THE UNITED NATIONS AND GUN CONTROL (COMMENT)

by Barbara Beier (barbb@capital.net)



In 1995, the U.N. Crime Congress, meeting in Cairo, issued a call for 

a study on firearms regulations in different countries, "taking into 

account the urgent need for effective stragies to ensure the proper 

regulation of firearms at both national and transnational levels."  



In 12/95, the U.N. announced the study had begun and the Secretary 

General spoke of a world "awash" with small arms. Americans connected

with the study (per the 12/95 press release) include professors at Loyola

University in Chicago as well as the University of Arkansas, and the

Chief of the BATF's Intelligence Division.



In 5/96, the U.N. Comission on Crime Prevention and Criminal 

Justice discussed firearms regulation, in 6/96, the Comission

recommended continuing research and analysis on this topic as well

as the development of a global database on national regulatory

measures.



The initial resolution from the 1995 Cairo meeting was based on a 

Japanese initiative.  Both Japan and Canada made "substantive and financial

contributions" to the preparatory work for the study.  In 5/96, 

Goro Aoki, Chief of the Firearms Division of the Office of International 

Affairs of the National Police Agency of Japan said that the project's

contiuation was too important to be made subject to extrabudgetary 

funding and, in 6/96, the Secretariat estimated its resolution would 

cost $355,000.



Today, 1/11/97, Australia announced it would contribute $50,000 to 

the study.  In addition, it was announced that statistician John Walker,

formerly of the Australian Institute of Criminology, would undertake 

the analytical part of the project.



Future plans, as available right now, include work beginning in 5/97 

on proposals for "reforming international control of firearms."  The 

next session of the U.N. Crime Congress may take place in 2000; so 

far, only South Africa has been suggested as a site, if it can overcome 

its economic problems before then.



Barb