Tuesday, July 11 2006 13:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan expressed disappointment over the failure of the UN conference on curbing the illegal trade in small arms. "The secretary-general is disappointed that the UN conference to review the implementation of the programme of action on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons has ended without agreeing on an outcome document," Annan's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement Monday. But the UN chief acknowledged that the conference did succeed in recalling the issue of small arms and light weapons to the attention of the international community, which clearly remains committed to the programme of action as the main framework for measures to curtail the illegal trade in these weapons. Delegates from all parts of the world reaffirmed that the most urgent task is to take firm steps to control illicit arms brokers and this issue will be studied in depth by a UN intergovernmental expert group, which will hold its first session in November, the statement said. The two-week conference, meant to update an action plan adopted in 2001 and review efforts on the crackdown on the illegal trade of small arms, ended Friday without reaching a common ground as delegates remained divided on the best way to combat the illegal trade. Some 2,000 representatives from governments, international and regional organisations and civil society attended the gathering at the UN Headquarters.