US Blocks Proposals to Combat Illegal Weapons Trade

  
The United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons ended on July 21 with a plan of action to prevent, combat and eliminate illegal trafficking in this area. Among the measures proposed was requiring countries to maintain strict controls on weapons manufacturers and distributors and ensuring that all confiscated weapons are destroyed according to established criteria. The conference also called for greater international cooperation in identifying instances of illegal arms trafficking.

The conference's president, Camilo Reyes of Colombia, called the plan of action "a step forward in addressing one of the most urgent problems the world faces in achieving peace and security." However, the opposition and disinterest shown by the United States threatens to undermine the measures' effectiveness.
The US emphatically rejected any actions that would interfere with the right of citizens to acquire and carry arms. The US assistant secretary of state for arms control and international affairs, John Bolton, argued that firearms use "is an aspect of national life." He added, "not all small arms and light weapons are the same and not all are problematic."

The United States was the only country that objected to a provision in the text limiting shipments of small arms to transactions between governments or between governments and authorized agencies. This provision was eliminated. The only concession that the US made was to withdraw its initial opposition to a follow-up conference in 2006.

For many observers and academics, the US attitude at the conference was another instance of the present administration's unilateral and arrogant foreign policy. This "cowboy mentality" is perceived as interfering with the efforts of groups of countries to reach a consensus on solutions to multilateral problems.

Close to 40 representatives of NGOs and countries-especially in Latin America and Africa-joined together to rebuff the US position. The number of lives saved will be the best indication of whether the international community acted correctly to curb the proliferation of small arms, they argued.

As many conference delegates pointed out, this first UN conference on the topic is in itself not enough to end the problem of the illegal trade in small arms and light weapons. Instead, it marks the beginning of a complex process that will face many challenges in the future. The real achievement of the conference will be measured by the effective implementation of the measures approved in the plan of action.