David Miliband

Foreign Secretary

FCO Logo
« Pakistan: Education,... | Main | Iran »
Thursday 24 September, 2009

Arms Trade Treaty

This week I am in New York at the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The UN provides the forum for all states to work together to find mutually beneficial solutions to the increasing number of challenges to our interdependent world. Key among them is how to ensure global security and stability, which is why we attach so much importance to the annual October UN meeting on arms control. One of our key priorities this October will be to ensure progress towards an Arms Trade Treaty.

In my video message this week to the Oxfam seminar on women in conflict I set out why this is so important.  National and regional arms export controls should be as strong as possible. But only a global Arms Trade Treaty can plug the gaps between them.  It is through these gaps that arms can reach terrorists and fuel conflict, threatening lives worldwide.


States, civil society and the defence industry overwhelmingly agree that there is a need for an Arms Trade Treaty. And all states agreed in the UN in July that the unregulated trade in arms is causing global problems. It is time to turn these words into action.  

This October we will therefore call for a clear timetable and negotiating framework to secure a strong Arms Trade Treaty as soon as possible.  We want preparatory meetings in 2010 and 2011 for a Diplomatic Conference on an Arms Trade Treaty in 2012.

In October there will be a choice either to continue talking generally about an Arms Trade Treaty or to set a timetable for action towards a treaty that would help protect lives and livelihoods all around the globe.  I know which way I will be voting.

Posted at 14:37 24 September 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[12]

  • Share this with:
Comments:

Sir, this is a good news that there will be an arms control treaty that will control the illegal international trading of arms and will be helpfull to control terrorism. This treaty should include all the countries. This will be a successfull treaty like PELINDABA TREATY when will be implemented transparently and honestly by all nations.

Posted by Prabhat Misra on September 25, 2009 at 04:20 PM BST #

A plan of action for controlling the conventional arms trade is essential. But we need to be convinced that once a strong conventional arms control regime is in place the UK will be forceful in policing it. The Parliamentary Committees on Arms Export Controls found evidence that UK-made components had been used in Israeli weapon systems used in the assault on Gaza and military equipment exported to Sri Lanka during a ceasefire between the government and the Tamil Tigers may have been used after the resumption of hostilities. The FCO claims to be chasing after the bolted Sri Lankan horse but appears to be pretending that the problems with Israel don't exist. You have to mean what you say if you want to keep thanking us for listening to you.

Posted by OwenE2 on September 26, 2009 at 10:13 PM BST #

I love your voice but I don't understand much. I wish somebody could translate it for me...

Posted by Linh on September 28, 2009 at 03:04 AM BST #

Good to hear that you'll be pushing for the deadline, Mr Miliband. But I certainly hope that you can get other UN countries on board, too.

Posted by Richard on September 30, 2009 at 05:49 PM BST #

Glad to hear the Radio 4 discussion this morning about the Tanzanian air traffic control system sale. At the time this gave the lie to the government's fine words about arms export controls. Will those in power who sanctioned that sale be held accountable? Otherwise, why shouldn't we suspect that fine words now may once again simply mean business as usual when it suits us?

Posted by OwenE2 on October 01, 2009 at 07:37 AM BST #

I just wanted to say that this is great news, an agreement in principal is nice, but an agreement with teeth is what is really needed. I hope you are successful in these talks.

Posted by Beth on October 01, 2009 at 08:48 AM BST #

It's great to see you pushing this hard, Mr Milliband. Is there an end date when we'll see this treaty and be able to really know it's happening, and not just being talked about or negoiated?

Posted by Martin on October 01, 2009 at 08:51 AM BST #

Hi I think that it's great that the UK government has moved to a position of really pushing the negotiations for a tough and binding arms trade treaty. With the strong signals from the USA that nuclear weapons control, hopefully leading to disarmament, is up for dicussion, I urge you to make the most of this atmosphere. The time is condusive to tough arms control - make the most of this chance.

Posted by Ian Sullivan on October 01, 2009 at 10:22 AM BST #

Mr Milliband, Thank you for taking this issue seriously. I have been supportign the Control Arms campaign since the begining and I am getting impatient to see how long it takes to agree on somethign so inevitable. However, I would like to see a Treaty that actually works, one that protects people and one that isn't just a piece of paper for the filing cabinet if you know what I mean. I want a Treaty that will join the dots of international law and will require governments to follow human rights regulations, humanitarian law and the principles of sustainable development. I know that millions of people around the world are waiting for such a Treaty and I wish you and your likeminded colleague the best to achieve that.

Posted by Virag Kaufer on October 02, 2009 at 10:17 AM BST #

Hi there. Good talk - I'd really like to see you walk the walk now! Please make this happen and fast, millions are depending on it!

Posted by Suzanne on October 02, 2009 at 10:59 AM BST #

This is all very well but will the USA support this treaty instead of standing in the way of progress? What is Mr Miliband going to do about that? As I understand it they are the only people who have voted against this Treaty. What can you do to get Obama to change his mind?

Posted by Don mcloud on October 02, 2009 at 11:48 PM BST #

I really hope that this October, after all the years of build-up, we see a firm move towards a treaty that will really serve to protect human rights around the world.

Posted by Poppy on October 02, 2009 at 11:53 PM BST #

Post a Comment:
  • HTML Syntax: NOT allowed