EUROPE'S DEFENCE INDUSTRY SUPPORTS STRONG, ENFORCEABLE UN ARMS TRADE TREATY

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Vienna, 11 February 2010 – ASD, the Aerospace and Defence Industries association of Europe, has expressed its support for the adoption of a binding and enforceable Arms Trade Treaty at the global level. ASD has stated its position on the occasion of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) seminar, held on February 11-12^th in Vienna.

François Gayet, ASD’s Secretary General, declared: “ASD considers of prime importance the creation of a legal instrument covering the international arms trade that reflects its security aspects, its economic realities and the principles of human rights in accordance with international initiatives to promote peace”.

The European defence industry, represented by ASD, considers that the United Nations proposed Arms Trade Treaty is a welcome step towards countering two complex and serious challenges arising in the international arms trade now and in the future, namely the globalisation of the supplier base for conventional arms and the growing threat represented by the trade in, and the resulting global proliferation of, small arms. The success of such an Arms Trade Treaty will require a proper assessment of these challenges, as well as the creation of an effective and enforceable compliance mechanism.

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