U.N. Review Conference on Small Arms

What Happened at the UN Review Conference on Small Arms?

Q: Did governments agree to a set of global guidelines on the international transfer of small arms and light weapons?

A: No. After more than 25 governments agreed to a set of global guidelines in Nairobi, Kenya on April 21, 2006, some governments had hoped that these guidelines would be used as a basis for negotiations at the UN Conference. However, there wasn't enough time to negotiate a detailed list of guidelines at this UN Conference (June 26 to July 7). Instead, governments and NGOs focused on urging all governments to support calling for future negotiations to agree on detailed global guidelines.

Q: Were governments able to agree on future negotiations to establish a set of global guidelines?

A: No. Although there was wide governmental support for holding future negotiations to agree on global guidelines within the UN, a small minority of governments blocked this effort, including Cuba, India, Pakistan, Israel, and Iran. Of these countries, Iran was the most obstinate. Canada, however, did propose a meeting in the spring of 2007 for all governments to discuss global guidelines. In addition, the UN General Assembly is anticipated to discuss future negotiations at its session in October.

Q: Did the United States support future negotiations on global guidelines?

A: Yes, for the most part. In the United States' opening statement at the UN Conference, Undersecretary of State Robert Joseph said, "We [the United States] are willing to consider text that encourages the adoption of a set of principles on arms transfers." Throughout the two week conference, the United States encouraged other governments to support future negotiations in bilateral and multilateral settings. However, by the end of the UN Conference, the United States said they needed to check with Washington before they could approve language about future negotiations.

Q: What was the result of the UN Review Conference on Small Arms?

A: Unfortunately, governments failed to adopt any substantive agreement to curb the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. Several factors contributed to the lack of agreement. Negotiations were consensus-based, which meant that all governments had to support the whole agreement. A few governments, most prominently the United States, blocked proposals that most other governments supported.

Q: Which proposals did the United States block?

A: The United States was one of a very few, if not the only country, to oppose more than six initiatives most governments supported, which significantly contributed to why governments failed to adopt an agreement in the end. The United States opposed any references to development, ammunition, a ban on sales of weapons to non-state actors, civilian possession, gender, future UN studies, and future UN meetings. Governments were most dismayed by U.S. opposition to any future UN meetings to review the implementation of the original agreement in 2001.

For more information on the U.S. positions, please see the U.S. government's opening statement at the UN Conference at http://www.un.org/events/smallarms2006/pdf/arms060627usa-eng.pdf.

Q: Did the United States initiate or support any proposals?

A: Yes, other than global guidelines, the United States did initiate or support at least a couple other items. For example, the United States supported efforts to ban Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) to unauthorized non-governmental actors. The United States also supported language that encouraged governments to strengthen their capacity to monitor the destination and use of their exports.

Q: Will there be any future UN meeting on small arms and light weapons?

A: Yes. The United Nations has already agreed to hold a follow-up meeting on the implementation of an agreement of the marking and tracing of small arms. Members of a UN study group will also meet, beginning November 2006, to discuss how governments can more effectively deal with the issue of arms brokering. The future of UN meetings to review progress on the implementation of the original 2001 agreement, however, remains unclear. Governments plan to introduce a resolution calling for such meetings at the UN General Assembly in October 2006.