Missile Technology Control Regime
The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) held its 21st Plenary Meeting in Copenhagen from 2 to 6 October 2006 to review its activities and further strengthen its efforts to prevent missile proliferation. The Plenary was opened by H.E. Mr. Per Stig Møller, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark and chaired by Ambassador, Political Director Liselotte Plesner. Mr. Per Fischer, Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on Non-Proliferation was confirmed as Chair of the MTCR until the next Plenary.
Partners exchanged information and discussed trends in missile developments and tests 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 and discourage missile programmes and activities of proliferation concern.
Partners noted the direct relevance of recent U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1695 and 1696 to MTCR export controls and expressed their determination to implement the calls in these resolutions to exercise vigilance and prevent the transfer of any items, materials, goods and technology that could contribute to ballistic missile programmes of proliferation concern, in accordance with their national legislation and consistent with international law.
The Plenary expressed its strong support for U.N. Security Council resolution 1695, which registers grave concern over the missile proliferation threat posed by the DPRK’s missile activities, and reaffirmed that proliferation of WMD and their means of delivery constitute a threat to international peace and security. The Plenary underlined the determination of Partners to fully implement the export control requirements in this UNSC resolution. In this context the Plenary noted the DPRK’s recent announcement.
Partners agreed on practical measures to implement these resolutions, including exchange of information, i.a. on entities and activities of proliferation concern and called on all States to take all necessary steps to fully and effectively implement the missile export control provisions of these resolutions.
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 and security and obliging all U.N. Member States to exercise effective export controls over such weapons and related materials. It confirmed the willingness of Partners in a position to do so to assist non-member States as foreseen in the Resolution and mandated the Chair 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 Danish Chair was mandated to conduct outreach activities with non-member States, reflecting the diversity of States approached.
Partners stressed the importance of controlling intangible transfers of MTCR-controlled technology and software and agreed that “transfers” as mentioned in the MTCR Guidelines for Sensitive Missile-Relevant Transfers comprise tangible as well as intangible transfers.
The Plenary agreed on changes to the list of controlled goods (the Annex).
Partners welcomed the intention of Denmark to host an international conference in Copenhagen on missile proliferation on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the MTCR in April 2007.
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.