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, gave his backing to an arms trade treaty which is also supported by the arms industry. The arms trade treaty 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."
The arms trade treaty is now being considered internationally, through the United Nations. A final Preparatory Committee meeting will be held in February 2012 prior to a UN Conference 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.
CAAT's position on an ATT
CAAT supports the idea of an arms trade treaty in principle, but questions whether it will be effective, at least in so far as major conventional and high-technology equipment is concerned. The 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.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) itself stresses that the proposed arms trade treaty is "not a disarmament treaty but an export control treaty", but is aimed at stopping weapons reaching "the hands of terrorists, insurgents and human rights abusers". The arms trade treaty is supported by the arms industry which sees it as providing a "level playing field"; unsurprisingly, since the FCO says it: "will be good for business, both manufacturing and export sales."
As envisaged by the UK government, the arms trade treaty would not provide adequate constraints and could well serve simply to legitimise arms sales. CAAT is concerned that its support for the arms trade treaty allows the Government to give the impression it is taking action, while it continues to support the arms companies in their deadly business.
There is no such thing as a responsible arms trade. The UK government must acknowledge that 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.
Further information
The UK government's position on the ATT, 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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