UNITED NATIONS, Feb 18: Declaring its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday appealed to the arms-exporting countries "to exercise the highest responsibility in small arms and light weapons transactions" in accordance with international law.

In a statement read after the 15 council members and more than 20 other UN member states debated a report from the secretary-general on weapons, the UNSC called for international cooperation "in identifying the origin and transfer of small arms and light weapons in order to prevent their diversion, in particular, to Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups".

"The Security Council recognizes that the dissemination of illicit small arms and light weapons has hampered the peaceful settlement of disputes, fuelled such disputes into armed conflicts and contributed to the prolongation of such armed conflicts," said the statement read by Ambassador Joel W. Adechi of Benin, which holds the rotating presidency for February.

The Council encouraged states to undertake vigorous actions aimed at restricting the supply of small arms, light weapons and ammunition to areas of instability. It supported once again the decision by the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) to strengthen its 1998 "moratorium on the import, export and manufacture of small arms and light weapons, and to replace it with a mandatory convention".

It welcomed the European Council's decision of last December to support the initiative significantly and urged states and organizations to assist Ecowas in its endeavour.

In post-conflict situations, it stressed the importance of a comprehensive international and regional approach to the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants that was not restricted to the political and security aspects, but also addressed its social and economic impacts, including providing for the special needs of child soldiers and women.

At the outset of the council session, Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs Nobuyasu Abe said cooperation among states in observing weapons sanctions and tracing the movement of small arms had improved, but more needed to be done.