Resolution on Small-Calibre Weapon Systems. Geneva, 28 September 1979.

The United Nations Conference on Prohibitions or Restrictions of Use of Certain Conventional Weapons,

' Recalling ' United Nations General Assembly resolution 32/152 of 19 December 1977, ' Aware ' of the continuous development of small-calibre weapon systems (i.e., arms and projectiles), ' Anxious ' to prevent an unnecessary increase of the injurious effects of such weapon systems, ' Recalling ' the agreement embodied in The Hague Declaration of 29 July 1899, to abstain, in international armed conflict, from the use of bullets which expand or flatten easily in the human body, ' Convinced ' that it is desirable to establish accurately the wounding effects of current and new generations of small calibre weapon systems including the various parameters that affect the energy transfer and the wounding mechanism of such systems,

1. ' Takes note ' with appreciation of the intensive research carried out nationally and internationally in the area of wound ballistics, in particular relating to small-calibre weapon systems, as documented during the Conference;

2. ' Considers ' that this research and the international discussion on the subject has led to an increased understanding of the wounding effects of small-calibre weapon systems and of the parameters involved;

3. ' Believes ' that such research, including testing of small-calibre weapon systems, should be continued with a view to developing standardized assessment methodology relative to ballistic parameters and medical effects of such systems;

4. ' Invites ' Governments to carry out further research, jointly or individually on the wounding effects of small-calibre weapon systems and to communicate, where possible, their findings and conclusions;

5. ' Welcomes ' the announcement that an international scientific symposium on wound ballistics will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, in late 1980 or in 1981, and hopes that the results of the symposium will be made available to the United Nations Disarmament Commission, the Committee on Disarmament and other interested fora;

6. ' Appeals ' to all Governments to exercise the utmost care in the development of small-calibre weapon systems, so as to avoid an unnecessary escalation of the injurious effects of such systems.