There was no agreement on the format of an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at the United Nations in New York on 27 July, after several states, including the USA and Russia, asked for extra time. Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) says that even had an ATT had been agreed, it would not end or limit international arms sales, including those to countries in conflict and human rights abusers. Rather, it would further legitimise arms exports and increase the reach of the largest arms companies.
The ATT aimed to set criteria to regulate arms transfers between countries. It is claimed that this will stop or limit the transfer of conventional weapons to human rights abusing countries, areas of conflict, terrorists and organised crime. However, the criteria will be evaluated, monitored and enforced by national governments, without peer review or external enforcement.
CAAT is critical of the role of the UK government, which lobbied for a strong treaty
while maintaining its extensive arms exports to countries which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office lists as countries of concern
for their poor human rights records. These include Arab Spring countries such as Bahrain and Egypt, where the UK government revoked some arms export licences in February 2011, only to resume a few months later. It did not revoke a single licence to Saudi Arabia, where the UK approved over £1.7 billion worth of arms export licences in 2011.
Kaye Stearman of CAAT said:
It is hypocrisy for the UK government to support the ATT while continuing to promote and export weapons to dangerous, aggressive and undemocratic regimes. The recent report of the parliamentary Committees on Arms Export Controls (CAEC) made stinging criticisms of government policy, including the contradictions between supporting human rights in Arab Spring coutries, while continuing to export weapons to these same countries.
CAAT does not want a regulated and legitimised arms trade as envisaged by the ATT – we want an end to the arms trade. The UK is one of the world’s largest arms exporters. If the UK government wants to make a positive contribution it could start by ending its generous subsidies to the arms industry, closing its arms trade promotion unit, UKTI Defence &Security Organisation, and stopping participation in and support for arms fairs.
ENDS
For further information or an interview please contact CAAT’s Media Coordinator, Kaye Stearman on 020 7281 0297 or mobile 07990 673232 or email media(at)caat·org·uk.
Notes
- Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) works for the reduction and ultimate abolition of the international arms trade. The arms business has a devastating impact on human rights and society and damages economic development. Large-scale military procurement and arms exports only reinforce a militaristic approach to international problems. Around 75% of CAAT’s income is raised from individual supporters.
- A detailed account of CAAT’s position on the Arms Trade Treaty can be found here.
- The Committees on Arms Export Controls Scrutiny of Arms Exports (2012): UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2010, Quarterly Reports for July to December 2010 and January to September 2011, the Government’s Review of arms exports to the Middle East and North Africa, and wider arms control issues was published on 13 July 2012. It is available here.
- The UK arms export licensing process is carried out by the Export Control Organisation , based in the Department of Business Innovation and Skills. A more accessible, informative and searchable version of the database can be found on CAAT website here.
