Submitted by joel on
announcement from the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs.
In
preparation for the Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which
will be held in New York from 2 to 27 July 2012, the UN Office for
Disarmament Affairs has launched a special website (English only)
http://www.un.org/disarmament/ATT/ and prepared a series of information
materials (please see attachments)
The General Assembly has
convened a Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), from 2 to 27 July
2012 in New York, “to negotiate a legally binding instrument on the
highest possible common international standards for the transfer of
conventional arms”.
The United Nations Secretariat provides the
venue for these talks between governmental representatives, and
facilitates their meetings – but it is not a party to the negotiations.
Non-governmental
organizations, such as human rights and development groups, gun-control
organizations and gun-rights supporters, have also shown a keen
interest in the ATT negotiations as has the arms manufacturing and
trading industry.
The ATT conference is historic: It represents
the first time ever that States gather to negotiate a treaty regulating
conventional arms under the auspices of the United Nations.
The
goal is the adoption of a robust and legally binding Arms Trade Treaty
that will have a real impact on the lives of those millions of people
suffering from the consequences of armed conflict, repression, armed
violence, rampant crime and widespread insecurity.
Quite
expectably, the treaty negotiations are fraught with challenges. The
global arms trade has complex ramifications that touch on core national
interests. There are thus various legitimate concerns and perspectives
at play here. There is also a certain misconception of the goals of the
conference among many in public at large; and false information is
floating around as the gun-lobby organizations see in the treaty a
potential threat.