with us today on International Women's Day. I'd like to thank the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and the NGO Committee on the Status of Women for their coordination of the joint NGO statement just read out to us. We listened with great interest to their views and we share the disappointment expressed at the deadlock that persists in the Conference.

The Western Group joins in the statement's call to the Conference to speedily adopt a work program. The Conference must start work on FMCT, which it has already long ago decided to do and also needs to get work going on other agenda items. We also share the deep concern expressed regarding the human suffering caused by small arms and light weapons. And we salute the initiative to hold the seminar under the heading: In the line of fire: a gender perspective on small arms proliferation, peace building and conflict resolution. non-governmental organizations and civil society are important partners together with governments in the process before, during and after the international Conference on the Illicit Trade of Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects.

I would like to express the appreciation of my group for the words of encouragement directed at the Conference in the joint statement. It is one goal of both member delegations of the CD and all the representatives of civil society and non-governmental organizations present here today to promote disarmament and a culture of peace and understanding. The Western Group appreciates and encourages all efforts by the non-governmental organizations and civil society to this effect.

Thank you Mr. President.