Treaty on Arms Trade: A First Step
„The resolution of the UN is a first, although small step. It his historical because the first time a great majority of states has agreed on a certain control of arms trade. This is good and was long overdue.“ comments Jan van Aken, deputy party chair of the party DIE LINKE, on the voting results in the UN General Assembly regarding the international Arms Trade Treaty ATT.
It is, however, to be feared, that in the real world initially not much will change. Two of the world’s five largest arms exporters, Russia and China, abstained in New York. The other three top exporters, the U.S., Germany, and France already have controls that despite all gaps and shortcomings exceed the ATT by far.
Nevertheless offers the arms trade treaty a basis to further fight for better arms control at UN level. Truely effective regulations will only be possible, if a big arms exporting country like Germany imposed clear export bans and set a courageous signal.
We congratulate Amnesty International, Oxfam and the other NGOs which fought for many years internationally for this arms trades treaty. Without them today there wouldn’t be any regulations.