INVITATION FOR MEDIA

Stability Pact Special Coordinator, Erhard Busek is visiting Belgrade on 10 and 11 February 2003 for political talks with the Serbia and Montenegro Government.

Erhard Busek will also pay a visit to SEESAC, the South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, which is a joint Stability Pact/UNDP initiative based in Belgrade and operational since May 2002.

SEESAC was established with the aim of supporting the efforts of governments in the region to combat small arms proliferation in all its aspects. Uncontrolled proliferation and illicit trafficking of arms is a serious problem in the region. It undermines the rule of law, fuels

crime and insecurity and constitutes a major threat to development in the region.

Special Coordinator Busek will hold talks with the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Frank O’Donnell and the Heads of the UN agencies based in Belgrade.

Erhard Busek, Frank O’Donnell and SEESAC Team Leader, Gen. Henny Van der Graaf will inform the media in particular about SEESAC’s support to the SEE governments in the fields of:

• Arms laws, including arms export control,
• The destruction of surplus and confiscated weapons and ammunition,
• Support for voluntary surrender of weapons in South Serbia through a UNDP “Weapons for Development” programme,
• Other elements of security sector reform in light of recent constitutional changes in Serbia and Montenegro.

The Press Conference will be held on Tuesday, 11 February at 10;00 hrs in the UNDP Conference Room, Internacionalnih Brigada 69, Belgrade

For further information on SEESAC, please contact Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic, Communications Officer, phone no. +381 11 444 2902 or 381 63 358 773, web site www.undp.org.yu/seesac.

For further information on SC Busek’s visit to Belgrade in general, contact Roland Bless, Spokesman of the Stability Pact, mobile +32 478 97 46 55.