UN General Assembly
1998

arms and light weapons. Therefore, the Swedish Government supports the Mali initiative for a West African moratorium on the production and transfer of such weapons. I warmly welcome the forthcoming entry into force of the Ottawa Convention. This is a major step in the struggle against the plague of anti-personnel landmines. Concerted efforts will be needed to ensure its full implementation as well as the adherence of the largest military Powers. Fifthly, we must strengthen cooperation to prevent armed conflict. Stable peace does not suddenly turn into military conflict. War normally breaks out after a period of gradual deterioration. Prevention has the best prospects of success at the earliest possible stage of such a process. The need for early action is obvious. Nevertheless, decisions are taken at a late stage — often too late. There are strong forces at work which obstruct early action — forces hiding behind arguments about sovereignty, public opinion and national interest; forces defining security as stability and order, rather than dealing with the underlying causes of conflicts.