08-39498-1-
Translated from Spanish
No. 106/2008
The Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nations presents its compliments to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and has the honour to refer to its note ODA/02-2008/SALW/BMS dated 28 January 2008, requesting information from the Government of Chile on the matters dealt with in resolution 62/47, entitled “The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects”, adopted by the General Assembly on 5 December 2007.
In response to the above-mentioned request, the Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nations has the honour to transmit herewith the relevant background information on the implementation of the International Tracing Instrument.
The Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nations takes this opportunity to convey to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs the renewed assurances of its highest consideration.
New York, 16 May 2008
Report of the Government of Chile on the implementation of the International Tracing Instrument
General Assembly resolution 62/47, entitled “The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects”
Chile is seriously committed to the control both of small arms and light weapons and of their ammunitions, explosives and related materials.Adequate international control will help to prevent threats to international peace and security and to protect and ensure respect for the norms of international humanitarian law and human rights.
In Chile, the General National Mobilization Directorate of the Chilean Ministry of Defence is the central authority responsible for arms control.The Directorate monitors among other facilities those used for the manufacture, assembling, testing, storage or stockpiling of arms and ammunition.
The national point of contact on the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action is the Special Policy Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
With regard to the questions concerning the implementation of the International Tracing Instrument, contained in note ODA/02-2008/SALW-BMS, the Government of Chile wishes to state the following:
(i)All small arms and light weapons in the possession of and intended for use by the armed forces and security forces of the State are marked and inventoried.
(ii)Small arms and light weapons manufacturers have taken measures to prevent the removal or alteration of their markings in order to avoid imports and/or copying that might tarnish the manufacturer’s reputation.
(iii)The General National Mobilization Directorate maintains a national arms register, in which it records the identifying characteristics of the weapon (type of marking, serial number, calibre, number of barrels, position of barrels, use of the weapon, among others) and of its owner.Small arms and light weapons used by the armed forces and security forces are not included in this register, since private citizens do not have access to such weapons, information on which is recorded in registers maintained by the institutions in question.
(iv)Act No. 17.798 and amendments thereto (2005) provide for applicable rules and procedures that ensure the implementation of the International Tracing Instrument.
(v)Chile has neither requested nor offered assistance in implementing the International Tracing Instrument.