Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-11-15-Speech-4-216"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20011115.12.4-216"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, we are quite properly concerned about the spread of small arms and light weapons, particularly the illegal traffick in, and uncontrolled circulation of, these weapons. I am not sure why Parliament has decided to bring forward an urgent resolution at this time, unless it wants to contribute something useful in the context of the current international crisis, the continuing threat posed by weapons held by terrorists or the consequences of the large accumulation of weapons in Taliban hands in Afghanistan. There is some passing reference to these matters in the motion for a resolution which contains many useful elements.
For many years I have worked to overcome the problem of anti-personnel landmines but I have always sought to focus attention on the real culprits who use such weapons indiscriminately and irresponsibly. Usually these were armed rebel groups in developing countries with no concern for human life and they had been supplied by non-western countries.
It is important, therefore, that when considering the matter of small arms we should take care not to become over-obsessed with our own authorities or industry: these are the easy targets. Instead, we should focus on terrorist groups and other criminal elements that are sitting on stockpiles of weapons or continuing to obtain them from various sources. It is scandalous, for example, that there has been toleration for so long of large stockpiles of weapons held by terrorist organisations such as the IRA in one EU Member State, in order that it may threaten or carry out attacks in another.
In relation to Afghanistan it is to be hoped that a legitimate government with democratic aspirations will be established there very soon, anxious to engage positively in the real world and begin the development of a sustainable economy and a better life for all its people. There must also be efforts to remove weapons in Taliban hands and integrate ex-combatants back into some sort of mainstream society. I am not referring to terrorists there.
Much has been achieved. Our focus for the future in relation to small arms should be on identifying and destroying stocks of weapons held by insurgents, terrorists and criminals and cutting off their sources of supply. This is the area on which we should be concentrating our efforts over the coming months and years."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples