Source: Times of India
NEW DELHI: India wants a global arms trade treaty (ATT) to be decided by consensus with all “stakeholders”, where the big players in weapons trade like the US and China sharing obligations to prevent illicit trafficking of arms to terrorist groups.
It is more difficult to trade in oil and fruits than weapons. This unregulated global trade in weapons is not only huge — some figures suggest $2.2 billion worth of weapons made their way to countries under arms embargo in the last decade — but also contributes enormously to enhancing the lethal power of terrorist groups and organized crime syndicates.
As discussions for a treaty at the UN enter its final week — the treaty is being discussed at a special session from July 2-27 — sources said India wants arms brokers to be included in the purview of ATT, but wants to keep ammunition out of the pact. The Indian stand on the issue is closer to the US, although, like China, New Delhi too wants to keep subjective aspects like human rights outside the treaty’s ambit.
The gaps among the negotiating countries are wide enough to foresee difficult negotiations ahead. India would prefer to have strong language against terrorism, viewing this treaty as one more brick in the comprehensive convention against terrorism. In her statement, Sujata Mehta, PR to the conference on disarmament, said, “The ATT should make it obligatory for states not to authorize transfer of conventional arms to terrorists or non-state armed groups.”
However, the implementation of the treaty should be the responsibility of governments, and not by a supra-national body, because it “cannot restrict and should not prejudice the legitimate right of states to engage in arms trade for self-defence and in pursuit of their foreign policy and national security interests.” Nobody is sure how this treaty will effect states like Pakistan which harbour terrorists.