Press Statement - 19 October 2004

Outreach Seminar - Press Statement

On 19 October, more than 130 leading export control specialists and representatives from more than 35 countries were welcomed by Japan’s Ambassador Yukio Takasu to a day-long outreach seminar “The Wassenaar Arrangement: Responsibility, Transparency and Security” hosted by the Japanese Permanent Mission to International Organizations in Vienna and the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies. The Arrangement is designed to promote transparency, exchange of views and information and greater responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies, thus preventing destabilizing accumulations.

Seminar participants represented more than 50 organizations covering non-governmental organizations, think-tanks, academic institutes, industry and the media, together with representatives from a number of non-Wassenaar countries.

The aim of the seminar was to raise awareness of the positive contribution that the Wassenaar Arrangement makes to responsible transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies.

Seminar speakers included Ambassador Elsa Kelly (Argentina), the present Plenary Chair of the Wassenaar Arrangement, and its Head of Secretariat, Ambassador Sune Danielsson, and representatives from Wassenaar Participating States. Presentations covered the Arrangement’s history, method of work, conclusions of the 2003 Assessment of its functioning, including its renewed focus on terrorism, current activities and areas of on-going negotiation. Other topics included the export control lists and how the lists are reviewed, arms brokering, work on small arms and light weapons and its ground-breaking work on shoulder-held anti-aircraft missiles or MANPADS. Participants from leading think tanks and NGO’s also contributed their perspectives on arms export control issues, and how the Arrangement and civil society might enhance their cooperation.

The Arrangement is considering possible follow-up events.