DISARMAMENT: North Seeks Code of Conduct for Global Arms Sales

By Thalif Deen Reprint | | Print |

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 8 1994 (IPS) - The European Union (EU) wants the United Nations to establish a code of conduct for global arms sales.

Ambassador Wolfgang Hoffmann of Germany told delegates the 12 members of the EU believe that the creation of a “universal, politically binding” code of conduct would represent an important step forward in conventional arms control.

Speaking on the EU’s behalf, he said: “The objective of our proposal would be to agree on a set of principles and guidelines to promote responsibility and restraint in international conventional arms transfers”.

The format and details of the proposed code are to be worked out by the U.N.’s Committee on Disarmament and International Security currently in session.

The 24 countries sponsoring the proposal include Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, the UK, Australia, Belgium, Finland and the Netherlands.

The Western states are being backed by at least four former Soviet bloc countries: Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania.

Thomas Cardamone, editor of the Washington-based Arms Trade News, told IPS it would be a good idea to establish a code of conduct as part of a restraining exercise on arms sales.

He pointed out that there is a bill pending in the U.S. Congress that would restrict arms sales to countries that are undemocratic, abuse human rights, are involved in a war against a neighbour or its own citizens, or do not participate in the U.N. arms register.

The bill was not put to a vote in the current session of Congress but is expected to be re-introduced in January next year, he said.

Cardamone said it was significant that the draft is being sponsored by Western nations because “for the most part they are the major arms sellers and are concerned about who they are selling to.”

If the United States were to initiate an international summit to reduce arms sales to Africa (or any other region for that matter), and use the code of conduct as a model, it would be a tremendous start for arms restraint, he added.