Missile Technology Control Regime
The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) held its 22 Plenary Meeting in Athens from 7 to 9 November 2007 to review its activities and further strengthen its efforts to prevent missile proliferation. The Plenary was opened by H.E. Mr. Dimitrios K. Katsoudas, Secretary General for European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, and chaired by Ambassador Eleftherios Danellis who was confirmed as Chair of the MTCR until the next Plenary.
Partners exchanged information and discussed trends in missile developments around the world and acknowledged the growing risk of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. In particular, they expressed concern over missile proliferation in Northeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East and reaffirmed their determination to strengthen export controls, thereby discouraging missile programmes and activities of proliferation concern.
Partners noted the direct relevance of UN Security Council resolutions, inter alia, 1718, 1737 and 1747 to MTCR export controls and expressed their determination to implement these resolutions and to exercise vigilance and prevent the transfer of any items, materials, goods and technology that could contribute to WMD ballistic missile programmes of proliferation concern, in accordance with their national legislation and consistent with international law.
Partners agreed on practical measures, including exchange of information, inter alia, on entities and non-listed goods of proliferation concern and called on all States to take all necessary steps at a national level to fully and effectively implement the missile relevant provisions of these resolutions.
The Plenary discussed extensively the rapid changes in relevant technology which demand the MTCR to continuously adapt in order to maintain the accuracy and comprehensiveness of its focus on curtailing the missile proliferation threat. A number of proposals on this subject were discussed. The Plenary agreed on changes to the list of controlled goods (the Annex).
In a broader context, the Plenary reiterated its support for UN Security Council resolution 1540 declaring proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery a threat to international peace arid security and obliging all UN Member States to exercise effective export controls over such weapons and related materials. It reaffirmed the willingness of Partners in a position to do so to assist non-member States, as foreseen in the resolution, and that the Chair should continue to pursue contact with the 1540 Committee.
Since its establishment in 1987 the MTCR has made significant contributions to the international non-proliferation effort. The 34 Partners* of the MTCR have established an international export control standard which is increasingly adhered to by non-members of the MTCR. Partners welcomed the growing awareness of the need for export controls and the expressed interest by many states in cooperating with the MTCR. They confirmed their intention individually and through the outreach activities of the Chair to consult and cooperate with non-members to promote effective export controls over missiles and missile technology. The Greek Chair was mandated to conduct outreach activities with a diverse range of non-member States.
Partners welcomed Australia’s offer to host the next MTCR Plenary Meeting in the second half of 2008 and to take on the chairmanship of the Regime for the subsequent term of office. Further information on the MTCR can be found at www.mtcr.info.
Members: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium. Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, The Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.