There is no such thing as a responsible arms trade, so CAAT questions the international arms trade treaty now being negotiated through the United Nations. As envisaged by the UK government, the arms trade treaty could well serve simply to legitimise arms sales. An arms trade treaty will be worthwhile only if it stops arms sales, from the UK as well as elsewhere, to areas of conflict and to human rights violators. It is unlikely the proposed treaty will do this. CAAT is also concerned that UK government support for an arms trade treaty allows it to give the impression it is taking action, while it continues to support and subsidise the arms companies as they go about their deadly business.
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) says that the treaty will be
good for business, both manufacturing and export sales.
Unsurprisingly, the arms trade treaty is supported by the arms industry which sees it as providing a "level playing field" rather than imposing additional constraints. The FCO stresses that the proposed arms trade treaty is "not a disarmament treaty but an export control treaty", aimed at stopping weapons reaching "the hands of terrorists, insurgents and human rights abusers". Given no significant change in current practice is envisaged, CAAT questions how effective an arms trade treaty would be in stopping weaponry going to areas of conflict or to repressive regimes, at least in so far as major conventional weapons and high-technology equipment are concerned.
In the last year, we have seen the UK government approve and promote sales to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt despite existing controls supposedly banning sales where there is a clear risk of “internal repression”. An arms trade treaty could strengthen the hands of governments trying to prevent the circulation of small arms, and CAAT would warmly welcome this, but it is clear that the deals the companies find most lucrative, such as those to Saudi Arabia, Israel, India and Pakistan, would continue unabated.
What's happening regarding the arms trade treaty
Many organisations have been pressing for an international arms trade treaty, particularly the Control Arms coalition which includes Oxfam, Amnesty International and the International Action Network on Small Arms. In March 2005, then UK Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, with the support of the arms industry, gave his backing to an arms trade treaty. This was endorsed by the next Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, with a relaunch in September 2008. The Coalition government programme, announced in May 2010, said: "We will support efforts to establish an International Arms Trade Treaty to limit the sales of arms to dangerous regimes."
After a series of preparatory meetings, the UN Conference on the arms trade treaty takes place in July 2012. There is international debate as to whether it is better to negotiate a strong treaty, to which some governments will not agree, or a weaker one with more universal appeal.
Further information
The UK government's position on the arms trade treaty, as well as news on negotiations, can be found on the FCO website.
Control Arms co-ordinates the campaign for an arms trade treaty.
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