Labor takes small-target approach at UN

THE Rudd government has decided to pursue the control of small arms as its special theme at the UN Security Council.

THE Rudd government has decided to pursue the control of small arms as its special theme at the UN Security Council, during the month in which it takes on the presidency, starting tomorrow.

Choosing such themes is a core privilege of the presidency, which Australia will hold only once during its two years' membership of the council.

Former foreign minister Gareth Evans told the Australian Institute of International Affairs in Melbourne this week he had hoped the government would seize the opportunity "to push people beyond the usual comfort zones".

Instead, he said, "the team has settled for a lowest-common-denominator initiative". Important though it was, "Australia has the capacity to really move a more ambitious theme".

He said Canberra might have chosen, for instance, the UN's "responsibility to protect" in an attempt to gain a consensus about the triggers and terms under which multilateral action is taken to prevent atrocities.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said: "My concern about the massive time, money and resources invested by the government in winning a seat on the council has been borne out by the fact that it then immediately lost interest in it. It appears to me that the government, and in particular Foreign Minister Bob Carr, have left the agenda for the presidency entirely in the hands of our officials."

Ms Bishop said she was sure the officials had brought their usual professionalism and competence to the task, but "there appears to be a distinct lack of leadership from the government".

The issue of small arms is important, she said, but as an agenda for Australia to pursue at the council, it "appears modest".

If the Coalition wins government, she said, it would examine whether there was any capacity to review the options.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Australia would "press for the council to remain engaged on Syria, including through regular briefings . . . for example, in response to the chemical weapons allegations of August 22".

But the department noted that "the council's actions on Syria depend on the consensus support of all council members, or the willingness of the five permanent members to refrain from veto".

She said the presidency of the Security Council was "a valuable opportunity to work with our allies and partners to ensure the council meets its responsibilities to uphold international peace and security, including in response to emerging crises, which serve our national security interests".

During its presidency, Australia will be responsible for co-ordinating the council's program, will chair all council meetings, including informal consultations, and will speak on behalf of the council publicly.

The president can also call meetings of the council to consider emerging issues, likely to prove a core task, as the Syrian crisis deepens.

The DFAT spokeswoman said that in September the council's program was likely to include briefings on the Middle East, on UN missions in Somalia and Liberia, and on Iran sanctions, whose committee Australia also chairs.

She said on the special theme of the month: "Australia is planning to convene a high-level meeting on the impact of the illicit transfer, accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons on international peace and security during the UN General Assembly Leaders' Week.

"(This) illicit trade and misuse intensify and perpetuate conflict and instability around the world, including in the majority of the conflict situations on the council's agenda, and pose a significant threat to civilians."

She said the council would use the meeting to consider practical steps to strengthen responses to threats to international security posed by small arms.