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Letter from Alistair Burt MP - Arms Trade Treaty

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Amnesty International UK
Amnesty International UK

The UK is committed to securing a robust, legally-binding Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at the upcoming conference in March. After progress was made at the 2012 conference, agreement was not reached due to objections from a small number of states. The current draft text provides commitments on arms export controls, assessments of human rights risks, and reporting that would significantly strengthen regulation but some strengthening is still needed. The UK will work to strengthen the text while maintaining the compromises needed for broad participation, and remains determined to achieve an effective ATT despite remaining hurdles.

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The Arms Trade Treaty - Securing a Treaty that saves lives, upholds human rights and protects livelihoods The UK Government is firmly committed to securing agreement on a robust, legally-binding Treaty which will set the highest possible common standards to regulate the international trade in weapons. The UK has led efforts to this end since co-authoring the first UN General Assembly Resolution on the issue in 2006. After years of hard work, we are now close to agreement and signature. The March conference represents an historic opportunity to conclude a Treaty which will save lives, uphold human rights and protect livelihoods. At the last conference on the ATT in July 2012, great progress was made. Like the overwhelming majority of states, we supported the conference President’s draft Treaty text and were ready to agree to it. Nevertheless, a small number of states pushed for more time, which meant the conference closed without agreement. While disappointed by this, we recognised that to be fully effective, the Treaty would need broad – ideally universal – participation including that of existing and future arms exporting states. Without them, the Treaty cannot achieve the impact we all want to see. As it stands today, the draft provides us with a strong base to work from and reflects the compromises necessary to bridge the wide variety of national positions. The text is robust and its adoption would make a real difference by establishing:  A first ever set of global commitments on national arms export controls. A global baseline for regulating arms exports;  The first ever international legally binding agreement on the transfer of small arms and light weapons;  A mandatory requirement for arms exports - including ammunition and military parts and components - to be assessed on the basis of criteria including human rights, and a mandatory refusal if they pose unacceptable risks;  Mainstreaming sustainable development and anti-corruption into arms export controls;  A requirement for countries to regulate brokering;  Mandatory reporting on authorisations or actual transfers of conventional arms. At the negotiations later this month, we will work to strengthen the draft text. We have been clear throughout the negotiations that, while we recognise the need for flexibility and compromise, we would not accept or sign a weak Treaty. We continue to hold strictly to these principles. We have been working actively with other governments and with non- governmental organisations like Amnesty, to achieve our shared goal of securing a robust and effective Treaty. The vast majority of States want 2013 to be the year we agree an ATT. We were disappointed in July, but not discouraged. An Arms Trade Treaty is coming and when it
does, it will establish the common principles and legally binding framework needed to make the world a safer place. The Foreign Secretary, other Ministers and officials are now engaged in intensive lobbying with our international partners to build support for a Treaty. As with the conference in July 2012, I plan to attend the start of the proceedings and will remain closely engaged throughout. But a note of caution, I must inform you that there remain a number of significant hurdles to overcome and success is far from guaranteed. There are states which do not want to see an ATT agreed at present. However, you should be in no doubt of this Government’s determination to secure a robust and effective Arms Trade Treaty later this month. ALISTAIR BURT Minister for Counter Proliferation

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Letter from Alistair Burt MP - Arms Trade Treaty

  • 1. The Arms Trade Treaty - Securing a Treaty that saves lives, upholds human rights and protects livelihoods The UK Government is firmly committed to securing agreement on a robust, legally-binding Treaty which will set the highest possible common standards to regulate the international trade in weapons. The UK has led efforts to this end since co-authoring the first UN General Assembly Resolution on the issue in 2006. After years of hard work, we are now close to agreement and signature. The March conference represents an historic opportunity to conclude a Treaty which will save lives, uphold human rights and protect livelihoods. At the last conference on the ATT in July 2012, great progress was made. Like the overwhelming majority of states, we supported the conference President’s draft Treaty text and were ready to agree to it. Nevertheless, a small number of states pushed for more time, which meant the conference closed without agreement. While disappointed by this, we recognised that to be fully effective, the Treaty would need broad – ideally universal – participation including that of existing and future arms exporting states. Without them, the Treaty cannot achieve the impact we all want to see. As it stands today, the draft provides us with a strong base to work from and reflects the compromises necessary to bridge the wide variety of national positions. The text is robust and its adoption would make a real difference by establishing: ï‚· A first ever set of global commitments on national arms export controls. A global baseline for regulating arms exports; ï‚· The first ever international legally binding agreement on the transfer of small arms and light weapons; ï‚· A mandatory requirement for arms exports - including ammunition and military parts and components - to be assessed on the basis of criteria including human rights, and a mandatory refusal if they pose unacceptable risks; ï‚· Mainstreaming sustainable development and anti-corruption into arms export controls; ï‚· A requirement for countries to regulate brokering; ï‚· Mandatory reporting on authorisations or actual transfers of conventional arms. At the negotiations later this month, we will work to strengthen the draft text. We have been clear throughout the negotiations that, while we recognise the need for flexibility and compromise, we would not accept or sign a weak Treaty. We continue to hold strictly to these principles. We have been working actively with other governments and with non- governmental organisations like Amnesty, to achieve our shared goal of securing a robust and effective Treaty. The vast majority of States want 2013 to be the year we agree an ATT. We were disappointed in July, but not discouraged. An Arms Trade Treaty is coming and when it
  • 2. does, it will establish the common principles and legally binding framework needed to make the world a safer place. The Foreign Secretary, other Ministers and officials are now engaged in intensive lobbying with our international partners to build support for a Treaty. As with the conference in July 2012, I plan to attend the start of the proceedings and will remain closely engaged throughout. But a note of caution, I must inform you that there remain a number of significant hurdles to overcome and success is far from guaranteed. There are states which do not want to see an ATT agreed at present. However, you should be in no doubt of this Government’s determination to secure a robust and effective Arms Trade Treaty later this month. ALISTAIR BURT Minister for Counter Proliferation