02 Oct 2009
REMARKS BY MR JONATHAN TOW (FIRST SECRETARY, PERMANENT MISSION OF SINGAPORE) AT THE "OPEN MEETING" OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION 1540 (2004) ON 2 OCT 2009
1 My delegation would like to thank and appreciate Costa Rica, as Chairman of the 1540 Committee, for convening this "open meeting" to obtain feedback from member states and relevant organizations as part of a comprehensive review of the status of the implementation of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004). We believe that this exercise enhances transparency in the UN and allows for participation in an important topic that has critical relevance to all member states. We are therefore pleased to take this opportunity to share Singapore's experiences in the implementation of SC resolution 1540.
Mr Chairman,
2 I will be brief and confine my remarks to how Singapore has addressed the concerns of implementing SC resolution 1540 at the strategic and operational levels, and to share some areas where we consider as useful practices.
3 At the strategic level, Singapore has placed particular emphasis on two areas: (i) enacting strong national legislation and (ii) focusing on coordination. First, since 2003, Singapore has put in place an enhanced export controls system for strategic goods and technology exported/transhipped/transiting through Singapore that could have potential WMD application. Starting from the Strategic Goods (Control) Act in 2003 - which adopted a partial control list, to the Strategic Goods (Control) Order in 2009 - which includes all the four major multilateral export control regimes Australia Group, Missile Technology Control Regime, Nuclear Suppliers Group and Wassenaar Arrangement., we now have an enhanced system that has a catch-all provision The catch-all clause allows us to enforce the export control laws on items which are intended for WMD-end use but are not included in our list of controlled items., brokering controls, and controls on the Intangible Transfer of Technology (ITT), which is a unique feature yet to be implemented in many export control systems in the world. (The ITT refers to the electronic transmission via fax, e-mail, or the Internet, of strategic goods technology controlled under our strategic goods control, including technology relating to any such relevant activity.)
4 In terms of useful practices, we have learnt that to ensure the system remains robust, we must work continually to update our legislation whenever necessary and to update our control lists whenever there are changes. For example, the updated list in our export control regime includes new entries to the existing categories, some deletions as well as editorial changes for consistency and clarity of controls. These changes help us to bring our control lists in line with international practices that help prevent the proliferation of WMD.
5 Second, the implementation of the strategic goods control, in support of SC resolution 1540, involves a multi-agency effort, or as we call it in Singapore, a "whole of government approach". We need effective coordination across government ministries and agencies. No single outfit can manage this on its own. In terms of useful practices, we have realised the benefits of bringing together all relevant government ministries and agencies into one coordinated body. For example, our Inter-Ministry Committee, chaired by the Foreign Ministry, provides the policy directions and includes active participation from Trade & Industry, Home Affairs, Defence, Customs, Transport and the Attorney General's Chambers. In addition, this inter-agency policy body works closely with the enforcement agencies, like immigration and border controls and the police, and also with technical experts from the defence sciences and environment.
6 At the operational level, Singapore has placed particular emphasis on two areas: (i) balancing 1540 requirements with commercial concerns, and (ii) enhancing our targeting and inspections abilities. First, it is well-known that Singapore is a global transhipment hub handling around 29 million containers in 2008. To enhance the effectiveness of implementing 1540 requirements, it is necessary to have a close working relationship with commercial entities in Singapore. In terms of useful practices, we systematically conduct outreach to the industry to address their concerns, educate them and enhance awareness so that they will not contravene our regulations due to lack of knowledge, and so that they will support our objective of curbing WMD proliferation. This includes making company visits, providing briefings, seminars and courses, and using the media, mailing lists, websites and circulars to communicate important updates and advice. Also, prior to the physical transfer of strategic goods out of Singapore, industry traders are required to submit a pre-shipment declaration through an electronic data interchange platform called the TradeNet system. This online system allows the trader to conveniently submit the "End User Statement" and other relevant supporting documents, which helps to expedite clearance and the collection of pertinent cargo information.
7 Second, the Singapore Customs and the Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority conduct pre-shipment targeting and checks to ensure that the controlled items are accompanied by valid transaction permits for export, transhipment, etc. We also carry out post-shipment checks through audits, examination of paper trails, interviews and company visits.
8 In conclusion, our experience has shown that we need to continually refine our approach in order to strengthen the national implementation of 1540. We believe that conducting a review of the implementation of 1540 is both timely and relevant, and in this regard, we appreciate this opportunity to share our experiences with your committee.
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