AI report on states’ submissions towards an UN Arms Trade Treaty

Outro informe publicado por Amnistía Internacional esta semana trata dos pequenos pasos que se están a dar cara á redacción, nas Nacións Unidas, dun tratado internacional sobre o comercio de armas.

Na resolución 61/89 (6 – XII – 2006, Asemblea Xeral da ONU número 67) Estados Unidos foi o único voto en contra, pero son significativas moitas das 24 abstencións: China, India, Rusia, varios países árabes…

O informe leva por título “A Global Arms Trade Treaty: What States Want”. Copio e pego un extracto da introducción:

The idea of an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) with principles based in international law was initiated by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and then Nobel Peace Laureates in the 1990s and has gained significant ground in recent years. There is now considerable support amongst United Nations (UN) member states for a concerted effort to take this important initiative forward. On 6 December 2006 an overwhelming majority of UN member states voted to consider the question of a legally binding and universal ATT. Resolution 61/89, adopted in the UN General Assembly with the support of 153 states and only one state against, is a landmark step towards a more effective regulation of the international arms trade. The vote is also a strong indication that the global political will now exists to address the irresponsible and poorly regulated trade in arms, a trade which fuels conflict, results in gross human rights abuses and serious violations of international humanitarian law (IHL), destabilises countries and regions and undermines sustainable development.

As a first step towards an ATT, UN Resolution 61/89 requested the UN Secretary-General to “seek the views of Member states on the feasibility, scope and draft parameters for a comprehensive, legally-binding instrument establishing common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms and to submit a report to the General Assembly at its sixty-second session.”

To date, some 97 states have submitted their views to the Secretary-General, making it the most successful exercise of its kind within the UN. The submissions reflect a strong consensus that achieving an ATT is an urgent global priority. It is clear that the need for common legally binding international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms is now firmly on the international agenda. This political will must be galvanized and maintained through the work of the group of government experts (GGE), set to commence in 2008 and report to the UN General Assembly at its sixty-third session, to ensure the achievement of what is clearly the aim of a majority of states: a strong and effective ATT.

This paper provides an overview and analysis of the content of the states’ submissions. The paper will highlight the main views contained in the submissions as to the feasibility, scope and parameters of an ATT. This analysis starts from the assumption that an ATT needs to be universally fair and objective, and address the realities of globalised markets and assistance programs in conventional arms. Therefore, an ATT needs to be based upon the existing responsibilities of states under relevant international law.

Arising out of this analysis of state submissions, key points for consideration by the forthcoming GGE will also be outlined to assist in ensuring that an effective, comprehensive ATT can be achieved as soon as possible. The millions of people who suffer the daily effects of the irresponsible transfer, proliferation and blatant misuse of conventional arms, including small arms and light weapons, need a global ATT that helps save lives and protect livelihoods. It is vital that the forthcoming GGE grasps the opportunity to address this problem with urgency and to formulate clear proposals for an ATT that can be ‘negotiated on a non-discriminatory, transparent and multilateral basis’, as requested by the UN General Assembly, so that the international community can agree and benefit from a legally binding and universal Arms Trade Treaty as soon as possible.