New Zealand MPs sign up to Declaration on Arms Trade Treaty

Eighty MPs from New Zealand political parties have joined forces to demonstrate their commitment to better regulation of the international trading of conventional weapons by signing the Control Arms Global Parliamentary Declaration on the Arms Trade Treaty, says Labour MP Ross Robertson.

Mr Robertson, the President of Parliamentarians for Global Action, said that the declaration now has more than 700 signatures from 40 countries and many more are anticipated before it is formally handed into the United Nations in July 2012.

“The global trade in conventional weapons remains unacceptably under-regulated to this day. Tens of thousands of lives are needlessly lost every year around the world as a result of this tragic reality.

“To date, no set of internationally agreed standards is in place to ensure that conventional arms are transferred in a responsible manner.

“Many governments around the world have expressed alarm about the lack of any meaningful international regulations for UN Member States to govern their actions on arms transfers.  It is for that reason that the 193 Member States of the UN have commenced negotiations of an Arms Trade Treaty.

“The government of New Zealand is a strong and vocal supporter of an Arms Trade Treaty and has participated actively in the four set of Preparatory Committee meetings on the ATT that have taken place at the UN in New York over the last 18 months.

“The final negotiation session will take place at the ATT Diplomatic Conference at the UN in New York in July 2012 when it is hoped that a final text will be agreed upon.

“Parliamentarians have a key role to play on the ATT, not only as advocates for its establishment and, once in place, its ratification, but also when it comes time for implementation of this treaty into domestic law.

“This high level of solidarity and commitment demonstrated by so many Parliamentarians here in New Zealand is a clear manifestation of this reality,” said Ross Robertson.

The Control Arms Global Parliamentary Declaration on the Arms Trade Treaty may be viewed at:

http://controlarms.org/parliamentarian-declaration

More information on PGA may be found at: www.pgaction.org