17 DESTRUCTION OF MUNITIONS IN ALBANIA
(26087)
14522/04
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| Draft Council Decision extending and amending Decision 2003/276/CFSP implementing Joint Action 2002/589/CFSP with a view to a European Union contribution to the destruction of ammunition for small arms and light weapons in Albania
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| Legal base | Joint Action: Article 14 EU; unanimity
Council Decision: Article 6 of the Joint Action; QMV
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| Department | Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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| Basis of consideration |
EM of 5 November 2004 |
| Previous Committee Report |
HC 42-xxxvi (2003-04), para 17 (10 November 2004)
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| Discussed in Council | 22 November 2004 GAERC
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared, but further information requested
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Background
17.1 The Government pledged £20 million over three years
to help implement the programme of action agreed by the July 2001
UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons
in All Its Aspects. In Decision 2003/276/CFSP, the Council contributed
EU funds to the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA), for
a project aimed at the consolidation and destruction of surplus
Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and ammunition in Albania.
This Decision was based on Joint Action 2002/589/CFSP, itself
based on an earlier Joint Action 1999/34/CFSP, which provided
for comprehensive EU action against the uncontrolled spread of
SALW in three main ways:
i) preventative measures which seek to limit those actions
which cause further destabilising accumulations of small arms;
ii) reactive measures which seek to reduce existing
accumulations; and
iii) assistance measures which make a "direct
and identifiable contribution" to achieving (i) and (ii).
The then Committee cleared the Decision on 19 March
2003. This latest Council Decision extended it until December
2005 and thus continued the EU contribution to the NAMSA.
17.2 The then Committee did not consider that the
original Joint Action in March 2003 warranted a substantive Report
to the House: the programme was in its infancy, and the sums of
money relatively small. The increase was not large: from €820,000
(£561,044) to €1,300,000 (£892,840), reflecting
a new phase of the project as the initial start-up evolved into
the destruction phase. But the Committee considered that the matter
was now more politically important, not only in terms combating
weapons and munitions "leakage" in Europe to criminals
and enhancing stability, but also — as the evidence indicated
— ensuring that they do not fuel conflicts in Africa. As
the then Minister for Europe noted in his accompanying Explanatory
Memorandum, there were very large quantities of ammunition in
Albania that appear to be surplus to requirements, without as
yet being formally incorporated into this current exercise. He
supported this increase provided solid results were achieved over
the coming year.
17.3 The Committee judged that the progress made
in this programme would therefore be an important test of the
Albanian authorities' willingness and ability to deliver results,
and thereby demonstrate their commitment to European Union values.
It endorsed the then Minister's caveat and, while clearing the
document asked the Minister to report progress in a year's time,
in the hope that he would be able to demonstrate that the right
words had led to the right outcomes.
The Minister's letter
17.4 In his letter of 20 December 2005, the Minister
of State for Europe in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr
Douglas Alexander) says:
"I am glad to report that the Explosive
Waste Incinerator (EWI) is continuing to operate and is undergoing
a new trial destruction process to determine actual running costs
to allow the Albanian destruction company to bid realistically
to run it in the immediate future. Overall the UK's contribution
is being properly spent and accounted for. It has contributed
to an innovative and forward-looking project that stands to benefit
Albania in years to come.
"The project has suffered some setbacks
due to its innovative nature and unforeseeable global events.
Delays have been due to a number of factors including accidental
fire damage to the EWI. Currency fluctuations and fluctuating
oil prices have complicated these delays.
"The project has essentially a year of pure
destruction left to run. There may be a need to find additional
funds to extend the project or accept a lower destruction figure
if all the anticipated ammunition cannot be destroyed before the
end of the current project in December 2006. Whether the project
is extended or not Albania will have a first rate destruction
facility and a body of experience and knowledge to support it
— ready to tackle the wider 100,000 tonnes of ammunition
due for destruction.
"We are now seeking from the Canadians (as
lead nation for the project) a written analysis of options for
the next phase towards project completion and we will continue
to keep a close watch on the progress of the project."
Conclusion
17.5 The EWI is operating, despite what seems
an unfortunate history thus far, what with a fire, currency and
oil cost fluctuations and unforeseen (and unexplained) "global
events". But it seems unclear that the Albanian company concerned
will be able to run it competitively in the immediate future,
thus raising the real prospect of more funds being required in
order to have it operating effectively and at full capacity. That
being so, it is not altogether clear why the Minister should feel
that "whether the project is extended or not, Albania will
have a first rate destruction facility and a body of experience
and knowledge to support it — ready to tackle the wider
100,000 tonnes of ammunition due for destruction"; that would
seem to depend either on the successful outcome of the trial destruction
process or, failing that, more funding.
17.6 In any event, we should be grateful for further
information in due course, to include the Minister's assessment
of the extent to which the project has demonstrated the
Albanian authorities' willingness and ability to deliver results
and, looking ahead, make full and effective use of the facility
once external funding is no longer available.
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