Issue 65 Sept 1998
International Code of Conduct on Arms Sales
International Code of Conduct on Arms Sales
The proposal for a comprehensive international Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers to control arms trade around the world was originally made by Dr Oscar Arias, former President of Costa Rica who, together with 12 other former recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize, drew up and signed a draft Code of Conduct. This Code is in the form of a United Nations Resolution with the hope that it will be discussed and endorsed by the UN General Assembly.
Implementation of the Code would require states to introduce national legislation and regulations to ensure enforcement. The requirements of such legislation are spelled out in the text of the Code, as are the requirements for international monitoring.
In January 1998 the UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor, expressed full support for this initiative seeing it as a significant and positive step towards honouring the responsibilities entailed in Article 25 of the United Nations Charter regarding 'the establishment of a system for the regulation of armaments with the least diversion for armaments of the world's economic and human resources'.
At a press conference 5 May Mr Mayor repeated this call for an Arms Sales Code of Conduct, as the European Union prepared to examine a joint proposal to this effect by France and the United Kingdom. In his statement on this occasion Mr Mayor said that:
"We have enough money to defend our borders, but not to defend the dignity of our women and children. The forests are burning but we have no fire-fighting planes to deal with the problem. Frequently, the security of citizens – essential for the establishment and safeguard of democracy – is not guaranteed due to lack of resources for an efficient judiciary. Serious and urgent problems could be overcome by investing in education, the environment and social justice. By spending less on arms, we will have the wherewithal for such investments. The establishment of an ethical code would already serve to restrict the sale of by ceasing to provide arms to dictatorships, to those who arm themselves for ends other than defence."
The UNESCO Director-General pointed out that the Code of Conduct on Arms Sales did not call for new obligations by arms producing states but for the establishment of an arms regulation system in accordance with the guidelines of Article 26 of the United Nations charter.
Contact: UN Department of Public Information, New York, N.Y. 10017, USA.
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