Disarmament Diplomacy

Issue No. 62, January - February 2002

News Review

Wassenaar Arrangement Reviewed

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies - established in 1996 and currently consisting of 33 states - held its 7th Plenary Meeting in Vienna from December 6-7.

In a public statement issued at the conclusion of discussions, member states "underlined the importance of strengthening export controls and reaffirmed their commitment to maintain responsible national policies in the licensing of exports of arms and sensitive dual-use items". The statement added that member states "will continue to prevent the acquisition of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies by terrorist groups and organisations as well as by individual terrorists," believing that "such efforts are an integral part of the global fight against terrorism".

Addressing the global crisis of illicit and/or irresponsible arms transfers, the statement "noted with concern illicit arms flows to zones of conflict and areas covered by UNSC [UN Security Council] embargoes, as well as licit transfers from states not participating in the Wassenaar Arrangement", making specific mention of the situation in Angola and Afghanistan. With regard to small arms, the Plenary "reaffirmed the importance of responsible export policies towards, and effective export controls over" these weapons in order "to prevent destabilising accumulations and diversions."

The Arrangement has been criticised for being elitist and too-narrowly based. Tentatively confronting the issue of membership, the "Plenary decided to consider ways to develop contacts with non-Wassenaar members, including major arms producers." The statement continued: "Participating states again confirmed that the Wassenaar Arrangement is open, on a global and non-discriminatory basis, to prospective adherents that comply with established criteria for participation, and agreed to develop further contacts with other non-proliferation regimes to avoid duplication of work and to facilitate complementarity."

The 33 participating states are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States. The next Plenary will be held in Vienna in December, 2002.

Report: Public Statement, The Seventh Plenary of the Wassenaar Arrangement, December 18 (http://www.wassenaar.org).