Control Arms welcomes the fact that the world is close to agreeing an international Arms Trade Treaty that will tackle the irresponsible trade in conventional arms and its devastating impact upon the lives of millions of people.
Allison Pytlak, Campaign Manager of Control Arms, said:
“In the latest text there are some steps towards addressing concerns we had with previous drafts. For example, states must refuse arms transfers where they would undermine peace and security, and the treaty will prohibit states from transferring weapons where they know they would be used to facilitate war crimes. This is welcome as it acknowledges states’ responsibilities under international law.”
However, the campaigners say the treaty is still weak in some crucial areas.
Oxfam’s Head of Arms Control Anna Macdonald said:
“We see some improvements have been made since the last draft was issued but there are still some important problems with the new text.
“The scope of what would be covered in the treaty is still too narrow. We need a treaty that covers all conventional weapons, not just some of them. The criteria by which governments assess whether to authorize an arms transfer also needs to be unambiguous.
“We need a treaty that sends a clear message to human rights abusers and dictators that their time is up. We need a treaty that will make a difference to the lives of the people living in Congo, Mali, Syria and elsewhere who suffer each day from the impacts of armed violence.”
